Middle East/Islamic Studies

Middle EastNorth AfricaMuslim

Islam is the second major religious group in the world, which has 1.8 billion believers. From Southeast Asia to the Middle East and North Africa, Muslims are all over the world. Internationally, since the end of WWII, Israel-Palestinian conflict, 911 incident, Afghanistan war and the Islamic State, the political situation in the Middle East has influenced the world. This series contains 6 Islam and the Middle East-related databases, covering reports and archives from Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, and Central Asia and including the influential newspaper, Al-Ahram. It offers precious research resources for Taiwanese to understand the Islamic world.

Al-Ahram

Founded in 1875, Al-Ahram (الأهرام‎, “The Pyramids”) is one of the most prominent Arabic newspapers in the Middle East, including its legacy as Egypt’s most authoritative and influential national daily. It is one of the most important newspapers in the Arab world with a circulation of over 1 million, having established itself as a high-quality journalistic venture during the mid-20th century.

Muslims of the Soviet East
1974-1990

Established in 1968 by the Muslim Religious Board for Central Asia and Kazakhstan, Muslims of the Soviet East was the only Islamic periodical carrying the official seal of approval of the Soviet government. Published originally in Uzbek, the journal expanded its linguistic base in the following years, adding Arabic (1969), French and English (1974), Farsi (1980), and Dari (1984). A Russian version would come along surprisingly late, only in 1990, one year before its closure. East View offers the English edition only.

Iranian Strategic Studies
1991 – 2007

Gain unique insight into the Middle East with the Iranian Strategic Studies collection. This journal and e-book collection is from the Center for Scientific Research and Middle East Strategic Studies (CMESS), a think tank in Iran with focused studies and research on the various aspects of the Middle East. Founded in 1988 with branches in both Tehran and Beirut, CMESS is a major player within Iran’s nascent yet thriving political science industry. Titles includes Regional Studies Quarterly: Israel-America Studies, Middle East Studies Quarterly, Iranian-Arab Affairs Quarterly , Middle East Affairs and Discourse: An Iranian Quarterly.

Russian Islamic Studies
2004 – Now

More than 10% of Russia’s population is Muslim. This makes Islam the second most widely professed religion in Russia. Online access is now available to this large and influential community’s most important publications through the Russian Islamic Studies collection, which offers a selection of journals and newspapers published in Moscow, Grozny and Makhachkala. This unique collection covers activities of Islamic organizations in Russia and abroad, political and economic developments in the Muslim regions of Russia, the state of Islamic education in Russia, and more.

Afghan Serials Collections
1968 – 2001

The Afghan Serials Collection: Partisan Publications from the Wahdat Library showcases unique press materials from a key era that shaped not only Afghanistan and the Middle East, but the entire world. Featuring content not assembled elsewhere, the collection is a chronicle of the rich and dynamic Afghan press and an essential resource for scholars and area experts.

Afghan Central Press

The Afghan Central Press collection brings together four national, Kabul-based publications of Afghanistan whose long runs and prominence provide a concentrated vantage point for understanding developments in Afghanistan for much of the twentieth century. The English-language Kabul Times is presented alongside Pushto publications AnīsHewād, and Iṣlāḥ. Together, the archives of these newspapers provide a chronicle of events from the fall of the Kingdom of Afghanistan, the establishment of the People’s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, the Soviet invasion, the rise of the Mujahedeen, the establishment of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, invasion by the United States and the ensuing period of reconstruction from the view of the capital.

Middle Eastern and North African Newspapers

From the Ottoman Empire to the Arab Spring, the countries of the Middle East and North Africa have stood at the crossroads of history. The Middle Eastern and North African Newspapers collection includes publications from across this dynamic region, providing unique insights into the history of individual countries, as well as broad viewpoints on key historic events from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. Researchers will find a wealth of unique content from the Middle East and North Africa, much of which has never been digitized or available as open access material. Content in the Middle Eastern and North African Newspapers collection is predominantly in Arabic, but also includes key titles in English and French. The collection comprises out-of-copyright, orphaned content, and includes titles such as al-Ikhāʼ (Syria), al-Bilād al-Saʼūdīyah (Saudi Arabia), Tangier Gazette (Morocco) and La Vérité (Algeria).

