HRAF - Human Relations Area Files

About

HRAF is a major anthropological collection of research on various cultures, countries, languages, and tribes. Publications include books, articles, dissertations, and research reports. HRAF is unique in that these works are indexed down to the section or paragraph level. Social scientists find it useful for information on specific groups for such topics as political structure, beliefs, family relationships, or traditions. It is especially valuable for making cross-cultural comparisons on a particular topic.

The microfiche collection ceased publication in 1993. Works are now being published in the online Collections, EHRAF World Cultures and EHRAF Collection of Archaeology (not available through the University Libraries).

Location

Library Annex Cabinets (HRAF DRAWERS)

Format

Microfiche

Arrangement

HRAF uses a combination of alpha-numeric culture codes to classify materials Fiche are filed by culture code and then by work number.

Items

42 segments; thousands of fich;

Publication

HRAF

Please note this set is not listed in OneSearch.  To request fiche from this collection, send email to circserv@uark.edu. 

Use of this set can be complex process, and items are stored offsite in the Library Annex, so please Ask Us if you are not locating the information you need.

The Outline of World Cultures or OWC  provides a letter code for each of eight regions of the world. A second letter code is assigned to each regional subdivision, usually a country. Within each subdivision, specific cultures are indicated by adding a number. Taken together, these letters and numbers form the OWC of ethnic code. For example, NT09 is the code for the Hopi.

The Outline of Cultural Materials or OCM provides a classification system for the activities, materials, beliefs, and subjects that might apply to any culture, whether primitive, historical, or contemporary. This number is called the OCM number or trait number. For example, 522 is the OCM for "humor."

To locate a practice or subject within a specific cultural group, use the multi-volume Index to the Human Relations Area Files (Ref GN 320 H845 plus supplements). Look first under the OCM or trait number, then for the OWC or culture code. If HRAF contains information on that specific topic, item and page numbers are listed. To obtain the complete bibliographic citation, look up the ethnic number and item number in the HRAF Source Bibliography volume of the Index.

To find the appropriate microfiche, look under the culture or OWC code first and then the trait number. If there are multiple works with that combination of OWC and OCM codes, it will be helpful to bring with you to the fiche cabinet the page numbers and work title from the index volumes.