POLS 53002: Senior Seminar: NGOs in International Relations

Reference tools provide background information, the who, what, where and when -- and a bit of the how and why -- for any topic. They include subject and biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias, almanacs, chronologies, directories and atlases. Many, especially dictionaries and encyclopedias, are now available online. Many others, especially historical atlases and chronologies are still only available in print.

ONLINE

International Affairs

• Encyclopedia of Human Rights
  • recent, international coverage
    
• Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace
  • recent, authoritative general encyclopedia of peace, conflict, justice, etc.
• Political Handbook of the World
  • country by country assessment (from CQ, Congressionial Quarterly)
• Europa World
  • current political, economic and social analysis of countries, IGOs & NGOs
    
• Economist Intelligence Unit
  
  • see country reports
• Encyclopedia of associations. International organizations
  • relatively thorough listing with brief descriptions and contact information
• CQ Global Researcher
  • weekly reports on contemporary global issues

General

• Encyclopaedia Britannica online
  • access to the most reputable online general encyclopedia
    
• Oxford reference online Premium
  • access to dozens of Oxford University Press online reference tools
• Gale virtual reference library
  • access to dozens of Gale online reference tools
  • e.g.,World at Risk: A Global Issues Sourcebook , 2nd ed.
• Reference Universe
  • access to hundreds of print and online reference tools from various publishers
    
• Wikipedia:
  • Wikipedia can be a great quick help in identifying the "who, what, when and where" of any given issue especially relating to popular culture -- subject to later verification. Librarians use it all the time. However, it can be very suspect about "how and why" questions especially conflicts situations. Use it but use it with caution!

PAPER

Examples of reference tools available in the Hesburgh Library Reference Collection (first floor -- non-circulating).

• Encyclopedia of international development.  HD 82 .E547 2005
• The International year book and statesmen's who's who.  JA 51 .E89
• The Times guide to world organisations.  JX 1995 .O94 1996
• International organizations : a dictionary and directory.  JZ 4838 .S344 2005
• International organizations and implementation  JZ 4839 .I58 2008
• International information directory (Congressional Quarterly).  Z 4838 .I58
• Political risk yearbook.  Volume titles and calls numbers vary by region

ONLINE

• A to Z maps online (political, physical, outline & others)
• United Nations Cartographic Section (all regions but not all countries)
• All the Worlds Maps (detail and type vary)
• Atlapedia Online (regional)
• Blank & Outline Maps (outline only)
• Google Earth (no printing)

PAPER

• The Penguin atlas of women in the world.   G 1046 .E1 S4 2009
• Atlas of gender and development.   HQ 1237.5 .D44 A85 2010
• Global geopolitical flashpoints: an atlas of conflict.  JC 319 .A52 2000
• World Bank Atlas / Atlas of Global Development.  G 1046 .G1 I5
• ONCs (Operational Navigation Charts - small scale with worldwide coverage)
  • "Google" "Operational Navigation Charts" and select vendor OR
  • Consult the Libraries map collection

In addition there is a large collection of current and historical atlases in the Hesburgh Library Reference Collection (first floor -- non-circulating).

• Statistical Abstract (U.S. Census Bureau)
• LexisNexis Statistical Datasets (data sets & graphs)
• LexisNexis Statistical (charts & tables)
• Polling the Nations (public opinion)
• United Nations Statistics Division (demongraphics)
• UNESCO Institute for Statistics (cultural)
• International Financial Statistics Online Srvice (IMF financial)
• World Development Indicators (economic)
• Infonation Advanced (graphs)
• OECD iLibrary (economic)
• Finding data & statistics (Subject Guide)