International Studies
From FSU Libraries Subject Pages
Contents |
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Sarah Buck Kachaluba
Humanities Librarian
Florida State University Libraries
645-1475
Reference and Government Documents Librarian
Florida State University Libraries
645-2708
Introduction
This research guide is intended for both undergraduate and graduate students of International Studies. International Studies is an interdisciplinary subject area grounded especially in the social sciences of economics, geography, history, and political science.
This research guide points to some outstanding and general points to begin inquiry into international studies. It lists books, journals, and online resources available at the FSU libraries. Such resources include reference tools and relevant Library of Congress classifications and subject headings to help researchers find additional materials. It is by no means comprehensive, but should help you get started on an international studies research project.
It also provides links to the area studies field of Slavic Studies.
Related Guides
Latin America and Caribbean Studies
Searching For and Accessing Library Resources
Finding Articles
Major Databases and Indexes
The premier index to United Nations documents including Official Records, masthead documents, draft resolutions, meeting records, UN Sales Publications, and the UN Treaty Series citations. Also included is the full-text of several thousand UN documents.
Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO)
A collection of full-text materials on international affairs theory and research from 1991 to the present, including working papers from university research institutes, foundation-funded research projects, and proceedings from conferences.
Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country.
Political and economic surveys and on-line updates of the latest political, economic, corporate, and environmental news for each of the countries of the world.
Digital National Security Archive
The most comprehensive collection available of significant primary documents central to US foreign and military policy since 1945.
The online version of the Europa World Year Book, a source of information on world-wide affairs. It includes detailed surveys of over 250 countries and territories, a comprehensive listing of over 1,650 International Organizations, access to economic and demographic statistics, and essential names and addresses and other information covering such areas as the constitution, government, legislature, political organizations, diplomatic representation, religion, the media, finance, trade, industry, transport and tourism.
Humanities and Social Sciences Full Text (plus Retrospective)
Periodical coverage in Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective (1907-1984) includes some of the best-known scholarly journals and numerous lesser-known but important specialized magazines.
A database of the back issues of core journals in the humanities, social sciences and sciences.
Lexis Nexis Congressional Universe
Lexis Nexis Congressional provides a comprehensive view of congressional action and the behind-the-scenes activity involved in crafting U.S. legislation. It includes the Congressional Research Digital Collection (CRDC)Committee Prints and CRS Reports (1824-Present), Statutes at Large (1789-present), and the Serial Set Index (1789-1969).
Indexes materials on public affairs from 1972 to date. Includes articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, book chapters, and statistical directories about public affairs.
Sage: Political Science Full-Text Collection
Full-text access to 25 journals published by SAGE and participating societies, some journals going back 24 years, encompassing over 10,000 articles.
Social Sciences Citation Index
A multidisciplinary index, with searchable author abstracts, covering the journal literature of the social sciences. It indexes more than 1,725 journals spanning 50 disciplines, as well as covering individually selected, relevant items from over 3,300 of the world's leading scientific and technical journals. Click the box next to "Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI)--1956-present" to limit the search to this index.
The publications portal of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) providing access to OECD periodicals, working papers and the OECD Factbook.
Newspapers
A newspaper collection from NewsBank that provides full-text articles from the electronic editions of record for more than 700 newspapers around the globe. Dates of coverage vary for each newspaper, with some access beginning as early as 1977.
Lexis Nexis Academic World Newspapers
Part of Lexis Nexis Academic Universe. Use the "Source" pull-down menu to select world newspapers.
Contains the full-text content of The Times (London), one of the world's most famous daily newspapers and Britain's newspaper of record. Paid advertisements are excluded. The paper has long been held in high regard for its impartiality in reporting and analysis of the events. Letters to the editor are often written by respected experts writing on the pivotal issues of the day. Coverage is from July 1985 to the present.
Strozier also holds the London Times on Microfilm from 1788 to 2003: Micromaterials -- FilmNP 12 London Times 1788-2003
Full-text access to the official US newspaper of record form 1999 to the present.
Offers full-page-images and article images from the New York times from its first issue in 1851 to two years before the current date.
Finding Books & Media
Library of Congress Classifications
Subject Headings
To search by subject heading, go into "Advanced Search." There are two ways to search by subject heading using the advanced search feature.
The first is to use Option 1: Search by words. Type or paste the subject heading into the search box and select "Subject Heading" from the drop-down menu, then click the Go box. This search will call up a list of books with this subject heading
The second is to use Option 3: Search lists of titles, call numbers, etc. In this case, choose "Subject, LC" from drop-down box and type or paste the subject heading into the search box. This search will yield a list of subject headings that contains the subject heading you searched by, as well as more specific subject headings including the initial phrase.
Print Collections of Primary Sources (Mostly Government Documents)
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments Earlier years in STROZIER Documents PREX3.11/2:<year>
U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Hearings. STROZIER Documents Y4.F76/2:
U.S. Congress. Committee on International Relations. Hearings. STROZIER Documents Y4. In8/16:
US Department of State. American foreign policy: Basic documents, 1950-1955. STROZIER Documents S1.71: 117/v.1-2
US Department of State. Press Releases. STROZIER Documents S1.25:1929-37 (some gaps)
US Department of State. Bulletin. STROZIER Documents S1.3/5: <year>
US Department of State Dispatch STROZIER Documents S1.3/5: <year> (Continues previous title) Electronic access:
Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers(Print Version), STROZIER Documents Doc S1.1: <year/v.#>
This series, produced by the State Department, publishes documentation of major U.S. diplomatic and foreign policy events and processes. Included documentation comes from Presidential libraries, the Departments of State and Defense, the National Security Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies as well as the private papers of individuals involved in formulating U.S. foreign policy. The series began in 1861. Volumes are divided into ranges of years which are further divided into volumes organized by subject or region. Recent volumes (since the Truman administration) are available online (see below).
