Cultural Awareness

Internet Sites - DOD

Air Force Center for Regional and Cultural Studies -- Provides information on cultural topics, particularly on their "research and theory" page at http://www.au.af.mil/culture/research.htm

Cultural Awareness and the Military -- Online bibliography of sources from Air University Library.

Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center -- Provides links to Field Support Modules, familiarization guides, and language courses.

TRADOC Culture Center (TCC) -- Offers Cultural Awareness information and training materials along with language training materials.

USMC Center For Advanced Operational Culture Learning (CAOCL) -- "This site contains culturally relevant resources such as current news and analysis, maps and images, digital media debriefs, tactics, and language (Arabic, Russia, French, Spanish, Turkish, and Uzbek)."

Internet Sites - Non-DOD

Al Bawaba -- Al Bawaba is the largest independent content producer in the Middle East, and provides daily news feeds to the world's top international publishers, including Reuters, Financial Times, and Dow Jones.

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee -- "ADC, which is non-sectarian, non-partisan is the largest Arab-American grassroots organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980 by former Senator James Abourezk and has chapters nationwide."

Arab American Institute -- "The Arab American Institute was organized in 1985 to represent Arab American interests in government and politics. AAI provides leadership training and strategies in electoral politics and policy issues that concern Arab Americans."

Arabnet -- ArabNet is owned by ArabNet Technology (ANT), part of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group, publisher of the leading newspapers and magazines in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam -- “This Islamic guide is for non-Muslims who would like to understand Islam, Muslims (Moslems), and the Holy Quran (Koran).  It is rich in information, references, bibliography, and illustrations.  It has been reviewed and edited by many professors and well-educated people.  It is brief and simple to read, yet contains much scientific knowledge.  It contains the whole book, A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, and more”.

The Detroit Mosque Study: Muslim Views on Policy and Religion -- By the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU).

Global Connections: The Middle East -- Global Connections is the online home to a family of sites created to help teachers, students, and the general public to learn more about events around the world through readings, lesson plans, links, timelines, and maps.

The Koran -- an electronic version of The Holy Qur'an, translated by M. H. Shakir and published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., in 1983.

IslamAmerica -- IslamAmerica presents material intended to stimulate thought and discussion about the emerging role of Muslims living in America. Our aim is to contribute to the presence of a Muslim community that is constructively engaged in improving the social fabric of America for all of its citizens.

The Islam Website: Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic, Religion -- Resources for Studying Islam and the Diverse Perspectives of Muslims.

LingNet -- LingNet hosts materials developed at DLI by the Curriculum Development Division.

Middle East Network Information Center -- The Center provides a supportive environment for faculty researching and teaching on the Middle East throughout the University, which are carried out by 150 scholars with faculty appointments in 22 departments.

Middle Eastern Cultures -- Basic overviews from the EMuseum, University of Minnesota, Mankato.

Muslim Life in America -- Site maintained by the US Department of State. “This web site is a brief introduction to a complex subject, an attempt to explore in words and images the extraordinary range and richness of the way American Muslims live."

One Hundred Questions and Answers about Arab Americans: A Journalist’s Guide -- Detroit Free Press. A guide for more accurate journalistic portrayals of Arab Americans.

Project Maps: Muslims in American Public Square -- Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (CMCU), Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., founded in 1993. Project MAPS provides information on Islam and Muslims' participation in the civic life of American society.

The U.S. Patriot Act: Impact on the Arab and Muslim American Community -- Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). Assesses the impact of the Patriot Act on civil liberties, immigration, banking services, employment, charitable giving, privacy and detention.

World FactBook -- The FactBook provides essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world.

Language Training and Support

Field Support Modules (DLI)

How To Communicate Effectively Through Interpreters: A Guide for Leaders

International Pronunciation Guide -- From Voice of America.

National Virtual Translation Center: Languages of the World -- Brief guides to learning languages: Modern Standard Arabic   Pashto   Balochi 

On-going Language Learning Manual -- Peace Corps tips, strategies, and techniques for learning a language.

TRADOC Culture Center (TCC) -- Offers Cultural Awareness information and training materials along with language training materials.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Large, Multilevel Classes -- Peace Corps Manual.

USMC Center For Advanced Operational Culture Learning (CAOCL) --  Language Support

Academic Search Complete -- Indexes 7,800+ scholarly journals, with full text for 4,000 titles. Covers social sciences, humanities, education, computer science and engineering, general science, medicine, ethnic studies, and more. 1965- present for selected titles.

Search Examples:

Try typing the following in the search box: islam and culture and middle east and western
One of the articles found by this search is: “ A brush with the Middle East.” Click on the title to see a summary of the article, and other information.

The asterisk (*) is a "wildcard" character that allows retrieval of any ending on a word. For example try typing: islam* and politic* and iran*

Parentheses are useful when "this term" or "that term" is acceptable in search results: children and (islam or middle east)

Country Watch -- Up to the minute information on every country of the world, with news, statistics and maps. 

Historical Abstracts -- Index of journal articles, dissertations and book reviews on all aspects of world history from 1450 to the present, excluding the United States and Canada.

America History and Life -- Index of journal articles, dissertations and book reviews on all aspects of North American history (United States and Canada). 1964- present.

For more resources go to: http://cgsc.leavenworth.army.mil/carl/databases/db_data.asp

The CARL Catalog:           http://cgsc.leavenworth.army.mil/carl/catalog/

The Library catalog lists books, journals (not articles, just journal titles), government publications, and media that the library owns or to which CARL users have access. The default "general" search looks for words in the title, author, subject headings, and contents notes.  The "general" search is an excellent way to begin exploring the Library catalog. When you find a good book on your topic, look for the Subjects (Library of Congress subject headings) in the full catalog record. Click on a subject heading to do a new search. Library of Congress subject headings are a useful way to search because every book is assigned one or more subject headings that relate to the major focus of the work.

Google: Basic and Advanced Searching http://www.google.com

Google can be used to find definitions of unfamiliar words. It is very important to take note of the source of the definitions, of course. For example, in the Google search box try typing: define:fatwas to find several definitions and web sites with examples.

To do a more precise Google search, try these techniques: 

Enclose a phrase in quotation marks: "arabic culture"

You may combine terms with OR (caps only!): islam OR iran OR iraq

Complex searches are possible: "Arabic culture" bibliography (islam OR iran OR iraq)

Use a plus sign to force search for a common word: "World War +II"

Use a minus sign to exclude a word from a search: Islam -terrorism