Key Resources
Article Databases
Find scholarly articles by searching in article databases and indexes. Here are some essential resources for research in the area of world politics or international relations.
Key Article Databases
PAIS International (ProQuest)[Details]
WPSA Video Tutorials
Not sure how to use a resource like an article database? The library has prepared video tutorials to help guide you. Begin with this introduction to advanced searching in Worldwide Political Science Abstracts.
News Resources
Follow current events with these global news resources.
- BBC World News Service - Provides international news, analysis and information in English and 32 other languages.
- MideastWire.com - A daily email newsletter offering a concise, translated briefs covering some of the key political, cultural, economic and opinion pieces appearing in the media of the 22 Arab countries, Iran and the Arab Diaspora.
- Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS)-Selected Parts, Daily Report, 1974-1996 - The collection provides perspectives about more than 100 countries outside of the U.S, featuring transcripts of foreign news broadcasts translated into English from materials selected by the CIA for distribution to U.S. policymakers and security analysts.
Encycolopedias
These reference materials are available online.
- Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy
- Oxford Companion to the Politics of the World
- Oxford Guide to Countries of the World
- Oxford Islamic Studies Online
Other Useful Resources
- CQ Global Researcher - Offers focused, readable, single-topic reports on vital world issues. Written by seasoned journalists with years of international experience.
- Ethnic NewsWatch - A comprehensive full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press.
Topics in International Relations
Cold War
- Cold War International History Project - The CWIHP disseminates new information and perspectives on the history of the Cold War, in particular new findings from previously inaccessible sources on "the other side" -- the former Communist world.
- The Current Digest of the (Post-) Soviet Press - CDPSP is a comprehensive retrospective digest of the news presented to the Soviet and Russian public for more than a half-century, from the beginnings of the Cold War through the emergence of Russia in the new balance of power. Each week it presents a selection of Russian-language press materials, carefully translated into English.
Terrorism
- Handbook on Chemical Warfare and Terrorism
- Terrorist Challenge to America
- Country Reports on Terrorism - Reports from the Secretary of State to the U.S. Congress
Armed Conflict and War
- Conflict Barometer - The Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK) at the Department of Political Science at the University of Heidelberg annually publishes the Conflict Barometer, which describes recent trends in conflict development, escalations, settlements.
United Nations
Globalization
- Globalization 101 - Globalization101.org is an Internet resource offered by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to promote a greater understanding of globalization.
- Handbook of golbalization, governance, and public administration
- Handbook of international relations
The Library Catalog
You can use the library catalog to find books, e-books, videos, government documents, newspaper articles, and articles from scholarly journals. For more information on what is being searched, watch the video on the Search page.
Search Tips
Phrase Searching
You can use double quotes to search for a series of words in a particular order.
For example, "World war II" (with quotes) will give more precise results than World war II (without quotes).
Wildcard Searching
If you want to search for multiple variations of a word, you can substitute a special symbol (called a "wildcard") for one or more letters.
You can use * to represent 0 or many characters.
You can use ? to represent 1 single character.
For example, econom* will find both economics as well as economies, and organi?e will find both organise and organize.
Request an Appointment
Research librarians are ready and waiting to help you with your research! Merrill is available by phone, by email, by instant messaging, or in person. Email Merrill now, or use the form below to request a research appointment.
