Research Guides: Languages and Culture Studies Databases: Welcome

Databases for Languages and Culture Studies

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Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA) This link opens in a new window
This database provides international scholarship in linguistics and related disciplines in the language sciences.
MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Provides access to scholarly research pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, and folklore.
Communication and Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new window
Offers full-text, indexing and abstracts for many top communication journals covering all related disciplines, including media studies, linguistics, rhetoric and discourse.
Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
A great database to get started with for your research on any topic. Use it to search for articles from scholarly (peer-reviewed) journals, newspapers, and magazines.
Historical Abstracts This link opens in a new window
References to journal articles and other sources on the history of the world (excluding U.S and Canada).
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Provides access to academic journals and books covering a wide range of disciplines; it also includes some limited primary source collections.

Additional Databases

America: History and Life This link opens in a new window
References to journal articles and other sources on the history of the US and Canada. See Historical Abstracts for world history.
ARTFL This link opens in a new window
Includes large corpus of French-language literary, religious, philosophical, political and scientific works from the 12th to 20th centuries. Additional materials in ARTFL: French Women Writers, Provencal poetry, the Encyclopedie Project, the Tresor de la Langue Francaise dictionary, and various other dictionaries.
Artstor This link opens in a new window
A collection of images from major museums. ARTSTOR images cover art, architecture and archeology. Useful for personal or shared uses, and creating and delivering presentations. ARTSTOR is available solely for educational and scholarly uses that are noncommercial in nature. Images may NOT be placed on publicly accessible websites. UNC Charlotte students, faculty and staff can register for an account which allows off-campus access; this registration must happen while on campus.
Arts and Humanities Citation Index This link opens in a new window
An index covering the journal literature of the arts and humanities, part of the Web of Science Core Collection. (Indexing: 1975+)
Film and Television Literature Index This link opens in a new window
Database covering the entire spectrum of television and film writing.
International Studies Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive reference work for the fields of international studies and international relations that contains specially commissioned, peer reviewed essays, written and edited by an international team of scholars and teachers.
Linguistics Database This link opens in a new window
Full-text database with scholarly journal articles and other sources covering linguistics.
This database includes full-text journals and other sources in linguistics, including many titles indexed in Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA). It covers all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics.
Project Muse This link opens in a new window
Scholarly journals and ebooks in the arts and humanities, social sciences and mathematics.
PAIS Index This link opens in a new window
This resource covers issues in the public debate through selective coverage of a wide variety of international sources. PAIS Archive is included in this database and includes the content from printed volumes published 1915-1976.
Nexis Uni (formerly LexisNexis Academic) This link opens in a new window
Source for legal research, business, news, etc. Search across global news sources, access federal and state legal cases, find company information, and more.
Gale Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
Biographical, critical and bibliographical information on authors.
Literary Reference Center Plus This link opens in a new window
Articles and other information about authors and their works. Previously titled Literary Reference Center.
MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Provides access to scholarly research pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, and folklore.
NewsBank This link opens in a new window
Full-text newspaper articles covering international, national, and local news. Includes the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Charlotte Observer, and many others.

Primary Sources and Newspapers

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
British Broadcasting Corporation – News (updated continuously, plus archives) from Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, South Asia, UK, plus Business, Science/Nature, Technology, Entertainment, Sport, BBC Radio - World Service (live audio, video clips), Country Guides, Children's Health, History, Music, Society and Culture. News (text and audio in 33 languages). English as Second language tutorials.

