"A sign expressing a wish for peace in both English and Hebrew overlooks an orchard in Galilee, Israel. There are many challenges in negotiating and sustaining peace in the Middle East."

Image credit: Middle East Conflict. Sonia G. Benson. 2nd ed. Vol. 3: Primary Sources. Detroit: U*X*L, 2012. World History in Context.

West & the Middle East
Dr. Silvia Marsans-Sakly

Welcome to the online version of your library instruction class for HI 280 with Dr. Marsans-Sakly. This guide is meant for you to use throughout your course. If you have any questions after our in-person class, please feel free to contact the reference staff (see box to the right).

In searching for your sources, remember that your topic can be included under many different subject headings and titles.  DO NOT EXPECT TO FIND SOURCES WHOSE TITLES PRECISELY DESCRIBE YOUR TOPIC!  Look for information about the Suez Canal, for example, not only in texts on the Middle East, but in biographies of the major players, such as Ferdinand de Lesseps and Gamal Abdel Nasser, and in texts and articles on the history of the Arab-Israeli Conflict and the Suez Crisis. What you must do is look at the INDEXES, TABLES OF CONTENTS, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, and REFERENCE NOTES of any book or article whose title is even remotely related to your topic.