Research Guides: AMES 493/APIA 499: Senior Research in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies & Asian and Pacific Islander American Studies: Primary Sources

Introduction

W&M subscribes to a number of digitized archival collections related to Asian studies, Asian-American studies, and Middle Eastern studies. Beyond W&M, some archives and special collections have digitized documents in their collections making them accessible to researchers around the world. This page contains starting points to both, as well as strategies for finding digitized archives on your own.

Subscription Primary Source Collections

Foreign Office Files for China, 1919-1980 This link opens in a new window
Featuring diplomatic dispatches, letters, newspaper cuttings, political pamphlets, reports of court cases and other materials, this collection represents a constant exchange of information between London and the British embassies and consulates. Due to the unique nature of the relationship between Britain and China, these formerly restricted first-hand accounts provide unprecedented levels of detail into a turbulent period in Chinese history.
Foreign Office Files for the Middle East, 1971-1981 This link opens in a new window
The Middle East in the 1970s was characterised by its conflicts, with a cast of political figures whose influence can still be felt today. Providing an invaluable resource for researchers and students seeking to understand the modern Middle East, this collection contains complete runs of Foreign Office files, providing an expansive view of key events and their global political impact.
Japan at War and Peace, 1930-1949: U.S. State Department Records on the Internal Affairs of Japan This link opens in a new window
International politics, history, intellectual trends, and economics. Special reports, interviews, statistics, court proceedings, letters, translations of documents, etc. An Archives Unbound database. Coverage: 1930-1949.
KA Arabic e-Library This link opens in a new window
Also known as Kotobarabia Modern Arab Renaissance. Collection of electronic books in Arabic. Contemporary novels to national heritage scientific treatises written by Arab authors of all genres. Coverage: Varies by title.
Social Explorer This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Use Social Explorer to visualize and interact with data, create maps, charts, reports and downloads. Explore hundreds of thousands of built-in data indicators related to demography, economy, health, politics, environment, crime and more. Social Explorer is designed to provide quick and easy access to historical census data and demographic information from 1790 to the present.

Open Digital Archives

Below are some suggested, basic starting points for digital archives pertaining to some topics within this capstone course. However, this course is vast and your topic may not be represented here. You may want to locate digital archives on your own.

Some tips and tricks for finding digital archives on your topic:

Use ArchiveGrid to locate archival collections throughout the world. Note that there is no easy way to filter out only digitized collections, so you may find something perfect only to discover you have to go visit in person.
World Digital Library contains digitized heritage materials from the Library of Congress's partner organizations worldwide.
Use Google to try to locate digitized archival collections. "[your broad topic] digital archive" is usually a good starting point. Make sure you're using reputable sources -- organizations or universities are usually your best bets.
If researching a topic that lies outside of the U.S., try to locate the archives of the country involved. Some Asian, Pacific Island, and Middle Eastern nations have digital archives accessible to the public, some don't.

Some potential starting points:

Densho
Densho documents the testimonies of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II before their memories are extinguished. We offer these irreplaceable firsthand accounts, coupled with historical images and teacher resources, to explore principles of democracy and promote equal justice for all.
Korean American Digital Archive: USC Libraries
The Korean American Digital Archive brings more than 13,000 pages of documents, over 1,900 photographs, and about 180 sound files together in one searchable collection that documents the Korean American community during the period of resistance to Japanese rule in Korea and reveal the organizational and private experience of Koreans in America between 1903 and 1965.
National Archives of the Philippines
The task of guaranteeing that documents and records are preserved and accessible to the public lies with the National Archives of the Philippines. Its main responsibility is to preserve the primary sources of information on Philippine history, the basic components of cultural heritage and collective memory. These documentary sources are the embodiment of community identities as well as testaments to shared national experiences.
Oman Digital Library: Middle East Institute
The Oman Library’s online collection is a web-based digital collection of the library’s rare books and manuscripts, consisting entirely of subjects related to Middle Eastern Studies.
Propaganda & Psychological Warfare: Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution’s propaganda collections are unrivalled in the world, beginning with its extensive poster collection and large holdings of Communist Party literature (Soviet, Chinese and other), through sound recordings and film footage (the Alexander and Ethel Pronin collection holds hundreds of reels of Soviet propaganda film), these collections allow researchers to study the techniques and perfection of propaganda from early and crude images through contemporary professional multimedia presentations.