Age of Exploration (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Provides access to key events in the history of European maritime exploration from c.1420-1920
American Indian Histories and Cultures (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Presents unique insight into interactions between American Indians and Europeans from their earliest contact, continuing through the turbulence of the American Civil War, the on-going repercussions of government legislation, right up to the civil rights movement of the mid- to late-twentieth century
American Indian Newspapers, 1828-2016 (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
A collection of national periodicals as well as local community news and student publications from Indigenous peoples of the US and Canada
China: Culture and Society (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Spanning three centuries (c1750-1929), these rare pamphlets represent an extensive collection of literature on China and the Chinese in the Western world.
Colección Revolución 1910-1921 This link opens in a new window
Collection of historical documents on the Mexican Revolution.
Confidential Print: Africa (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Collection consists of the Confidential Print for Africa. Topics covered include coastal trading in the early nineteenth century, the Conference of Berlin of 1884 and the subsequent Scramble for Africa, the abuses of the Congo Free State, World War II, and apartheid in South Africa. Topics range from c. 1834-1966.
Confidential Print: Latin America (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Collection consists of the Confidential Print for Central and South America and the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Topics covered include slavery and the slave trade, immigration, relations with indigenous peoples, and wars and territorial disputes. Topics range from c. 1833-1969.
Confidential Print: Middle East (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Collection consists of the Confidential Print for the countries of the Levant and the Arabian peninsula, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Sudan. Topics include the Egyptian reforms of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 1830s, the documents trace the events of the following 150 years, including the Middle East Conference of 1921, the mandates for Palestine and Mesopotamia and the 1956 Suez Crisis. Topics range from c. 1839-1969.
East India Company (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Containing royal charters, correspondence, trading diaries, minutes of council meetings, and reports of expeditions, among other document types, this resource charts the history of British trade and rule in the Indian subcontinent and beyond from 1599 to 1947.
Ethnomusicology (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Delve into the cultural study of music and explore content from across the globe with this diverse and comprehensive collection including audio field recordings and interviews, educational recordings, film footage and field notebooks.
Please note: To access this resource off-campus, you will need to be connected to the UNCC VPN.
Foreign Office Files for China (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Explores files pertaining to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan from 1919-1980. Topics include the Long March, the Japanese War, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution.
Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Focuses on the political and social history of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Events covered include independence and partition, the Indian annexation of Hyderabad and Goa, and war between India and Pakistan. Topics covered c. 1947-1980.
Foreign Office Files for Japan (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Incorporating the Taishō to the Shōwa periods, these papers throw light on Anglo-Japanese ties in a time of shifting alliances. Documenting Japan’s journey to modernity, the files discuss a period in which the country took on an increasingly bold imperialist agenda c. 1919-1952.
Foreign Office Files for the Middle East (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Addresses the policies, economies, political relationships and significant events of every major Middle East power from 1971-1981. Conflicts such as the Arab-Israeli War, the Lebanese Civil War and the Iranian Revolution are examined in detail, as are the military interventions and peace negotiations carried out by regional and foreign powers.
Foreign Relations between Latin America and the Caribbean States, 1930 - 1944 This link opens in a new window
Organized by country, this collection contains primary source documents relevant to the study of Latin American and Caribbean international relations.
Foreign Relations Between the U.S. and Latin America and the Caribbean States 1930-1944 This link opens in a new window
Collection of primary source documents relevant to the study of U.S. relations with Latin America and the Caribbean during the 1930's.
Hispanic American Newspapers, 1808-1980 This link opens in a new window
Spanish-language newspapers printed in the U.S. during 19th and 20th centuries. Many of these newspapers were published bilingually in Spanish and English.
Latin American Newspapers (Series I), 1805-1922 This link opens in a new window
Full-text access to more than 30 Latin American newspapers published 1805-1922.
Latin American Newspapers (Series II), 1822-1922 This link opens in a new window
Series II of Latin American Newspapers expands the number of titles available from this region, including from some countries and cities not represented in Series I.
Meiji Japan (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Explores the papers, diaries, letters, and sketches of Edward Sylvester Morse, an American, who explored and studied the culture and society of Japan in the Meiji Era.
Migration to New Worlds (Adam Matthew) This link opens in a new window
Charts the emigration experience of millions across 200 years of history through personal accounts, shipping logs, organizational papers and printed literature.

Online Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States This link opens in a new window
Draws together the diverse historical and contemporary experiences in the United States of Latinos and Latinas from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Articles address such broad topics as identity, art, politics, religion, education, health, and history.
Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures This link opens in a new window
From the Oxford University Press Digital Reference Shelf collection.
Written for a wide audience, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures is an invaluable reference for interested lay persons, students, teachers, and scholars in such fields as art, archaeology, religious studies, anthropology, Latin American culture, and the history of the region. Organized alphabetically, the articles range from 500-word biographies to 7,000-word entries on geography and history to the legacy of the arts, writings, architecture, and religious rituals.
International Encyclopedia of Linguistics This link opens in a new window
This encyclopedia encompasses the full range of topics in linguistics.
The Encyclopedia encompasses the full range of topics in linguistics, including such areas as historical, comparative, formal, mathematical, functional, philosophical, and sociolinguistics. Special attention is given to interrelations within these branches of the field and to relations of linguistics with other disciplines. This interdisciplinary focus makes the encyclopedia an invaluable resource not only for linguistics but also for scholars working in the fields of computer science, mathematics, philosophy, the social and behavioral sciences, and literary studies.
Dictionary of Literary Biography This link opens in a new window
Provides more than 16,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
A virtual reference collection including encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, images, audio files, and videos in a wide expanse of subject areas.

Language Learning Tools

Transparent Language This link opens in a new window
Transparent Language Online provides a fun, effective, and engaging experience for learners of all levels looking to build their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a foreign language. There are over 110 languages to choose from, including English for speakers of over 30 languages.
Please note: If you want to save your progress, you'll need to create an account.

Streaming Media

Films on Demand World Cinema Collection This link opens in a new window
With feature films from directors across the globe, this unique collection includes the best of the silent era, international directors, American and European masterpieces from the mid-20th century, and award-winning contemporary films. The collection shines a light on the history of cinema while also providing a glimpse into the cultures and issues of countries around the world.
Ethnographic Video Online I and II: Foundational Films This link opens in a new window
A collection of core streaming video content introducing cultural groups and practices from around the globe.
PBS Video Collection (in Films on Demand) This link opens in a new window
A collection of high-quality documentary and educational video programs produced for the Public Broadcasting Corporation.
Alexander Street Academic Video Online This link opens in a new window
Academic Video Online includes streaming access to documentaries, interviews, performances, news programs and newsreels, field recordings, commercials, and raw footage.