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middle eastern studies

Iran, the making of U.S. policy, 1977-1980

Contains over 14,000 pages of government documentation, much of it once-classified, pertaining to U.S. political, military, and economic involvement in Iran, 1977–80. Collected by the National Security Archives. The two-volume guide provides document-level access to names, organizations, and subjects. Volume II contains an events chronology, glossaries of names and organizations, a chronological document bibliography, and a bibliography of secondary sources.

Middle Eastern Studies

Collecting on the Middle East

Arabic manuscripts

Arabic Manuscripts in the British Library
IDC (Brill)
12th century to 1800

CRL has acquired several components of the collection of Arabic Manuscripts in the British Library. These include:

  • Ḥadīth: Collections of traditions and statements of Muhammad, along with commentaries and critical works. Catalog Record.
  • Kalām: theological debates and texts on the Qur'an. Catalog Record.
  • Islamic mysticism & philosophy: works of Moslim philosophers in all fields of philosophical study. Subsets include:

Arabic manuscripts in the library of the S.O.A.S., University of London
IDC (Brill)

Over 400 manuscripts, including traditional Islamic disciplines as Tafsir, Hadith, and Fiqh as well as works on mathematics, astronomy, medicine, falconry, archery, and military equitation. A sizeable portion of the collection relates to Shi'ah literature.

Books and monographic collections

Islam-fiche : readings from Islamic primary sources
IDC
6th century–20th century

English translations of primary source texts chosen from published and unpublished sources to reflect the chronological, geographical, and linguistic diversity of Islamic societies. Includes folk and oral literature, poetry, geography and travel writing, legal and commercial texts, and many other genres (including texts from Europe, South/Southeast Asia, and other areas).
Western books. The Middle East from the rise of Islam.
Research Publications

This set includes over 3,000 titles filmed from the collections of the Harvard University Library and the School of Oriental and African Studies Library at the University of London. It includes works printed between the 16th and the early 20th centuries. Over half of the titles filmed for this collection are printed in English, with the remainder in other Western languages including French, German, Italian, and Spanish. It includes memoirs, travel literature, biographical and bibliographical works, guide books, historical studies, and texts. It also includes works in translation from regional languages, such as legal texts, chronicles, and collected letters. Each unit has guide; a cumulative guide will be published when the project is completed.

CIA Studies

The Middle East: 1946-1976.
University Publications of America
1946–76

 From the microfilm series “CIA research reports.”

GUIDE: A guide to “Middle East, 1946-1976.” at CRL call no. B-39832.
The Middle East: 1950-1961 supplement.
University Publications of America
1950–61

From the microfilm series O.S.S./State Department intelligence and research reports; pt. 12.

GUIDE: “Middle East: 1950-1961 supplement” available at CRL call no. B-39747.
The Middle East: Special Studies 1970-1980.
University Publications of America
1970–80

This collection focuses on contemporary political issues and offers in-depth research on topics from leading public and private policy research facilities. Titles cataloged individually.

GUIDE: Guide to Special Studies series available at CRL call no. B-39802.

Egypt

U.S. Department of State records. Egypt
University Publications of America/United States. National Archives and Records Service
1835–1949

Instructions sent to and correspondence received from diplomatic posts relating to Egypt's internal affairs. CRL has the following sets:

  • Despatches from United States consuls in Alexandria, 1835-1873 [NARA; T45]. Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from U.S. consuls in Cairo, 1864-1906. [NARA; T41]. Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States consuls in Port Said, 1870-1876 [NARA; T658]. Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Egypt, 1910-29 [NARA; M571]. Catalog Record.Guide.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Egypt, 1930-1939 [NARA; T1251]. Catalog Record.Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files. Egypt, 1945-1949. Catalog Record. Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files. Egypt, 1950-1954. Catalog Record. Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department Central Files. Egypt, 1955-1959. Catalog Record. Guide.

