Political Science Subject Guide

Overview

This is a selected list of resources in political science. For further assistance ask for help at the Central Reference Desk, Waldo Library, or make an appointment with Maria Perez-Stable, 387-5322, maria.perez-stable@wmich.edu, liaison to the Political Science Department. The following sources are recommended as introductory material for the study of political science. All of these sources are located in the Central Reference Department of Waldo Library (Ref) unless otherwise indicated. The sources recommended on this page are designed to assist researchers find information about political science written in the English language.

Guides to the Field

A bibliographic guide recommends research and reference materials and may also suggest ways of doing research in a discipline. This web page, which is in itself a brief bibliographic guide, also includes research guidelines and current publications in the field.

Graduate Faculty and Programs in Political Science, 1998-2000 JA 88 .U6 G8 1998/2000 (Ref Desk Coll)
A directory of the graduate faculty and degree programs in political science and related fields of U.S., Canadian, and British institutions.

Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science JA 71 .V3 1997
This guide contains six essays on topics of interest to serious students of political science-hypotheses, laws and theories; case studies; political science dissertations, and hints on writing dissertations; the dissertation proposal; and professional ethics.

Information Sources of Political Science
Z 7161 .I543 2005 (Ref) This guide provides comprehensive, authoritative coverage of political science reference sources for researchers, librarians, and students. The annotated entries cover general works, U.S. government and politics, international relations and organizations, comparative politics, political theory, and public administration.

New Handbook of Political Science JA 66 .N49 1996 (Ref) Includes a collection of articles each written by an expert in the field on the discipline of political science and on various subfields such as political theory; articles include a substantial list of references.

Political Science: A Guide to Reference and Information Sources Z 7161 .Y75 1990 (Ref)
This volume provides descriptions of over 800 major resources in the field of political science and its subdisciplines, including such works as dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, statistical sources, organizations, biographical sources and yearbooks.

Dictionaries

Cassell Dictionary of Modern Politics JA 61 .C37x 1994 (Ref)
This dictionary provides definitions and historic background for political terms, worldwide. It includes many colloquial terms, and words or place names associated with political events.

Dictionary of Government and Politics JA 61 .D52x 1998 (Ref) Provides definitions of words associated with government and public administration in the UK, U.S., and in the European Union. This is a good dictionary to use for terms used in British and U.S. governmental administration.

Dictionary of Modern Politics JA 61 .R63 2002 (Ref) A guide to the complex terminology of the world of politics. It defines political theories, dogmas, ideas, phraseologies and institutions.

Dictionary of Politics: Selected American and Foreign Political and Legal Terms JA 61 .R39 1992 (Ref) Includes very brief definitions of significant terms in the field of politics and government; includes many cross-references. Of special note is that this dictionary contains political terms used internationally.

Dictionary of World Politics: A Reference Guide to Concepts, Ideas, and Institutions JA 61 .E85 1990 (Ref)
Entries focus on ideas, concepts, and institutions considered to be essential to any understanding of world politics, but there are also entries for topics more often found in specialized texts or journals. Entries vary in length and are written in clear English.

Illustrated Dictionary of Constitutional Concepts JA 61 .M28 1996 (Ref)
This book defines the many terms that constitute the language of constitutions-the supreme laws of nation-states. Entries are easy to read, and the volume contains many interesting illustrations, photographs, and maps.

Macmillan Dictionary of Political Quotations PN 6084 .P6 E54 1993 (Ref)
Arranged by nearly 100 different topics, this book contains quotations by people the world over. Topics range from art to business to arms control to jails to poverty. This is an excellent source for politicians, political speechwriters, journalists, historians, and students of politics.

Encyclopedias & Handbooks

Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Institutions JA 61 .B56 1987 (Ref)
Provides concise information on the central concepts used in the study of political institutions; focus is on leading organizations, movements, and individuals found in advanced industrial nations, and it includes bibliographies.

Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought Ranging in length from one paragraph to several pages, the entries focus on the major ideas and doctrines that have influenced political theorists and politics currently and in the past; includes bibliographies.

Country Studies This Web site contains the on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. This 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 and examines the interrelationships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural factors. Currently, there are just over 100 country studies available online. NOTE: The site focuses on lesser-known nations so a number of West European countries are not included.

Current World Leaders CT 100 .C822x (Ref)
Issued three times a year, this source offers an up-to-date snapshot of over 193 countries and 30 colonies, giving brief statistical information about the nation, the names of key officials and ministers, and the address, telephone number, and FAX number for the country's embassy in the U.S.

Dictionary of 20th Century World Politics JA 61 .S53 1993 (Ref)
An alphabetic listing of the history, people, theories, and ideas that have influenced and transformed international politics in the 20th century; this comprehensive work includes over 4,000 entries, most of them fairly brief, with many photographs and illustrations.

Dictionary of Political Analysis JA 61 .P57 1982 (Ref) This reference book concentrates on terms that relate to the contemporary behavioral approach to political study and research. There are over 200 entries and terms dealing with the analysis of data, especially statistical analysis.

