Category Archives: Literature

Databases & Database Trials, eBooks, Languages & Language Tools, Literature, Recent Noteworthy Acquisitions, Reference, Uncategorized

Recent Noteworthy Acquisition

sezginSezgin Online : A bio-bibliography for the Arabic literary tradition – Sezgin Online consists of volumes 1-9 of Fuat Sezgin’s renowned Geschichte des arabischen Schrifttums (GAS), the largest and most modern bio-bibliography for the Arabic literary tradition in general and the history of science and technology in the Islamic world in particular.

Sezgin Online offers bio-bibliographical information about renowned figures (writers, poets, philosophers, physicians, scientists, linguists etc.) from the Islamic world. Complementing Brockelmann Online and Brockelmann in English, it is an indispensable research tool for Middle East and Islamic studies.  Features and Benefits
• Standard reference in the field.
• Largest and most modern bio-bibliography for the Arabic literary tradition and the history of science and technology in the Islamic world.
• The first and only online version of this standard reference.
• Includes content from 9 of the original volumes (4,959 pages total in print).
• Full-text searchable. Continue reading Recent Noteworthy Acquisition →

Archives, Bibliography, eBooks, Egypt, Islam, Languages & Language Tools, Literature, News & Current Events, Reference, Tunisia

Reading Adam Smith in Arabic

In The Wall Street Journal, Donald J. Kochan writes that the region needs ‘The Wealth of Nations’ now more than ever.

Never mind the tone of the piece, especially in the first par. —What else is new?!  Read more below about

Reading Adam Smith in Arabic

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The region needs ‘The Wealth of Nations’ now more than ever.

By Donald J. Kochan.  The Wall Street Journal, 17 February 2011, A17

At this time of unrest and transition in the Arab world, the United States’s capacity to communicate core values of democracy and individual liberty is a priority. Our capability to translate them into Arabic is a necessity. We need to expose the Arab world to the fundamental texts of Western political and philosophical thought. Indeed, the export of ideas may be the most valuable commodity we have to offer.

Of course we hear similar sentiments often. But our seduction by the power of the Internet has distracted us from remembering the power of books.

Twenty-five years ago, the U.S. State Department initiated a little-known but very important project, the Arabic Book Program. It primarily operates out of our embassies in Cairo and Amman, and the U.S. Consulate General’s office in Jerusalem. As the State Department explains, the objective is “translating into Arabic, publishing and distributing selected books from American writers in various areas, including economics, management sciences, politics, humanities, arts, and the environment.” … [MORE]

Arabic Book Program

“The Arabic Book Program was established in 1986 with the objective of translating, publishing, and distributing in Arabic a selection of books from U.S. authors in various areas and disciplines. The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem provides local Palestinian organizations with quality Arabic translations of American books through this program. These books are  offered free of charge. We currently have in stock more than 60 different titles in a variety of categories, including: democracy and governance, economic development, management, civic education, media, the U.S. financial system, American Studies, conflict resolution, international relations, political science, information technology, and more.”

Archives, Databases & Database Trials, eBooks, Egypt, Faculty & Researchers, Languages & Language Tools, Libya, Literature, News & Current Events, Primary Sources, Reference, Teaching & Learning Tools, Translated News from the Middle East, Tunisia

Teaching the Middle East: A Resource for Educators

Teaching the Middle East: A Resource for Educators

Scholars from the University of Chicago developed this teacher resource to provide an overview of Middle Eastern cultures and their contributions to the world.

Discover the great currents of continuity and change throughout Middle Eastern history…

This resource was written by many of the best scholars in the field of Middle Eastern studies and created in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities and three University of Chicago units, the Oriental Institute, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and the eCUIP Digital Library Project (a collaboration between the University of Chicago and the Chicago Public Schools to provide high-quality digital resources to the K—12 educational community using the content expertise of University of Chicago scholars, the development skills of the University Library’s Digital Library Development Center, and the experience of CPS educators).

The goal of Teaching the Middle East: A Resource for Educators is to provide teachers of Middle Eastern history and culture with a rich, reliable, and easily accessible resource that draws upon sound humanities scholarship to help build student understanding of Middle Eastern history and culture.

Drawing upon the unparalleled expertise of renowned scholars from the University of Chicago, the archaeological resources of a world-famous research facility and museum, and the inherent flexibility and strengths of the Internet…

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Online Maps of Current Interest

Archives, Databases & Database Trials, Islam, Languages & Language Tools, Literature, News & Current Events, Translated News from the Middle East

AskZad and Kotobarabia (Eastview)

In light of the dramatic events unfolding in Egypt, East View, along with its partners in Cairo, Arabia Inform and Kotobarabia, wish to extend free access to the AskZad and Kotobarabia information platforms.
Feel free to access news and information from Egypt with the following username and password from now until Feb 28, 2011 (at no cost or obligation):

Username: India
Password: chutney

Follow the links to search and find the latest information available from the following databases:

AskZad Pan-Arab Newspapers Database is the product of Arabia Inform’s open source intelligence efforts to serve the Middle East’s leading national policymakers. Created by over 1,100 Cairo-based media specialists working 24/7 to monitor, index and capture virtually every significant news outlet in the Arab world, PANI is growing by 10,000+ article units per day. Each unit is analyzed and indexed according to a robust methodology, and then aggregated in real time with an archive dating back to 1998.

Click here for access

The Kotobarabia E-Library holds over 4,500 e-book titles reflecting modern thought and philosophy of all types of publications: fiction, non-fiction, scholarly and popular, written by Arab authors. The collection is not censored. In light of this, there is a book category on the interface called “Banned Books”. Click here for access.

The Modern Arab Renaissance, which covers the mid-19th to mid-20th century, with content from across the Islamic World, with special focus on Egypt and Syria. This 3,000 title collection covers the sciences and humanities: philosophy and theology, literature, arts, history and politics, including writings from Mahmoud Abdo, Gamal El Din El Afgahany and Rashid Reda.

Click here for access.