Foreign Relations of the United States (Electronic Version)
To access online versions of the text, click on the link to "on-line" in the sentence "Recent volumes are also available on-line," found in the last paragraph of the text on the center of the webpage.
Reference Works
The Statesman's year-book. New York : St. Martin's Press, 1864- STROZIER LIBRARY. JA51 .S7 (Some volumes are in the sub-basement and must be requested at circulation). The latest edition is held at the Reference desk.
Atlases and Maps
Map Collection at the University of Texas Austin's Perry-Castaneda Library
Websites
Background Notes (US Department of State)
Profiles produced by the US Department of State about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. Identify agencies to contact for various issues and and key elected and appointed officials.
Country Pages (US Department of State)
Brief pages on independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty provided by the US Department of State. Most pages include a map, list the US ambassador, and provide links to US Department of State Background Notes (see above), press releases, remarks by US officials about situations relating to those areas, fact sheets, the US embassy, and major reports on the state or territory.
Country Profiles (BBC)
Provide guides to history, politics, and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions.
They include audio and video clips from BBC archives. Profiles are accessible by selecting a country, territory or international organization from the menus provided.
Country Studies
Produced by the Library of Congress, “The Country Studies Series presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world.”
Some also available in Strozier library in print in STROZIER LIBRARY Documents Doc D101.22:550
These are highly accessible, concise, and well-founded introductions to countries and a great starting point for research.
CRS Reports (Thurgood Marshall Law Library)
The Congressional Research Service, provides Congress with non-partisan and in-depth legislative research and analysis reports on many subjects. They produce or update more than 3,000 studies and other publications each year.
Digital National Security Archive (accessible via FSU databases)
The most comprehensive collection available of significant primary documents central to US foreign and military policy since 1945.
The National Security Archive is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University dedicated to collecting and publishing declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
Dedicated to fighting international hunger, this organization also provides significant information on agricultural production a, consumption of food, and nutrition in the form of documents, statistics, maps and multimedia resources.
Homeland Security Digital Library (accessible via FSU databases)
Provides quick access to important U.S. policy documents, presidential directives, and national strategy documents as well as specialized resources such as theses and reports from various universities, organizations and local and state agencies.
Portals to the World
Site maintained by the library of congress which provides access to links chosen by Library of Congress Subject Specialists. After selecting a country, users can do a general search or browse through links accessed through ne of the following fields: General Resources; Business, Commerce, Economy; Culture; Education; Embassies; Genealogy; Geography and Environment; Government, Politics, Law; Health; History; Language and Literature; Libraries, Archives; Listservs, Newsgroups; Media and Communications; National Security; Organizations; Recreation & Travel; Religion and Philosophy; Search Engines; Science & Technology;
Society.
Strategic Studies Institute of the US Army War College
Website provides free access to security and strategic reports and publications issued by the researchers affiliated with the College. Users can do general searches or browse publications through the regional, strategic, and newsletter menus.
United Nations
There are many ways to use the UN website. Once you have clicked on “welcome,” you can try one of the following options. Go to:
1. “main bodies,” which takes one to a list of UN commissions (in the vertical menu on the left-hand side of the page)
2. “index,” and choose a subject (index is a button on the horizontal menu along the bottom of the screen)
3. “Search,” and type in a search term (search is another button on the horizontal menu along the bottom of the screen)
United Nations Bibliographic Information System (UNBISnet) (accessible via FSU databases)
Catalogue of UN publications and documentation indexed by the United Nations Dag Hammarskjold Library and the Library of the UN Office at Geneva. Also included are non-UN publications held in the collection of the Dag Hammarskjold Library.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)(accessible via FSU databases)
Portal to information about USAID programs throughout the world designed to forward US foreign policy interests and international development simultaneously. Thereby provides key insight into US relations with and development projects in countries throughout the world.
United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress. Its website provides access to USIP publications, guides to websites, news, and other resources. Such resources can be accessed by the following buttons along the top of the webpage: Newsroom, Publications, and Library (which includes subcategories of online research: regional, topical; and Lists of links: foreign ministries, international organizations, and research centers).
World Bank - Global Development Finance(accessible via FSU databases)
Provides debt and financial flow data for 136 countries that report public and publicly guaranteed debt to the World Bank's Debtor Reporting System.
World Bank - World Development Indicators (accessible via FSU databases)
Portal to statistical figures from the World Bank, including almost 600 development indicators going back to 1960 for over 200 countries and eighteen country groups include social, economic, financial, and more.
World Wide Web Virtual Library (http://vlib.org/): International Affairs Resources
Internet directory to more than 2000 annotated links to English-language sources of information and analysis in a wide range of international affairs, international studies, and international relations topics.