Encyclopedia of Government and Politics
JA 61 .C66 2004 (Ref)
Written by experts in the field, this 2-volume set includes long essays on a variety of topics in politics and government, including political theory; contemporary ideologies and political systems; political institutions and processes; policy making; international relations; and major issues in contemporary world politics. Entries are all signed and include bibliographical references.

Encyclopedia of Politics: The Left and the Right JA 61 .E54 2005 (Ref)
The essays in this 2-volume set will help researchers understand better the political meaning of "left" and "right." There are over "450 articles on individuals, movements, political parties, and ideological principles, with those usually thought of a left in the left-hand volume and those considered right, in the right-hand volume."--Introduction.

Encyclopedia of Revolutions and Revolutionaries: From Anarchism to Zhou Enlai D 21.3 .E33 1996 (Ref)
Contains almost 1,300 articles about the most important revolutions in all of history, the people and organizations who made them, and the ideologies in whose name they were carried out. Includes many photographs and illustrations.

Encyclopedia of the European Union JN 30 .E52 1998 (Ref)
Contains in-depth, authoritative discussions of more than 700 concepts, issues, developments, institutions, events, negotiations, treaties, national interests, and personalities related to European integration. Specialized articles are signed and include bibliographic references.

Encyclopedia of World Constitutions
K 3157 .E5 E53 2007 (Ref) Arranged alphabetically by country, this 3-volume set provides the following information about each nation: constitutional history, basic organizational structure, leading constitutional principles, constitutional bodies (e.g., president, prime minister, legislature, judiciary, etc.), the election process, political parties, fundamental rights, and much more. Each entry inlcludes Web links to online versions of the contstitutions, and some additional references.

Governments on the World Wide Web Provides quick links to national, regional, and international government Web pages, including institutions such as parliaments, ministries, law courts, embassies, public broadcasting corporations, national banks, and much more.

International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who JA 51 .I57 (Ref Desk Coll)
This source contains information on international organizations, extensive political and economic data arranged by country, and biographical sketches of world leaders. The country sections contain directory and statistical information on government officials, political life, and the economy.

Legal Systems of the World: A Political, Social, and Cultural Encyclopedia K 48 .L44 2002 (Ref)
This 4-volume set explores the structure, operation and history of judicial and legal systems in every country around the globe, every state in the Union, and every province in Canada. Includes illustrations, maps, 275 legal diagrams, a bibliography, glossary and index.

Nations of the World This guide from the Law Library of Congress, contains a lengthy list of resources for each nation. Most of the items are links to statistical, legal or legislative information on the country available on the Web.

Oxford Companion to Politics of the World JA 61 .O95 2001 (Ref) This book consists of encyclopedic-type entries on topics relating to politics and on countries and people. Each article includes cross-references, a bibliography, and is written by an expert in the field. Subject coverage is broad, covering such topics as ethnicity, disinvestments, the New Right, development and underdevelopment, and German Reunification.

Political Handbook of the World: Governments and Intergovernmental Organizations JF 37 .P6 (Ref Desk Coll)
This book examines, in alphabetical order, the governmental organization and politics of each country in the world. Among the topics covered are political background, constitution and government, foreign relations, political parties, political movements, the legislature and cabinet, and the media.

Political Theories for Students JA 81 .P617 2002 (Ref)
This one-volume work provides detailed essays on political theories such as anarchism, Communism, imperialism, pacifism, socialism, etc. In addition, it has brief biographies of key individuals along with photographs and chronologies.

Statesman's Yearbook: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World JA 51 .S7 (Ref Desk Coll)
Offers up-to-date snapshots of the countries of the world, including key historical events, population, climate, social statistics, constitution, government, recent elections, current administration, international relations, economy, industry, trade, and more.

Survey of Social Science: Government and Politics Series JA 61 .S88 1995 (Ref)
This 5-volume set provides introductory essays, with accompanying bibliographies, on a range of topics in politics and government. While the main focus is on the U.S., there are also entries on comparative, international, and theoretical politics.

Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations G 63 .W67 1998 (Ref) The first volume gives a detailed overview of the United Nations and its agencies. The remaining four volumes focus on individual countries, offering details on such things as location, climate, languages, religions, local government, economy, trade, industries, economic development, health, media, housing, transportation, and other topics.

U.S. Politics & Government

Almanac of American Politics Provides information about each electoral district in the U.S., brief biographies of each representative and senator, voting behavior, and a statistical snapshot of each district. Also includes key votes in Congress, results from special and interim elections, important committee changes, and election forecasts and results.

Almanac of Policy Issues Provides comprehensive background information and links on major U.S. public policy issues, presenting all sides of an issue in an objective, journalistic format. The site is arranged under the broad topics of criminal justice, culture and society, economic issues, education, environment, government operations, health, social welfare, and foreign affairs and national security. Its editor is Patrick Lester, a policy analyst who has worked for a number of Washington, DC-based public policy organizations.

American Political Dictionary JK 9 .P55 2002 (Ref) Rather than an alphabetic arrangement, this dictionary divides entries into 14 topical chapters, treating such subjects as the U.S. Constitution, civil liberties, the legislative, executive and judicial branches; foreign policy; and national defense. Includes over 1,200 terms.

