Typical questions

• • Where can I locate articles from journals published in Africa?

• • Can I get statistical data on African health free online?

Starting points

• • This section focuses on resources for area studies of Africa. Increasing concerns with ‘decolonising the curriculum’ to highlight indigenous voices mean that students may wish to identify materials produced by African scholars, to supplement those offered in mainstream journal indexing databases and reading lists: this chapter provides starting points in identifying these. Many students will also need to consult the resources recommended in the appropriate subject sections. Closely related topics include Anthropology and Development Studies. Also useful is the Country Information chapter.

• • Many students ask for resources on regions, such as East or Sub-Saharan Africa. Definitions can be different and may have altered over time. Check the nations required and search for them individually in addition to the region.

• • Remember that many developing nations may not have the resources to update their national websites regularly. In these cases, the international organisations listed in this section may be useful starting points for research.

• • International organisations, such as WHO and the UN, often have regional sub-organisations with separate websites. It is often worth locating these as they may have information not available on the main website.

• • It is also worth considering whether the nation was a former colony. For countries of the British Empire, colonial records are often one of the best resources for historical research. The Commonwealth often covers current elections and social and economic development topics.

Recommended resources

Key organisations – associations

Use these websites to find lists of events, conferences and recent research publications. They also have details of scholarships and grants.

ASAUK [Specialist]

www.asauk.net

Founded in 1963, the African Studies Association of the United Kingdom is the national subject association for Africanists based in UK higher education. Its website has a listing of Africanist PhD theses accepted in UK universities since 2006.

African Studies Association (ASA)

www.africanstudies.org

Leading North American organisation. Find information on events, grants and specialist research.