Iran

British intelligence and policy on Persia (Iran), c. 1900-1949 : India Office political and secret files and confidential print
IDC (Brill)
1900–49

Contains gazetteers and handbooks, military reports, route books, and other printed correspondence collected by the Government of India Foreign Department and U.K. Foreign Office.
General correspondence, political. Persia.
Great Britain. Public Record Office
1906–66

Contains general correspondence (1906–66) of the Foreign Office’s Political Departments relating to Persia (Iran). From shelfmark FO 371. See record for details on particular subseries included.
Iran, the making of U.S. policy, 1977-1980
Chadwyck-Healey
1977–80

Contains over 14,000 pages of government documentation, much of it once-classified, pertaining to U.S. political, military, and economic involvement in Iran, 1977–80. Collected by the National Security Archives. The two-volume guide provides document-level access to names, organizations, and subjects. Volume II contains an events chronology, glossaries of names and organizations, a chronological document bibliography, and a bibliography of secondary sources.
U.S. Department of State records. Iran
University Publications of America/United States. National Archives and Records Service
1867–1954

Instructions sent to and correspondence received from diplomatic posts relating to Iran's internal affairs. CRL owns the following sets (printed guides available):

  • Notes from the Persian Legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1867-1906. [NARA; M511]. Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States Ministers to Persia, 1883-1906. [NARA; M223]. Catalog Record
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Persia, 1910-1929. [NARA; M715]. Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State Relating to Political Relations Between the United States and Persia, 1921-1929. [NARA; M716]. Catalog Record.Guide.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between Persia and other states, 1918-1929. [NARA ; M717]. Catalog Record.Guide.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Iran, 1930-1939. [NARA; M212]. Catalog Record.Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. diplomatic post records: Iran, 1942-1944. Catalog Record.Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Iran, 1945-1949. Catalog Record. Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Iran, 1950-1954.Catalog Record. Guide.

Iraq

Creation of modern Iraq: India office political and secret files, c. 1914-1921
IDC (Brill)
1914–21

India Office Political & Secret Department confidential reports, memoranda, maps, and handbooks, as well as policy files describing the background and practicalities of the creation of a political administration, as well as of a social and an economic infrastructure, of the former Ottoman territories known as Turkish Arabia. Arranged in 10 groups:

BII-1 Gazetteers and handbooks; BII-2 Outbreak of the First World War: situation in Turkish Arabia; BII-3 Wartime military and civil administration; BII-4 Wartime economy: trade and communications; BII-5 Post-war administration and constitution for the state of Iraq; BII-6 Local government and education; BII-7 Kurdistan; BII-8 Iraqi boundaries; BII-9 Post-war economic development; BII-10 The oil industry Summary
U.S. Department of State records. Iraq
University Publications of America/United States. National Archives and Records Service
1910–44

Records of the Department of State diplomatic post files relating to Iraq’s internal and political affairs. CRL has the following sets (guides available):

  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Asia, 1910-1929 [NARA; M722]. Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Iraq, 1930-1944 [NARA; T1180]. Catalog Record. Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. diplomatic post records. Iraq, 1942-1944. Catalog Record. Guide.

Israel and Palestinian territories

Confidential U.S. State Department central files. Palestine and Israel : internal affairs, 1945-1949
University Publications of America
1945–49

GUIDE: A guide to confidential U.S. State Department central files, Palestine and Israel internal affairs, 1945–49, and foreign affairs, 1945–49. B-38282 c. 13,000 items. “Decimal Files 867N.00-867N.92511.”
Confidential U.S. State Dept. central files: Palestine and Israel: internal affairs, 1950-1954.
University Publications of America
1950–54

GUIDE: A guide to Confidential U.S. State Dept. central files, Palestine and Israel internal affairs, 1950–54 and foreign affairs, 1950–54. B-38281
Great Britain. PRO. C.O. 821/1-15. Palestine : miscellanea.
Public Record Office
1926–40

The file covers 1926–40, and contains the Blue Book of statistics.

Jordan

Dustur. Amman.
al-Sharikah al-Urdunīyah lil-Ṣiḥāfah wa-al-Nashr
1968+
Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Jordan, 1930-1944
United States. National Archives and Records Service
1930–44

National Archives microfilm publications. T ; microcopy no. 1181

Lebanon

U.S. Department of State records. Lebanon
University Publications of America/United States. National Archives and Records Service
1836–1944

Records of the Department of State diplomatic post files relating to Lebanon’s internal and political affairs. CRL has the following sets (guides available):

  • Despatches from United States consuls in Beirut, 1836-1906. [NARA; T367]. Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Asia, 1910-1929. [NARA; M722]. Catalog Record.Guide
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Lebanon, 1930-1944. [NARA; T1178]. Catalog Record.
  • Confidential U.S. diplomatic post records. Lebanon, 1942-1944. Catalog Record. Guide.