American President: An Online Reference Resource
Hosted by the University of Virginia, this site is a "comprehensive collection of material about the U.S. Presidents and the history of the presidency. This web site features essays about each President and their lives before, during, and after their presidential terms. It additionally provides information about the First Lady and cabinet officials of each administration." (Site's home page).

Center for American Women and Politics Housed at Rutgers University, the mission of this Center is to promote greater understanding and knowledge about women's participation in politics and government and to enhance women's influence and leadership in public life.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) JK 416 .A3 (Ref)
The major codification of administrative law at the federal level. Includes all the general and permanent rules first published in the Federal Register by the Executive Department and agencies of the federal government. There are also a CFR index and finding aids for the set.

Congress.org In addition to quick links to members of both houses of Congress, this site provides easy access to current political issues, media links, and a keyword index to federal legislation.

Congressional Districts in the 1990s: A Portrait of America JK 1341 .C66 1993 (Ref)
Arranged alphabetically by state, this book presents information on each Congressional district in the U.S., including an overview of the district, demographics, ancestry of residents, colleges, media, military installations, and major businesses and employers.

Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report JK 1 .C15 (Ref); online coverage available from 1983 to present.
This serial provides a digest, in magazine style, of Congressional action each week, including legislative action on major bills, voting record of individual members of Congress, and texts of important documents. This information is cumulated and summarized each year in the Congressional Quarterly Almanac (JK 1 .C66 Ref). Details

CongressLink Provides information about the U.S. Congress--how it works, its members and leaders, and the public policies it produces. The site also hosts lesson plans and reference and historical materials related to congressional topics.

Cornell University Collection of Political Americana This site contains thousands of artifacts relating to American political history, from ballots and slates, to songbooks, to buttons and souvenirs of all kinds. The collection belongs to Cornell University and includes items from 1789 through 1972.

Desk Reference on American Government JK 274 .W449 2000 (Ref)
Presented in a question-and-answer format, this book provides a wealth of information about the complex organization that constitutes the U.S. government. It covers often-asked questions about the government in general, the presidency, Congress, campaigns, elections, and the Supreme Court.

Encyclopedia of American Political History
E 183 .E48 2001 (Ref)
Published by CQ Press, this one-volume work, containing over 240 articles, provides a starting place for ready answers about specific aspects of America's political history. The essays are on people and issues, with each entry including a bibliography and photographs.

Encyclopedia of American Political History: Studies of the Principal Movements and Ideas E 183 .E5 1984 (Ref)
This 3-volume set provides readable and authoritative articles prepared by American scholars representing a broad range of ideological positions and historical viewpoints; each article includes a substantial annotated bibliography.

Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections
JK 2261 .S218 2006 (Ref) A one-volume, A to Z list of topics and concepts related to American politics and elections, from absentee voting to the Know-Nothing Party to recounts. Each article includes references for further reading.

Encyclopedia of the American Constitution KF 4548 .E53 2000 (Ref) With more than 2,000 articles, this 6-volume set covers the major political, legal, and historical aspects of the Constitution; important court decisions and public acts are also covered.

Encyclopedia of the American Left HX 86 .E58 1998 (Ref) A comprehensive encyclopedia of the American Left-that segment of society that has sought fundamental changes in the economic, political, and cultural systems of the U.S. through alternative means. Most entries include sources for further reading.

Encyclopedia of the American Presidency JK 511 .E53 1994 (Ref)
This 4-volume set includes over 1,000 articles explaining the origin, evolution, and constant unfolding of the American presidency, including articles on the First Ladies. Articles are signed and include bibliographical references for further reading.

Encyclopedia of the Republican Party
JK 2352 .E56 1997 (Ref) and JK 2352 .E56 1997 Supp (Ref)
In four volumes, and a 2002 supplement, this encyclopedia chronicles the evolution of the Republican Party from its origin in 1854 through the present day. Many of the articles include bibliographies, photographs, and other illustrations.

Encyclopedia of the United States Congress -- Facts on File
JK 1021 .D48 2007 (Ref)
This one-volume work, published by Facts on File, contains over 450 entries providing a wealth of information about the U.S. Congress. Topics range from the constitutional role of Congress to significant legislation to historical and current members. Many entries include references for additional reading.

Encyclopedia of the United States Congress JK 1067 .E63 1995 (Ref)
This encyclopedia's objective is to be the definitive reference work on the history and character of the U.S. Congress. Its 4 volumes contain over 1,000 entries, all of which are signed, references for additional reading, and many illustrations and photographs.

Encyclopedia of Third Parties in America JK 2261 .E474 2000 (Ref)
This 3-volume set covers all the major third parties and candidates in American history; the information is divided into four parts: chronological historical essays; 40 third-party maps; an alphabetic listing of third parties; and over 100 biographical sketches of candidates.

Foreign Relations of the United States Compiled by the Office of the Historian of the U.S. Department of State, this is an online version of the publication Foreign Relations of the United States, that provides an official documentary record of major US foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Online coverage is from 1945 to 1968.

