Library research resources for
Anthropology of Modern Africa

Daniel Reboussin, Ph.D.

1. Reference resources

Browse the reference area for overviews of African (or world) countries and cultures. These resources will lead you to more specific academic sources in the book stacks or journal literature (check the suggested readings, references cited, and bibliography sections as you peruse browsed items). In the following examples, many articles are signed by recognized experts. Less authoritative guides generally don't follow this practice, so it can be an indication of quality information. Also note that annotations in bibliographies can save you time in shelf browsing, leading you directly to your primary areas of interest.

Atlas of world cultures: a geographical guide to ethnographic literature. David H. Price. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1989. Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-125) and index.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): G1046.E1 P71 1989

Countries and their cultures. Melvin Ember and Carol R. Ember, eds. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): GN307 .C68 2001

Encyclopedia of world cultures. David Levinson, editor in chief. Boston, MA: G. K. Hall, 1991-1996 & 2002 supplement.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): GN307 .E53 1991
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): GN307 .E53x 1991 suppl. 2002 [Currently listed in main stacks, but will be transferred to REF].

Encyclopedia of Africa south of the Sahara. John Middleton, ed. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1997.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): DT351 .E53 1997

Africa South of the Sahara. London: Europa Publications Ltd.
LIBRARY WEST: DT351 .A37 (Latest 3 eds. in Reference).

2. Primary sources

We yone. Freetown [Sierra Leone]: Proprietors We Yone.
Library West General Collection DT516 W3
Library West Microfilm (3rd Floor) DT516 .W3

The Herald [<microform>.>] Salisbury < Harare, Zimbabwe> : Rhodesian Print. & Pub. Co., 1978-
Library West Microfilm (3rd Floor) AN9.Z55 R56

The Star [microform] Johannesburg : Argus.
Library West Microfilm (3rd Floor) DT1701 .S72 MOST CURRENT ISSUES IN PAPER

West Africa. [ London, West Africa Pub. Co. Ltd.]
Library West Periodicals [Request 0-999 from Storage] 916.605 W522

Drum. Johannesburg : Drum.
Storage/Request Retrieval STORAGE AP9 .D785

3. Bibliographies, indexes & abstracts

Use some of these research tools to get more specific and in-depth information.

Africa bibliography. Manchester, England: Manchester University Press, 1985- Frequency: Annual
Africa--Bibliography--Periodicals.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): Z3501 .A37

Historical dictionary of Ghana. David Owusu-Ansah and Daniel Miles McFarland. 2nd ed. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1995. Series: African historical dictionaries; no. 63. Includes bibliographical references (p. 257-377).
Ghana--History--Dictionaries.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): DT510.5 .M38 1995

Ghana. Robert A. Myers. Santa Barbara, CA: Clio Press, 1991. Series: World bibliographical series; v. 124.
Ghana--Bibliography.
LIBRARY WEST, Reference (Non-Circulating): DT510 .M31 1991

N.B. These last two examples are representative of 500 titles currently in the library's collection of the World bibliographical series and nearly 400 titles beginning with Historical dictionary of....

4. Electronic resources

"The eHRAF Collection of Ethnography is a cross-cultural database that contains over 350,000 pages of information on all aspects of cultural and social life.  The annually-growing eHRAF database is unique in that the information is organized into cultures and ethnic groups and the full-text sources are subject-indexed at the paragraph level."

5. Subject headings

Always be sure to look at the LONG view of a catalog record. These can provide you with further leads as you develop your research strategy through keyword searching or subject heading searches.