Cumhuriyet
1924 – 2020

Established in May 1924, Cumhuriyet (The Republic) is the oldest secular Turkish daily newspaper. Founded by journalist Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu at the initiative of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Cumhuriyet was the first newspaper of the Turkish Republic and promoted a belief in democracy, secularism and the rule of law. According to the newspaper’s editorial principles: Cumhuriyet is an independent newspaper; it is the defender of nothing but the Republic, of democracy in the scientific and broad sense. It will fight every force that tries to overthrow the Republic and the notion and principles of democracy. It will endeavor for the embracing by society of the principle of secularism along the path of “Enlightenment” ushered in by Atatürk’s revolution and principles.

Kavkaz
1846 – 1918

The newspaper Kavkaz (Кавказ, The Caucasus) was published during 1846-1918. It was the first Russian-language newspaper in the Caucasus, published in Tiflis (Tbilisi), Georgia. The idea to publish this newspaper came from Prince Mikhail Vorontsov who was the imperial Governor-General of the province at that time. The main purpose of the newspaper was, on the one hand, to promote the Russian culture and Russian influence in the Caucasus, and on the other hand “to acquaint the Russian public with the life, habits and traditions of the tribes populating the province of the Caucasus.” Kavkaz published official documents of the Russian Empire, as well as many historical, cultural and archeological writings by prominent public and cultural figures of the local intelligentsia.

Periodicals of Central Asia and the Caucasus
1998 – Now

The Periodicals of Central Asia and the Caucasus collection includes a number of authoritative periodicals from the region. The publications are mostly in Russian and English and cover various issues of domestic and international importance. The collection contains news and data on state structure, politics, legislation, the judicial system, and indicators on all sectors of economy and more, making it an excellent source for scholars, investors, field experts and students. Many titles have a rich archive dating back to 2000.

Modern Arab Renaissance Collection
1820 – 1914

The Modern Arab Renaissance Collection is an exclusive electronic archive of books published from 1820-1914 from across the Islamic World, with special focus on Egypt and Syria. These e-books provide insight into the development of Egypt and the Arab world during the most profound period of industrialization, modernization, the end of the Ottoman Empire, and relations with the colonial powers of the West. The collection is comprised of over 3,000 titles in the humanities and sciences, including philosophy and theology, literature, arts, history, and politics, and featuring writings from Mahmoud Abdo, Gamal El Din El Afgahany and Rashid Reda.

Produced by Kotobarabia/East View Information Services, Arabic with English interface.

Arab Leaders, Historians and Philosophers Collection
1000 – 1900

Spanning from the year 1000 to 1990 with approximately 5,000 titles, the Arab Leaders, Historians and Philosophers Collection includes never before seen works of many great Arab scientists and teachers. Access contributions covering a millennium of canonical Arab thought from nearly 1,000 important, highly valued Arab thinkers, philosophers, historians, politicians, and theologians. A compendium of early works of an astounding variety of disciplines from important Arab writers, spanning fields from feminism and social theory, to classics of literature, history, and the sciences, these works formed the crucible for Arab culture, religion, philosophy, and political thought today. Features works by the Four Imams of the Sunni Sect, the Al Azhar Modern Sheikhs, various authors of the Modern Arab Enlightenment, and rare works by the former Egyptian royal family. Each e-book found in the Arab Leaders, Historians and Philosophers Collection is a faithful rendition of the physical title, all scanned from original editions.

Produced by Kotobarabia/East View Information Services, Arabic with English interface.

Information

Features

Information on Muslims across North Africa, the Middle East and Russia.

● From 1000 A.D. to the present, spanning a thousand years.

● The content covers nearly 10 languages, including Arabic, Persian, Russian, etc.

Diverse research perspectives including think tanks and newspapers.