Government Phone Book USA
JK 6 .G58x (Reference Desk Collection)
A comprehensive guide to federal, state, county, and municipal government offices in the United States, including names of officials, addresses, and telephone and FAX numbers.

GPO Access (Government Printing Office) GPO Access offers free searching and access to the full text of the Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, the Congressional Record, U.S. Public Laws, the Budget of the United States, GAO Reports, and other major U.S. government documents.

GPO Monthly Catalog (Government Printing Office) An index to US government publications, including reports, hearings, debates, records, judiciary materials, and documents issued by executive departments, such as the Defense, State, Labor, and the Office of the President. Online coverage from 1976 - present. Updated monthly.
Print: Z 1223 .A13 - .A18 (Documents, Ref.) 1895-1995

Historic U.S. Court Cases: An Encyclopedia KF 385 .A4 J64 2001 (Ref) Arranged by broad topics such as Crime and Criminal Law, Government Organization, Power and Procedure, and Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation and Disability, this 2-volume set offers overviews of historic court cases in the United States. Many are Supreme Court cases, but not all. A subject, name and court case index in volume two is useful.

Landmark Decisions of the United States Supreme Court KF 4549 .F56 2003 (Ref)
Includes over 1,000 of the U.S. Supreme Court's most important decisions since its establishment. Cases are summarized and arranged chronologically; includes a subject and case name index.

LexisNexis Congressional Provides access to information about the U S Congress, including: 1) publications from 1789-present (with some full text in the Historical Full Text file); 2) Congressional Information Service Legislative Histories for public laws from 1970-present; 3) testimony from congressional hearings; 4) access to bills; 5) the Congressional Record and Federal Register; and 6) information about members and committees.

LexisNexis Government Periodicals Index Indexes approximately 170 magazines and newsletters published by U.S. government agencies in a great variety of subjects with research value. Links to full text are provided when available. Coverage: 1988-present. Updated quarterly.

Major Acts of Congress KF 154 .M35 2004 (Ref)
A 3-volume set presenting concise information on 262 significant pieces of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress from 1789 to 2003. Includes photographs, illustrations, a select bibliography and Internet resources.

National Journal Group's Policy Central Provides daily access to political and government issues of interest to researchers across the social sciences. It includes the following publicaions--National Journal Online, Congress Daily, Technology Daily, and The Hotline--along with reference sources such as the Almanac of American Politics, Ad Spotlight and Markup Reports and Bill Status.

Oxford Guide to the United States Government JK 9 .P384 2001 (Waldo Reference) The articles in this compact, ready-reference volume are arranged alphabetically and present information on individuals, concepts, events, laws and decisions, powers, procedures and practices, terms, traditions, and issues in American government. Many of the essays provide bibliographical references for additional reading.

Oyez: U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia A multimedia site on the U.S. Supreme Court that contains biographical information about all of the justices, links to famous and significant cases by name and by topic, texts of decisions, and audio files of some of the arguments.

Political Reference Almanac JK 6 .P64x (Ref Desk Coll)
This fact book provides information on all aspects of government, on all levels, although it focuses on the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government. It includes snapshot information about world governments and world organizations, and it also has photographs of U.S. officials and elected representatives.

Politics in America JK 1012 .P64 (Ref Desk Coll)
Congressional Quarterly’s Politics in America provides information on members of the U.S. Congress and their districts. It contains in-depth profiles of every member as well as data on their constituencies, apportionment, and redistricting.

Polling America: An Encyclopedia of Public Opinion HN 90 .P8 P645 2005 (Ref)
This 2-volume set "provides an overview of not only American public opinion but also the tools and methods used to measure and study public opinion....The encyclopedia contains two types of entries: those devoted to the substance of public opinion, and those dealing with the means used to measure public opinion."--Preface.

PollingReport.com An independent, nonpartisan resource on trends in American public opinion. Offers polling results on a number of issues including elections, the state of the union, national security, and current events in the news.

Presidency A to Z
JK 511 .P775 2003 (Ref)
A comprehensive reference book that offers quick answers to most questions about the presidency and the individuals who have served in it. The entries are arranged alphabetically and are written in clear language. Includes many photographs.

Presidents of the United States (POTUS)
Part of the Internet Public Library, this site offers background information, election results, cabinet members, notable events, and some points of interest on each of the presidents; includes links to biographies, historical documents, audio and video files, and other presidential sites.

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States
This online service makes available material that was compiled and published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. Each Public Papers volume contains the papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the Office of the Press Secretary during the specified time period, presented in chronological order. So far, only the public papers of President Clinton are available online. WMU Libraries has the print volumes of the Public Papers, beginning in 1929, and they are located on the second floor of Waldo Library under the call number JA 80 .A283.

U.S. Code
The United States Code is prepared and published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives. This database contains the general and permanent laws of the United States.

U.S. Federal Judiciary Home Page Includes links to U.S. Supreme Court, 13 U.S. Courts of Appeal and U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Armed Forces, 94 U.S. District Courts, U.S. Tax Court, Court of Federal Claims, Court of Veterans Appeals and the Court of International Trade.

