Libraries
WIU Libraries
Area Studies Research
Center and Collections
Discover a treasure repository of insights and narratives from across the globe within our diverse collections
Area Studies Collections
From continents to cultures—dive into WIU’s Area Studies collections.
Women, Gender, LGBTQ+ Studies Collection
Through diverse materials, this collection offers insights into the struggles, achievements, and ongoing efforts for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
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Anti-Racism, Intolerance, Genocide, and Holocaust Studies Collection
Through diverse materials, this collection offers insights into the causes, consequences, and strategies for combating intolerance.
ExploreTopic Of The Month
Pakistan After Independence:
After being granted independence in 1947, Pakistan emerged from the partition of British India, in which the country was partitioned into two entities – India, a Hindu nation, and Pakistan, a predominantly Muslim state consisting of two wings – West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The formation of the new country immediately brought with it significant problems, including the displacement of millions of people, a lack of solid government infrastructure and democratic culture, among others...
News Flash: Peru
Keiko Fujimori, candidate of the rightwing Fuerza Popular party and daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, emerged in first place in the first round of Peru’s 2026 general elections, with around 17 percent of valid votes according to rapid counts and preliminary official tallies by the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE). As no candidate surpassed the 50 percent threshold required for an outright victory, the country is heading toward a runoff on 7 June between Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez of Juntos por el Perú...
Read MoreNews Flash: Hungary
Hungary entered today with a fundamentally reconfigured political landscape following yesterday’s parliamentary elections, which terminated Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure and yielded a decisive mandate for Péter Magyar and the Tisza party. With voter participation approaching 80%, the electorate conferred upon Tisza an estimated twothirds supermajority in the 199seat National Assembly, thereby creating institutional capacity for substantial revisions to the constitutional and legal framework that had previously consolidated Orbán’s governing authority...
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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTORS
Dr. Héctor J. Maymí-Sugrañes
As Dean of the Academic Commons and University Libraries and CoDirector of the Area Studies Research Center and Collections, I am pleased to welcome you. The Area Studies Research Center and Collections is a research and teaching initiative dedicated to advancing the analysis and understanding of world regions through a crossregional, comparative perspective. The United States needs to understand the world, just as the world needs to understand the United States, and our work is grounded in that mutual exchange. Our strategic goal is to support professionals and students in developing new knowledge with a genuinely international outlook. We invite you to explore and enjoy our center and its collections.
Nadia Nieblas-Nunez
Welcome to the WIU Libraries Area Studies Research Center and Collections. As one of the co‑directors, I’m excited to share with you the diverse resources we’ve gathered from around the world. Our collections are designed to support your research, inspire your teaching, and deepen your understanding of different cultures and regions. We see this space as a bridge between our campus and global communities, where questions lead to discovery and ideas grow into meaningful conversations. Please feel welcome to explore, ask questions, and let us know how we can help you along the way.