News Resources

Newspapers and News Resources
1880-2010

CRL holds extensive runs of newspapers from the Middle East, encluding Arabic, English, and French resoruces. Examples of major series include:

  • CRL also holds a variety of press digests, as well as a complete run of reports from the Foreign Broadcast Information Service for the period 1941-1995. This includes Middle Eastern coverage as part of the Daily Reports (1941-74) and subsections for Middle East & North Africa (1974-80), Middle East & Africa (1980-87), and Near East & South Asia (1987-95). See the News Topic Guide for more details.

Saudi Arabia

U.S. Department of State records. Saudi Arabia
University Publications of America / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
1910–54

Records of the Department of State relating to Saudi Arabia’s internal and political affairs. CRL has the following sets (guides available):

  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Asia, 1910-1929. [NARA; M722]. Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Saudi Arabia, 1930-1944 [NARA; T1179]. Catalog Record.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Saudi Arabia, 1945-1949. Catalog Record. Guide.
  • Confidential U.S. State Department central files: Saudi Arabia, 1950-1954. Catalog Record. Guide.

Syria

U.S. Department of State records. Syria
United States. National Archives and Records Service
1910–44

Records of the Department of State relating to Syria’s internal and political affairs. CRL has the following sets (guides available):

  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Asia, 1910-1929. [NARA; M722]. Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Syria, 1930-1944. [NARA; T1177] Catalog Record.

Turkey

Early Western books, 1500-1599 : the Ottoman Empire and the Mediterranean.
IDC (Brill)
1500-1599

This set includes 294 titles of early western books found in the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. The emphasis is on the Eastern Mediterranean and the Ottoman Turks. The collection brings together Western source material together describing European attitudes to the East in the sixteenth Century, and in tracing the development of the study of oriental history in Europe.

GUIDE: Forbes, Lesley. Early Western books, 1500-1599 : the Ottoman Empire and the Mediterranean. Fiche. Cumulative list of titles filmed by IDC. E-895
General correspondence before 1906, Turkey, 1780-1905
Great Britain. Public Record Office
1780–1905

General correspondence (1780–1905) from the political and other departments relating to the Ottoman Empire. From Series F.O. 78. See catalog record and guide ofr specific Subseries included. [CRL has partial set.]
U.S. Department of State records. Turkey
U.S. National Archives
1818–1944

Records of the Department of State relating to Turkey’s internal and political affairs. CRL has the following sets (guides available):

  • Despatches from United States ministers to Turkey, 1818-1906. [NARA; M46] Catalog Record.
  • Notes from the Turkish legation in the United States to the Department of State, 1867-1906. [NARA ; T815] Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States consuls in Alexandretta, 1896-1906. [NARA; T504] Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States consuls in Constantinople, 1820-1906. [NARA; T194] Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States consuls in Erzerum, 1895-1904. [NARA; T568] Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States consuls in Harput, 1895-1906. [NARA; T579] Catalog Record.
  • Despatches from United States consuls in Sivas, 1886-1906. [NARA; T681] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey, 1910-29. [NARA; M353] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey, 1930-1944. [NARA; M1224] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to internal affairs of Turkey, 1945-1949. [NARA; M1292] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between the United States and Turkey, 1910-29. [NARA; M365] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between the United States and Turkey, 1930-1944. [NARA; M1223] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to political relations between Turkey and other states, 1910-29. [NARA; M363] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to political relations of Turkey, Greece and the Balkan states, 1930-1939. [NARA; T1245] Catalog Record.
  • Records of the Department of State relating to political relations of Turkey, Greece and the Balkan states, 1940-1944. [NARA; T1246] Catalog Record.
  • “Inquiry documents”: special reports and studies, 1917-1919. (Records of the American Commission to Negotiate Peace). [NARA; M1107] Catalog Record.


See also the CRL resources below related to Middle East:
All Topic Guides