Subject databases are specialist online resources that you can use to:
There are many databases covering different research topics and disciplines. Below are some which are particularly useful for sociology students.
The full list of resources for sociology is available on the recommended databases page.
International literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences.
JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
eHRAF World Cultures contains ethnographic collections covering all aspects of cultural and social life from historical to contemporary time periods. The contents are organized by regions, subregions, and cultures and cover over 300 cultures. The material is indexed at the paragraph level by Human Relations Area Files anthropologists using unique subject identifier codes from the Outline of Cultural Materials (OCM).
The UK’s largest collection of social, economic and population data sources.Includes major UK government-sponsored surveys, cross-national surveys, longitudinal studies, UK census data, international aggregate, business data, and qualitative data. Intergovernmental organisations include International Monetary Fund (IMF), Office for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank. Research institutes include NatCen, Institute for Social and Economics Research (ISER) and the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) among many others.
A selection of free, open-access resources relevant to sociology:
Below is a list of freely available data sources relevant to sociology. The library also subscribes to paid-for data sources, such as the UK Data Service, Mass Observation, OECDiLibrary and Statistica, available in the sociology A-Z databases list. For a list of qualitative, or quantitative data sources, or if you need help with finding data, please see Finding Research Data.
National collection of socio-political cartoons from British newspapers and magazines, plus comic strips, newspaper cuttings, books and magazines.
An independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public.
An independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public.
Official news website of the institutions of the European Union. It provides online access to the latest official press material released by all EU institutions
Official news website of the institutions of the European Union. It provides online access to the latest official press material released by all EU institutions
Links to thousands of national and local newspapers around the world.
Links to thousands of national and local newspapers around the world.
African journal literature originating from a wide base of publishers and societies on the African continent.
African journal literature originating from a wide base of publishers and societies on the African continent
A complete list of databases recommended for students of sociology.
For guidance on using databases you can book onto one of our library training workshops or contact your Subject Librarian for 1:1 help.
Please email me at Catherine.Downs@bristol.ac.uk