Online Encyclopedia Databases (Cornell Users Only)
Encyclopedias (online or print) are great for, choosing a topic; educating yourself quickly; perspective on a topic; variant spellings, vocabulary, terminology; and bibliography.
- Gale Virtual Reference LibraryProvides searchable full-text e-book versions of many reference works, including multi-volume encyclopedias, biographical collections, business plan handbooks, company history compilations, consumer health references, and specialized handbooks, dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. in a wide range of subject areas. Subject categories include arts, biography, business, education, environment, history, law, literature, medicine, multicultural studies, nation and world, religion, science, and social sc
- Sage ereferenceA database of 47 reference books published by SAGE covering the social sciences and education, including such areas as African American studies, aged & gerontology, anthropology, communication and media studies, criminology and criminal justice, economics, education, gender & sexuality studies, history, politics, psychology, social issues, social work & social policy, and sociology.
- Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East & North AfricaCovers the modern history of the Middle East and North Africa, with major sections on Colonialism and Imperialism, the World Wars, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the United Nations’ involvement in the region. Each country in the region is reviewed, detailing its population, economy, and government.
- Encyclopedia of African ReligionFeaturing nearly 500 entries ranging in length from a few paragraphs to several pages, this epic work illuminates the depth of African religious diversity through essays on topics such as circumcision, ontology, oral traditions, vodou, and zin.
- Oxford African American Studies CenterComprehensive collection of scholarship focused on the lives and events which have shaped African American and African history and culture, coupled with precise search and browse capabilities. Features more than 8,000 articles by top scholars in the field, over 1,750 images, more than 300 primary sources with specially written commentaries, nearly 150 maps, 150 charts and tables, and over 6,000 biographies. The core content includes: Africana: the Encyclopedia of the African and African American
Print Subject Encyclopedias
Historical Dictionary of the Sudan by Call Number: Olin Library DT155.3 .V64x 2002This third edition focuses on the Sudan in Islamic times from the 14th century to the present. There is more on the sultanates of Sinnar and Dar Fur, the Mahdiya, and the history of Islam in the Sudan, especially the chronology and analysis of significant events of the past decade, which has seen a radical Islamist movement in power in Khartoum.
Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara by Call Number: Africana & Olin Library Reference DT 18 .C76This 4-vol. set covers its people, its cultures, and its complex history. Intended for students and the general reader, the Encyclopedia provides current and accurate information in more than 1,000 articles on the sub-Saharan region. The articles describe such topics as archaeology family and kinship; government; politics and law; and African arts; cultures; and languages.- Encyclopedia of African History by Call Number: Olin Reference DT20 .E53 2005Covering the entire continent from Morocco, Libya, and Egypt in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south, and the surrounding islands from Cape Verde in the west to Madagascar, Mauritius, and Seychelles in the east, this A-Z reference examines the history of the entire African continent. With entries ranging from the earliest evolution of human beings in Africa to the beginning of the twenty-first century, this comprehensive three-volume Encyclopedia is the first reference of this scale and scope.
Encyclopedia of African History and Culture by Call Number: Africana & Olin Libraries Reference DT3 .P27x 2001This 3 volume set is divided into 3 major periods. v. 1, "Ancient Africa," covers prehistoric times to 500 C.E., with entries on human origins; the Sahara desert; the history and culture of the Egyptian, Nubian, Bantu, and San peoples. v. 2, "African Kingdoms," examines medieval times, from 500 to 1500 C.E. a period marked by grandeur and includes the great Bantu Migration, the development of centralized states & kingdoms, the spread of Islam, and the development of trade routes with the outside world. v.3, "From Conquest to Colonization," covers 1500 to 1850 C.E., covers the rise & decline of kingdoms and empires, civil wars, the transatlantic slave trade, & the beginnings of European exploration and colonization.
