Politics Librarian
Survey the Literature
Topical Reviews
- Oxford Bibliographies: Political Science This link opens in a new windowHundreds of annotated guides to recent scholarship in topics across all subfields of political science and international relations.
- Oxford Research Encyclopedia: PoliticsProvides up-to-date, peer-reviewed surveys of major topics, theories, and research questions across all areas of political science.
- Oxford Research Encyclopedia: International StudiesThese peer-reviewed articles cover major topics, theories, and research questions across many subfields of international studies/international relations, like conflict, security, human rights, diplomacy, etc. This is the follow-up to the International Studies Association's International Studies Encyclopedia Online.
- Oxford Handbooks OnlineThese handbooks provide a great source for authoritative reviews of research across political science, political theory, and related disciplines. Most of these we also have in print.
- Routledge Handbooks Online This link opens in a new windowThese handbooks provide overviews current research and future trends in the social sciences and humanities, with a strong collection in politics, particularly international relations and area studies.
- Annual Review of Political Science This link opens in a new windowComprehensive review of the literature in political science. Can help students identify major tends in the field as well as find general overviews of research in specific subject areas of politics.
- Elgar Research Handbooks OnlineLarge collection of handbooks on topics across political science and public policy.
Political Theory Sources
- Cambridge Collections Online This link opens in a new windowSearchable full text access to the complete Cambridge Companions to literature, philosophy, religion, and classics.
- Philosophy Compass This link opens in a new windowPeer-reviewed survey articles on contemporary work in philosophy.
- Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyAuthoritative source of full-text articles with current bibliographies on many topics of philosophy.
- Routledge Encyclopedia of PhilosophyProvides full-text articles with current bibliographies on virtually every aspect of philosophy.
- Encyclopedia of Political Theory - Mark Bevir, ed.Thorough discussions of a diverse range of political theories and concepts.
- Past Masters This link opens in a new windowSearchable full-text works in several languages from major philosophers and theologians.
Major Encyclopedias Covering the Whole Discipline
- SAGE Handbook of Political SciencePublished in 2020, this handbook provides a thorough overview of the discipline. Each of the 92 chapters gives a comprehensive overview of major topics within each subfield. Thematic sections include, Political Theory, Methods, Political Sociology, Comparative Politics, Public Policies and Administration, International Relations, and Major Challenges for Politics and Political Science in the 21st Century.
- International Encyclopedia of Political Science (2011)Covers all aspects of politics, from political theory and methodology to political sociology, comparative politics, public policies, and international relations.
- The Encyclopedia of Political ScienceCovers all areas of political science and provides medium-length entries with short bibliographies for further reading. Created under the direction of the American Political Science Association. Also in print at JA61 .E513 2011 (Trustee Reading Room Reference).
- International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.) This link opens in a new windowCovering 26 volumes in print, this major encyclopedia aims to capture the "state of the art" of the social and behavioral sciences, expanding its focus to include related biological fields, such as evolutionary science, genetics, cognitive neuroscience, psychiatry, and health. Topics include anthropology, archaeology, demography, economics, education, geography, history, law, linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychiatry, psychology, and sociology.
Sources for Paper Ideas
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Offers reports and analysis on a variety of current policy issues. Includes background information, pro/con debates, and a chronology, plus resources for additional research.
- Facts On File Issues and Controversies This link opens in a new windowExplore current issues and events with in-depth articles made to inspire thought-provoking debates. Topic pages feature the latest related news coverage from Reuters® as well as a variety of helpful background information, from the key pro/con arguments to chronologies of related events to primary documents. Updated weekly. 1995–present.
- World News Digest (Facts on File) This link opens in a new windowDigest of major news stories around the world. 1940+
Statistical and Writing Help
Need statistical help?
Firestone Library's Data & Statistical Services section has 2 full-time consultants and a group of advanced graduate students who can help you! See the DSS website to make an appointment with one of the consultants or find the schedule for their virtual drop-in hours.
If you're in the social sciences, the Politics Department's Program for Quantitative and Analytical Political Science also provides a Consulting Service to advise on research design, statistics, formal theory, and computational questions arising from your research.
The library also provides numerous training workshops on R, Stata, visualization tools, and GIS software.
Get help with your writing!
The Writing Center offers free individual consultations to discuss your essays or papers. "Writing Center Fellows can help with any part of the writing process: brainstorming ideas, developing a thesis, structuring an argument, or revising a draft. The goal of each conference is to develop strategies that will encourage students to become astute readers and critics of their own work."