Skip to Main Content
Background Sources
Afghanistan: A Country Study
Electronic version of a book previously published in hard copy as part of the Country Studies Series by the Federal Research Division. Intended for a general audience, books in the series present a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of select countries throughout the world. Each book was written by a multidisciplinary team of social scientists, who sought to adhere to accepted standards of scholarly objectivity. The books represent the analysis of the authors and should not be construed as an expression of an official U.S. government position, policy, or decision.
eHRAF World Cultures: Afghanistan
View cultural summaries and collection documents on groups including the Baluchi, Pashtun, Hazara, Ghorbat, Turkmens, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz.
Countries and their Cultures
Presents the cultural similarities within a country that set it apart from others by examining over 200 countries to document the myriad ways in which culture defines and separates the nations of the world as much as geographical borders do. Surveys each country's shared values, behaviors and cultural variations from foods and rituals to pastimes and arts, using a standard entry format for easy comparison.
Encyclopædia Iranica
The Encyclopædia Iranica is a comprehensive research tool dedicated to the study of Iranian civilization in the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.
Encyclopaedia of Islam This link opens in a new window
Includes "articles on distinguished Muslims of every era and origin, on tribes and dynasties, on crafts and sciences, on political and religious institutions, on the geography, ethnography, flora and fauna of the various countries and on the history, topography and monuments of the major towns and cities" of the Islamic world.
Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures This link opens in a new window
Focuses on women and the civilizations and societies in which Islam has played a historic role. Surveys all facets of life (society, economy, politics, religion, the arts, popular culture, sports, health, science, medicine, environment, etc.) of women in these societies.
South Asian folklore : an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
"With 600 signed, alphabetically organized articles covering the entirety of folklore in South Asia, this new resource includes countries and regions, ethnic groups, religious concepts and practices, artistic genres, holidays and traditions, and many other concepts." "A preface introduces the material, while a comprehensive index, cross-references, and black and white illustrations round out the work. The focus on south Asia includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with short survey articles on Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and various diaspora communities. This unique reference will be invaluable for collections serving students, scholars, and the general public."
Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion: Central and Southwest Asia
Central and Southwest Asia explores dress history and practices throughout the vast area linking central Asia to the Eastern Mediterranean. The birthplace of three world religions, this is a region shaped by cultural legacies: Arabs, Iranians, and Ottoman Turks have all left stunning and enduring artistic forms. This volume is the only major work to cover the full range of dress across this region, from the historic Silk Road, which played a vital role in linking dress and textile traditions in the area, to topics rarely before investigated, such as Kurdish dress, the role of the hajj market, and Afghan fashion shows.
Grove Music Online This link opens in a new window
Typically known as "The Grove" after its most recent print version of 2001, its encyclopedic online content on people, works, terminology and sources, has been expanded to include both legacy and more recent publications of Grove Opera (1992), the Grove Jazz 2nd ed (2002), the AmeriGrove, and Grove Instruments. Notated music examples are embedded. Articles are selectively updated or added three times annually.
Grove Art Online This link opens in a new window
Grove Art Online is an encyclopedia covering both Western and non-Western art and all aspects of visual culture. Articles include bibliographies and searchable images. As part of Oxford Art Online, keywords also are simultaneously searched in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, and The Oxford Companion to Western Art.