U.S. House of Representatives Home Page Provides a House directory, along with links to members, committee, and leadership offices in the House. Also describes current legislation in the House this week, what bills are pending and under discussion, and roll call votes.

U.S. Senate Home Page Has links to senators, committees, committee hearing schedules, what has been happening on the floor, legislative activities, and Senate history.

White House Home Page Includes links to the president and vice president, a virtual library, frequently requested federal services, information about tours, and a site just for kids.

Voting and Elections

America Votes: A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics JK 1967 .A8 (Ref)
Published every two years, this is the standard source of election statistics, including voter turnout. The first section covers presidential, Congressional, and gubernatorial races, with tabulated percentages broken down by state. The second section presents a state-by-state profile of voting, with helpful maps of state districts.

Congressional Elections, 1946-1996 JK 1967 .C64 1998 (Ref)
Published by Congressional Quarterly, this volume includes vote returns and election data on the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, including primary and popular vote figures. It also includes brief notes on the politics and issues of each election.

Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections
JK 1967 .C662 (Ref)
This comprehensive guide covers election statistics of political parties and conventions; presidential elections; gubernatorial elections; Senate elections; and House elections. Includes charts, chronologies, bibliographies, maps, and photographs of politicians.

Elections
Part of the Librarians' Internet Index, this selective site includes useful links about U.S. elections, and also elections around the world.

Electionworld
This site, originally called Elections Around the World, has moved its content to the Wikipedia, and provides a quick, comprehensive and detailed analyses of recent elections from around the world. The site includes some basic information about each country's government, executive and national legislatures, date of elections, political parties within the country, and links to additional Web sites of interest. NOTE: Since the Wikipedia may be edited by its users, do a careful evaluation of the information you find.

Electoral Politics Dictionary JK 1971 .R46 1989 (Ref)
Focuses on terms and concepts common to applied politics as well as federal statues and court decisions pertaining to this field. Entries are grouped into seven broad areas including public opinion, political participation, elections, campaigns, parties, interest groups, and the mass media. Includes an index.

Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections JK 9 .B56 1999 (Ref)
Provides students and researchers with a comprehensive, alphabetical guide to the language of contemporary American politics, written in an easy-to-understand manner. Entries vary in length, and all include bibliographical references.

International Encyclopedia of Elections JF 1001 .I57 2000 (Ref)
This work offers close to 150 comprehensive articles on all aspects of elections, from Papal elections to vote by lot to term limits. Emphasis is on current events, but some articles explain the origins of modern-day practices. All articles contain bibliographies.

Political Parties & Elections in the United States: An Encyclopedia JK 2261 .P633 1991 (Ref)
This 2-volume set provides information on all aspects of political parties and elections. Entries vary in length from half a page to more than ten pages, and researches will find the bibliographic references useful. Of special note are the entries that offer an informative summary of the important issues and concerns of each election from 1792 through 1988.

Presidential Elections, 1789-2000
JK 524 .P6783 2002 (Ref)
A collection of reference material, published by Congressional Quarterly, relating to the election of all the presidents, from George Washington through George Bush's 2000 election. It includes primary, popular, and electoral college returns, along with maps and charts.

United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997: The Official Results of the Elections of the 1st Through the 105th Congresses JK 1967 .D77 1998 (Ref)
This volume compiles official election returns for members of Congress from the original Congress in 1788 through the November 1996 elections. Arrangement is chronological.

Statistical Sources

Europa World Year Book JN 1 .E85 (Ref Desk Coll)
This 2-volume set provides a compact section on each country, including recent history, economy, statistical survey, trade, and a directory including media and embassy addresses in each country.

Michigan: Population and Statistics
Hosted by the Michigan eLibrary (MEL), this site presents links to statistical information about the state of Michigan.

Statistical Abstract of the United States. HA 202 (Reference Desk Collection; editions prior to 1970 are shelved in general stacks on 2nd floor.) Published annually since 1878 by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, this is a standard national data book for United States statistics. Not only is it a convenient, authoritative compilation, the footnotes also provide an excellent guide to other statistical sources. See LexisNexis Statistical for Web version.

Statistical Abstract of the World HA 154 .S83 (Ref Desk Coll)
Provides a country by country listing of key statistics including demographics, health, education, government, military expenditures, production, manufacturing, and finance.

Statistical Yearbook (UNESCO) HA 12.5 .U65x (Ref Desk Coll)
Compiled by UNESCO, this book provides statistics on education, science, technology, culture, communications, libraries, book production, newspapers, and film production for all the countries of the world.

Statistical Yearbook HA 12.5 .U63 (Ref )
Contains worldwide statistics, collected by the United Nations, on population, education, literacy, communications, health, economic activity, agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, energy, and international trade for member nations of the UN.

Vital Statistics on American Politics
JK 274 .V58x (Ref Desk Coll)
This volume of tables offers numbers on standard topics such as elections, Congress, the presidency and the judiciary, along with information on the media; campaign finances; foreign, social and economic policy; and a variety of issues related to local government.

