Political Studies

House of Commons, Ottawa
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Article Indexes

Journal articles are not listed in QCAT. Use an index to find magazine and journal articles. Articles are important in your research as they contain the most-up-to-date research in a given field and often focus on a particular aspect of a topic. There are different types of articles: scholarly, popular or trade.

Tip: Remember to search journal title and not article title in QCAT

Key Indexes

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Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1975-
Political science, international relations, law, and public administration/policy. International coverage, indexes over 1000 journals back to the '60s.
PAIS
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1915 - present
Indexes articles, books, government documents in areas of politics, public policy, public administration, international relations and current affairs.
A pre-selected group of 4 databases, covering literature published in political studies, can be searched together from this starting point: PAIS, IBSS, Worldwide Political Abstracts, ProQuest Political Science.
CIAO, Columbia International Affairs Online
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1991 - present
Theory and research in international affairs...includes working papers from university research institutes, NGOs, conferences, books, journals, policy briefs ....
International Political Science Abstracts
Publication coverage: 2007 - present
REF JA36.I61 (1951-2009)
Political science, political thought, government and public administration, government process, international relations, and area studies.

Other Useful Indexes

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Alternative Press Index  Access limit
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1991 - present (updated quarterly)
Print holdings: 1969 - present Access restricted to the Queen's community (2 user limit)
Indexes alternative, radical and left publications, which discuss the theories and practices of cultural, economic, social and political change.
America: History and Life Canadian resource  Access limit
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1954 - present
Access restricted to the Queen's community (6 user limit)
Indexes over 2100 journals as well as books, book reviews and theses, from prehistoric times - present.
Canadian Foreign Relations Index (CFRI) Canadian resource
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1945 - present
International relations and Canadian studies.
Historical Abstracts  Access limit
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1954 - present
Access restricted to the Queen's community (6 user limit)
Time period is from 1450 to the present. Indexes over 2100 journals published worldwide, selected books and dissertations.
Annotated bibliography of recently published books, journal articles, working papers, and other materials on population topics.
Social Sciences Citation Index
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1900 - present

Use this index to find articles that cite an author, book or article in the field of political science.

SSCI is part of Web of Science. To search this database select SSCI under Citation Databases at the bottom of the screen. For more information see additional details under Web of Science.

Books

To find books in our collection, search QCAT by author, title, subject heading, or keyword.

To find books by a particular author/person, search QCAT by author:
trudeau pierre
To find books about a particular author/person, search QCAT by subject heading:
trudeau pierre
To find books on a topic, use a keyword search if you do not know the correct subject heading for a topic. Think of the focus (or key) words that describe your topic.
"aboriginal rights" and constitution
Select useful titles and look at the full record for subject headings.
Canada--Politics and government--1980-
Constitutional history--Canada
Federal-provincial relations--Canada
Click on the subject heading to do a new search or use words from the subject heading to modify your keyword search. To find bibliographies on a topic, look for the subdivision bibliography following a subject heading.
free trade and protection--bibliography
Canada--foreign relations--1945--bibliography

Book Reviews

The following indexes will help you locate book reviews in Political Studies. For more sources and information about writing book reviews, see the Book Review subject guide.

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Academic OneFile
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1980 - present (updated daily)
Indexes Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.
Book Review Index Plus
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1965 - present
Comprehensive index to book reviews of both scholarly and non-scholarly publications.
CBCA @ Proquest Canadian resource
(more info)
Publication coverage: Varies with publication
To find book reviews type the title of the book and then add: and book reviews
Canadian Periodicals (CPI.Q) Canadian resource
(more info)
Publication coverage: Indexed articles: 1977 - present ; Full-text articles: 1983 - present
Print holdings: 1920 - 1998: Check QCAT
First place to look for a review of a Canadian historical book. Reviews are arranged alphabetically by author under the subject heading "Book Reviews".
Eureka.cc Canadian resource
(more info)
Publication coverage: Start date varies.

Selected Canadian French and English newspapers, Canadian Press, and CBC, CTV, and SRC radio and television transcripts. For the Kingston Whig-Standard, consult the Selected Newspapers section of the Newspapers guide.

TIP:   Available sources are listed on the 'PDF Newspaper Search'.

Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1975-
Select Book Review under Document Type.

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Consult specialized encyclopedias or dictionaries to get a broad overview of a subject, a concise overview of a concept, school of thought or person. To find encyclopedias or dictionaries on your topic, search QCAT using the keywords of your topic combined with "encyclopedia" or "dictionaries".

