ETHNIC GROUPS AND CULTURES OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
Library and Internet Resources


Prepared by Karen Kimber, Social Sciences and Humanities Team Leader
Rev. January 2007

Cultures and Customs

• Countries and Their Cultures
  Also available in print: Ref Bookcase 5 (GN307.C68 2001) - Four volumes

• CultureGrams. Latest on Ref Bookcase 5 (GT150.C85) - Four volumes arranged by country

• Encyclopedia of World Cultures
  Also available in print: Ref Bookcase 5 (GN307.E53 1991) - Ten volumes covering the regions of the world. Arranged by ethnic group, with map at front of each volume showing region where each group lives

• Global Etiquette Guide to... - Information on customs and etiquette by country
  • Africa and the Middle East Ref Bookcase 5 (BJ1838.F669 2002)
  • Asia. Ref Bookcase 5 (BJ1838.F67 2000)
  • Europe. Ref Bookcase 5 (BJ1838.F673 2000)
  • Mexico and Latin America (2002)

• Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Ref Bookcase 5 (GN333.W67 1998) - Four volumes. Arranged by culture groups, with a country index at the beginning of each volume.

• Country Studies - Formerly known as Area Handbooks, these book-length publications include sections on cultural customs. Recent editions are available on the Internet from the Library of Congress, but earlier ones are only in print format and may be available in Dunbar Documents (D101.22:550-)

• Culture and Customs of ... - This link leads to a series of books (in print format) on individual countries around the world. Click to find what countries are available and the locations of the books in Dunbar Library.

• Other books may be found using the Library Catalog.
  • Search by Keyword to combine specific concept words. (Example: Africa and marriage)
  • Sometimes a broader search may be more succeessful. Try a Subject search on the name of a country or region. An especially useful subheading is: Social Life and Customs. (Example: Sudan - Social Life and Customs)

Specific Topics

• World View of Social Issues - Each book in this series compares and contrasts attitudes on a specific topic in 12-15 countries. Examples of topics covered are substance abuse and women's rights. This link gives locations of the books in Dunbar Library.

• World Education Encyclopedia: A Survey of Educational Systems Worldwide. 2002. - Three volumes covering 233 countries.
  Also available in print: Ref LB15 .W87 2001

• Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Folklore and Folklife. Ref Bookcase 5 (GR35 .G75 2006) - Four volumes.

• Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender. Ref HQ16.E53 2003 - Two volumes which include information about courtship and marriage customs for cultures around the world.
• International Encyclopedia of Sexuality. Ref HQ21.I68 1997 - Three volumes covering 32 countries. Includes information about dating and marriage customs.

• Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. 2002.
• Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices. 2006. - Includes information by country.

• Greenwood Encyclopedia of Women's Issues Worldwide. Ref HQ1115.G74 2003 - Six volumes for individual countries.

Ethnic Groups

• Encyclopedia of African Peoples. Ref Bookcase 5 (DT15.E53 2000)
• Encyclopedia of European Peoples. Ref Bookcase 5 (D1056 .W35 2006) - Two volumes
• Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. Ref Bookcase 5 (GN495.4 .E63 2005) - Four volumes
• Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook, by David Levinson. Ref Bookcase 5 (GN325.L46 1998) - Arranged by region of the world and then alphabetically by country. Index at the back leads to ethnic groups.
• Nations without States : A Historical Dictionary of Contemporary National Movements, by James Minahan. Ref D860 .M56 1996 - Includes maps.
• The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary, by James S. Olson. Ref Bookcase 5 (GN645.O47 1996) - Arranged alphabetically by ethnic group.
• The Times Guide to the Peoples of Europe. Ref Bookcase 5 (GN575.F47 1994) - Arranged by geographic region. Includes maps.
• World Directory of Minorities. Ref Bookcase 5 (GN495.4.W67 1997) - Arranged by region of the world and then alphabetically by country. Index at the back leads to ethnic groups. Includes appendices: "Contemporary Legal Standards on Minority Rights" and "Basic Documents on Minorities and Indigenous Peoples." The earlier edition of this title (Ref GN495.4.W67 1990) includes more detailed information about some groups. It is arranged by ethnic group and includes maps.

Ethnic Conflicts

• Encyclopedia of Modern Ethnic Conflicts. Ref GN496 .E56 2003 - Treats some specific ethnic conflicts, but the larger part of the book focuses on larger concepts and definitions. Includes maps.
• Ethnic Relations: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia. Ref GN496 .L48 1994

More Information on Countries

• Basic Information on Countries - Guide to resources in the University Libraries and on the Internet