World Factbook G 122 .U56a (Ref Desk Coll) Compiled by the CIA, this source provides excellent up-to-date snapshots of the countries of the world, including basic statistics, brief history, color maps, and flags.

Biographical Sources

American National Biography Authoritative biographical essays on more than 17,400 deceased Americans from all eras and walks of life published by Oxford University Press. Some of these entries are for literary figures.

American Political Scientists: A Dictionary JA 61 .A525 2002 (Ref)
Presents biographical essays on more than 200 political scientists who have contributed to the intellectual development and present state of American political science. Entries include information about the scholar's contributions to the field, along with a selected bibliography of his or her work. Details

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress: 1774-Present Contains brief biographical entries on members of Congress from the time of the Revolution to the current day. Entries include a photograph, a bibliography, and links to research collections, if available.

Biographies Plus Illustrated Contains more than 145,000 biographies and more than 36,000 photographs. Includes full text articles from Current Biography and other biographical sources. Many of the biographies have links to other sources and citations to articles.

Biography and Genealogy Master Index Indexes numerous printed reference sources that include usually short biograhical information on multiple persons. Covers living and deceased people all over the world in all occupations.

Biography Index Z 5301 .B5 (Reference Collection)
Indexes biographical information from thousands of periodicals and books. Coverage from 1984. Updated weekly.

Biography.com Includes brief biographical sketches of over 25,000 people, both living and deceased. A good place to do quick verification.

Chambers Dictionary of Political Biography D 108 .C53x 1991 (Ref)
Contains entries on over 1,100 men and women (living or dead), who have shaped, or continue to shape, the modern political world. The entries are brief, but they provide important facts along with colorful insights into their lives.

Contemporary Authors Z 1224 .C6 (Ref)
Part of the Literature Resource Center, this directory provides brief biographical information about more than 120,000 authors from the US and elsewhere. Includes writers of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, journalism, and many other fields.

International Who's Who CT120 .I5 (Ref Desk Coll)
Presents close to 20,000 brief biographical entries on the most famous and influential men and women living in the world today.

Routledge Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Political Thinkers JA 83 .R725 1998 (Ref) Provides brief explanations of the thought and work of political thinkers, including writers, academics, political leaders, and theologians.

Statesmen Who Changed the World: A Bio-Bibliography of Diplomacy D 108 .S73 1993 (Ref)
Contains articles on over 60 men and women of the modern Western world, each with a biographical sketch of the subject's life and career, along with a bibliographical essay describing archival materials available for this person, works written by and about the individual, and the most recent scholarship related to the statesman and his or her influence on the world.

Taylor's Encyclopedia of Government Officials, Federal and State JK 6 .T36 (Ref Desk Coll)
An excellent source that provides the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all elected officials, federal and state, along with the key personnel in federal departments, agencies, and members of Congressional committees. Detailed state information follows, including state and federal officials, budget information, maps, and facts about the state's largest cities.

World Leaders
Maintained by the CIA, this site provides up-to-date information on the heads of states around the world, along with each country's key ministers.

Who's Who on the Web Provides brief, usually up to date and usually reliable biographical information about more than 1.3 million people. Entries focus on frequently needed facts, such as birthdates, education, career, publications, and other objective data supplied by the individual to the editors. Who's Who in America biographies go back to 1607. The coverage of the rest of the Marquis Who's Who series is from 1985 to the present. The following "Who's Who" sources offer brief biographical information, including birth dates, family, education, employment, honors, prizes, publications, achievements, and personal and professional interests.

Who's Who in American Politics E 176 .W6424 (Ref)

Who's Who in World Politics: From 1860 to the Present D 21.3 .P35 1996 (Ref)

Who's Who of Women in World Politics HQ 1236 .W455 1991 (Ref)

Finding Books

Classic Library Catalog WMU's Classic online catalog (also known as WestCat), is used to identify books (including electronic books), government documents, journals, audio and video, slides, music scores, and other items in the University Libraries' collections. The catalog can be searched by title, author, subject heading, keyword, call number, and more.
For example, to find books on human rights in China, enter the following terms in your Advanced Search:

human rights
china

WorldCat Comprehensive catalog of books and other materials in libraries around the world. Contains millions of records in hundreds of languages. Nonbook materials include (among other publication formats) the titles of journals and magazines, manuscripts, maps, electronic resources, websites, computer programs, music scores, films, slides, sound recordings, conference proceedings, and videotapes. Items located through WorldCat must be requested through Interlibrary Loan unless they are also listed in the WMU Libraries catalog.

Call Numbers

Because of the encompassing nature of the discipline of political science, call numbers for subfields in the politics and government of the world may vary widely. Below are some broad subject areas of the Library of Congress's classification scheme. You may use these numbers to browse the stacks for books in the field of political science.

