About the Gender Studies Collection in the Library

The Library develops and maintains significant collections on [social and cultural] anthropology and sociology relating to the countries of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The material is in European, Asian and African languages. Material on anthropology and sociology of areas outside Asia and Africa and general works are acquired where they are needed to support teaching or specific research.

We welcome suggestions for new purchases from Library members. Please complete a recommendation form.

• What is in the collection?

  The Library has actively built up collections on Gender Studies relating to Asia, Africa and the Middle East within its regional collections. In addition, the Library has also supported course reading lists and selectively purchased material on general, cross-regional or global aspects on the discipline of Gender Studies. For example, the Library collects materials in some European languages, especially English, for general, cross-regional or global aspects and for the discipline and also in the languages of Asia, Africa and the Middle East for regional publications. Check the Library catalogue and eJournal and eBook Finder for more information.

• Location

  • The bulk of the Gender Studies Collection [classmarks A305-A307] can be found on Level E between stacks 7 and 16. Oversized books are shelved at the end of the collection at Level E, stacks 56 to 58. There is also a small collection of reference works on Level E, stacks 49
  • Works focusing on a specific country or region are shelved in the respective regional collection. They will have a different letter code to indicate this.
  • For a full listing of classmarks and their location, please consult the Library location list .

• Collection strengths

  • SOAS Library collects and maintains a research level social science collection, covering resources for Gender Studies, that is amongst the most significant in the UK.
  • The depth of regional collecting means that some parts of our collections for Gender Studies are unique. For instance, many of our film recordings in our DVD collections have regional focus and many of them were brought in by our academics and PhD students during their fieldwork research in the regions. Some of these DVDs are maintained to support teaching modules on various subjects including Gender Studies.

• Special collections

  A range of special collections that are of interest to those studying gender studies are held in the Archives & Special Collections. These are housed on Level F of the Library.

  Below are some of those collections:

  • Earthy, Emily Dora [MS 380515] East Africa.

  This collection includes fieldwork and language material of Emily Dora Earthy missionary in Mozambique 1917-1930. The collection contains her manuscript notes on Valenge women which were published under the title Valenge Women: the Social and Economic Life of the Valenge Women of Portuguese East Africa, in 1933. 3 boxes.

  • BOYD, JEAN (PP MS 36)

  This collection includes material collected by Jean Boyd on the Nigerian women poet, Nana Asmau (1793-1864), works by her father Shehdu dan Fodio (1754-1817), and works by female members of her family. It includes manuscript copies of poems by Asmau in Fulfude, Hausa and Arabic together with translations. It also contains papers relating to women's organisations in Northern Nigeria. 13 boxes.