J Classification: Political Science

J 10-87: United States documents

J 100-981: Other documents

JA 1-98: Collections and general works

JC 11-628: Political theory; theory of the state

JC 311-323: Nationalism

JC 325-341: Nature; entity; concept of the state

JC 345-347: Symbolism; emblems of the state; arms; flag, seal, etc

JC 348-497: Forms of state, including monarchy, aristocracy, fascism, etc

JC 501-628: Purpose, functions and relations of the state

JC 571-628: The state and individual; individual rights; liberty

JF 8-2112: General works; comparative works

JF 201-723: Organs/functions of government, including executive, legislative, etc

JF 751-786: Federal and state relations

JF 800-1191: Political rights, including citizenship, suffrage, representation, etc

JF 1321-2112: Government; administration

JF 2011-2112: Political parties

JK 1-9993: United States

JK 2403-9501: State government

JK 9661-9993: Confederate States of America

JL 1-3899: British America; Latin America

JN 1-9689: Europe

JQ 1-6651: Asia; Africa; Australia; Oceania

JS 3-8399: Local government

JS 141-231: Municipal government

JS 241-285: Local government other than municipal

JS 301-1583: United States

JV 1-5810: Colonies and colonization; emigration and immigration

JX 1-5810: International law; international relations

JX 63-1195: Collections; documents; cases

JX 101-115: Diplomatic relations (universal collections)

JX 120-191: Treaties (universal collections)

JX 1305-1598: International relations; foreign relations

JX 1625-1896: Diplomacy; diplomatic service

JX 1901-1995: International arbitration; world peace; international organizations; UN

JX 2001-5810: International law (treaties and monographs)

Book Reviews

Book Review Digest Indexes and excerpts reviews of English-language fiction and nonfiction books published in leading periodicals. Scholarly books, textbooks, government publications, and technical books are excluded. Online coverage: 1983-present. Updated weekly.

Book Review Index Provides reviews of general interest and some scholarly books published in the US since 1965. This doesn't have the excerpts from reviews that Book Review Digest provides, nor does it go back to 1905, but it does index many more periodicals.
Print: Z 1035 .A1 B6 (Ref)

Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals, 1886-1974 Z 1035 .A1 C64 (Ref)
This 15-volume set offers title and author access to over one million book reviews that appeared in the backfiles of about 460 scholarly journals in the fields of History, Political Science, and Sociology between 1886 and 1974. Reviews are arranged by author's last name.

Social Sciences Abstracts Indexes over 600 periodicals in anthropology, economics, ethnic studies, feminist studies, geography, human services, international relations, law and criminology, police science, political science, population studies, psychology, public administration, public health, social work, sociology, urban studies, and related social science subjects. Coverage: indexing from 1983 and abstracts from 1994. Updated weekly.
Details

Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Science) The Social Sciences Citation Index is a multidisciplinary database that indexes more than 1,725 journals spanning 50 disciplines, and selected, relevant items from over 3,300 of the world's leading scientific and technical journals. Disciplines include: anthropology, history, industrial relations, information & library science, law, philosophy, political science, psychiatry, psychology, public health, social issues, social work, sociology, urban studies, women's studies. Because the information about each article includes the article's cited reference list (or bibliography), you can also search the databases for articles that cite a known author or work. Coverage is from 1956 to present. Please LOGOFF, so others may use the database. Although used primarily to search for articles and cited references, this is an excellent database in which to find book reviews.

Finding Book Reviews For help in finding book reviews in the WMU Libraries, please see this "how to" guide.

Article Databases

Political scientists will find the following databases especially useful in locating articles in their field.

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts An index with abstracts to articles from over 1,100 international journals in political science and related disciplines. Includes book reviews. Based on the Political Science Abstracts from Plenum and ABC POL SCI from ABC-CLIO. Coverage: 1975 to the present. Updated monthly.

Alternative Press Index Indexes and selectively abstracts international and interdisciplinary alternative (mostly radical and left) periodicals, newspapers, and magazines covering cultural, economic, political, and social change. Coverage 1991-present. For 1969-90, see the Alternative Press Index Archive. Updated quarterly.

CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online CIAO is a database of full text resources for theory and research in international affairs. It includes working papers from university research institutes and NGOs, proceedings from conferences, books, journals, policy briefs, case studies and course packs. Includes basic data and statistics collected by EIU on 203 countries. Coverage from 1991.

CQ Researcher Explores a current news issue in-depth each week. Articles typically include an overview and background of the issue, pro-con essays on a question in the issue, a chronology, and lengthy bibliography. Coverage from October 1991 to present.
This subscription is limited to three simultaneous users. Please logout when finished.

Left Index Indexes liberal and progressive literature both inside and outside academe. Besides politics, many other subjects are included, such as economics, labor, the environment, women's studies, race, and others. Coverage: 1982-present.
This subscription is limited to two simultaneous users. Please logout when finished.

LexisNexis Academic Indexes thousands of domestic and foreign newspapers, as well as journals, and other publications in News, Business company reports and articles, Legal Research, Medical and Reference. The legal research category includes law reviews, law news, federal and state laws and cases. Mostly full text. Includes Hoover's full text. Coverage dates vary.

PAIS International (Public Affairs Information Service) Indexes articles, books, conference proceedings, government documents, research reports, statistical directories, and more about public affairs worldwide. Coverage is from 1972 and is updated monthly.

PAIS Archive This archive contains records, originally published in the Public Affairs Information Service Bulletin, from 1915 to 1976 about public affairs worldwide.

Political Science Associations

American Political Science Association The world's largest political science organization, dedicated to fostering awareness and understanding of political life. Includes good links to political science departments, conferences, fellowships, and grants.

Encyclopedia of Associations
This is a comprehensive source of information for more than 23,000 American organizations of national scope. It lists address, phone numbers, purpose, major publications, and some statistical information; for example, budget, membership, size of staff, and more. In the Gale Directory Library database online. HS 17 .G32 (Reference Desk Collection)

International Political Science Association The ISPA was founded in 1949 under UNESCO sponsorship. Since then, national political science associations have constituted its core. Its founder members were from the United States, Canada, France and India. Since 1950, the principal academic activities of IPSA have been its scholarly meetings, research committees, study groups and the publishing of books, reports, and edited collections. The meetings began with a congress in 1950, and since 1952, world congresses have been taking place every three years.

Midwest Political Science Association
Founded in 1939, this organization of political science professors, students and public administrators is dedicated to the advancement of scholarship in all areas of political science. Includes information about conferences, and an excellent site of political science Web sites.

Web Resources

WMU Political Science Department Provides information about programs and courses in the Department, and has useful links to political science Internet resources.

Carnegie Moscow Center Sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, this site offers public policy and political science resources on Russia and the former Soviet states. Includes articles, interviews, the latest news and information about elections.

Documents Center Hosted by the University of Michigan, this site is a central reference and referral point for government information, whether local, state, federal, foreign or international. Its Web pages are reference and instructional tools for government, political science, statistical data, and news.

Erik Herron's Guide to Politics in East Central Europe and Eurasia Maintained at the University of Kansas, this site is designed to facilitate research on the politics and economics of transition states in the post-Communist world. The main arrangement is by country and there are thousands of links to governmental and non-governmental Web sites based in post-Communist states.

European Union Internet Resources
Hosted by the University of California Berkeley Libraries, this site presents an organized view of the European Union (EU) and easy access to useful EU Web resources.

Government
A part of the Librarians' Internet Index, this subject directory provides links to many sites of interest to political scientists including campaign funding, political parties, elected officials, constitutions, elections, treaties, spies, international governments, privatization, and much more.

Government, Law & Politics
Sponsored by the Library of Michigan, this site contains links to U.S. government and politics, state and local government, statistics, historical documents collections, and legal resources. Of special interest are the links to Michigan state and local government and statistics.

Michigan State Government Gateway to Michigan government sites, particularly the executive, legislative, and Judicial branches of state government.

Political Database of the Americas
Developed by the Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University, this site provides a comprehensive source of documentary and statistical political information accessible throughout
the Western Hemisphere and world via the World Wide Web.

Political Information.com A free, commercial site offering more than 4,000 carefully chosen political and public policy Web sites. Arrangement is by broad categories such as Campaigns/Elections, Parties and Organizations, Issues, Research Tools, etc., or through a site search engine.

Political Resources on the Net A gateway of political sites available on the Internet arranged by country, with links to parties, organizations, governments, media, and more, from all around the world.

Political Science Resources on the Web Part of the University of Michigan's Document Center, this site offers excellent links to Web sites on such topics as area studies; foreign politics; international relations; state and local governments; statistics; political theory; the political profession; and a listing of political science mega-sites.

Poly-Cy: Internet Resources for Political Science Set up at the University of West Virginia, this site provides a set of excellent links for navigating the Web in the areas of political science; international affairs; public policy; public affairs; the profession and teaching of political science; and research and publications.

State and Local Government on the Net
This commercial site provides convenient access to government-sponsored Web sites at the state and local level, including Puerto Rico and other territorial countries.

Ultimate Political Science Links
Edited by Professor P.S. Ruckman of Rock Valley College, this is a superb list of Web resources in the field, including major associations, areas of study, resources, online news, commentary, and magazines and journals.

Women in Politics This bibliographic database cites books, essays in books, periodical articles and international organizational or governmental publications. Although the database is small, it includes publications not easily identified through other sources.

World Bank: Research
The Research page of the World Bank's Web site includes links to many working papers, published reports, and many other resources of the World Banks' efforts to eradicate poverty in the world. Be sure and look on the right hand side of the page for links to many full-text reports and papers.

WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources Hosted by Elizabethtown College, this site offers links to sites in a wide range of international affairs topics arranged in 37 categories. Some of these include media sources, organizations (such as NGOs, the EU and the UN), regions and countries, and topics such as health, global environment, international business, religion, human rights, conflict resolution, international law and many more.

Yahoo Guide to Political Science A subject guide with links to politics in general, economy, political theory, public administration, public policy, conferences, international relations, journals, and organizations in the field of political science.

Style Guides

Chicago Manual of Style
Z 253 .C57 15th 2003 (Ref Desk Collection)
A detailed and comprehensive guide for papers, articles, theses, dissertations, and books. It is the "Bible" for many publication guidelines. Kate Turabian

Ask A Librarian

Maria A. Perez-Stable
maria.perez-stable@wmich.edu
269-387-5322
Last updated: August 2009