General

Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science: a User's Guide to its Terms
REF JA61.B43 1999

This scholarly work defines 1,000 words and phrases in political science. The entries are lengthy for a dictionary, averaging half a page. The dictionary uses language that is both clear and authoritative, has extensive cross-references, and appends a bibliography to most of the entries.

Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought
REF JA61.B57 1987t

Provides a guide to the major concepts and ideas in political science.

A Dictionary of Modern Politics
REF JA61.R53 2002

Consists of some 500 brief essays that provide a clear guide to the complex ideologies and terminology of world politics.

The Dictionary of the History of Ideas
REF CB5.D52 1973

Provides essays on political ideas, ideologies and movements.

Glossary of Political Economy Terms

Oxford Reference Online - Social Sciences

Includes various social sciences dictionaries and guides, including The Oxford Guide to the United States Government and more....

Oxford Companion to Politics of the World
REF JA61.O95 2001

Over 500 contributors from 40 nations have written 672 entries on the people, concepts, countries and events that have shaped the world.

Canadian

The Almanac of Canadian Politics
REF JL193.A75 1995t

Canadian Party Platforms 1867-1968
REF JL195.C3

Provides a compilation of the platforms and policy statements issued by Canadian political parties for federal elections from 1867-1968. Also Includes election results for each province.

Canada Votes, 1935-1988
REF JL193.A54 1989

The Language of Canadian Politics: a Guide to Important Terms and Concepts (2006)
REF JA61.M27 2001

Lists over 500 cross-referenced entries that describe the institutions, concepts, public policies, events and laws in Canadian politics

Organization of the Government of Canada
CA1 IF O63 (1990 edition in Government Documents Reference)

American

Dictionary of American Diplomatic History
REF E183.7.F5

Good tool to check personages, events and organizations up to and including most of the Reagan years.

Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy
REF JX1407.E53 2002

121 in-depth scholarly essays with extensive bibliographies on the concepts, themes, movements, and distinctive policies found in the history of American foreign relations.

Encyclopedia of American Political History
REF E183.E48 2001

An excellent starting point for students and general readers. Entries are concise, readable, and informative and cover such topics as people, parties, political movements, and historical events. Complements the major work, Encyclopedia of American Political History (see below).

Encyclopedia of American Political History
REF E183.E5 1984t

Provides lengthy articles with historical perspectives, on the principal movements and ideas in American history. Bibliographies included with each article.

Encyclopedia of the American Left
REF HX86.E58 1990t

People, organizations, and events associated with movements for radical social change and leftist positions on general topics ranging from abortion to utopianism are discussed in some 600 articles. Each article is followed by a brief, well-chosen list of references, and there are name and subject indexes plus a glossary of terms and acronyms

The United States Government Manual
Government Documents US1 GS25 U57

The latest volume is on reference. This manual is the classic historical and official source for general information about the U.S. government.

Worldwide

Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Japan
REF JQ1605.S86 2003

This dictionary begins with an introductory essay and a section on theories of Japanese politics. The 250 entries that follow cover virtually every topic of possible interest to students of post-WW II Japanese politics: important individuals; government, social, political, labor and trade organizations; international relations; and political, economic, and social issues and events.

Encyclopedia of the European Union
REF JN30.E52 1998

The entries cover "concepts, issues, developments, institutions, policies, events, negotiations, treaties, national interests, and personalities related to European integration." Some of the articles (about 100) are signed, the others (about 600) are not.

Encyclopedia of the Third World
REF HC59.7.K87 1992

This three-volume set provides descriptions of the major political, economic, and social systems of 122 countries and the major international organizations concerned with Third World countries.

Handbook of Federal Countries, 2005
REF JC355.H364 2005

This resource describes the history and development, constitutional provisions, and current political dynamics for 21 countries that are federations (as well as four the book cover says have "significant elements of federalism"), adding some basic political, geographic, social, and economic data, and a list of sources.

World Encyclopedia of Political Systems and Parties
REF JF2011.W67 1999

This three-volume set includes articles on 193 nations arranged alphabetically by the common English name of each country. The authors describe government structures, emphasizing executive, legislative, and judicial institutions and electoral systems, and offer brief historical, demographic, and economic information where appropriate. They describe the background and recent contributions of major and some minor political parties, as well as interest groups that influence the political process.

Specialized

Encyclopedia of Democracy
REF JC423.E53 1995t

This four volume set comprises more than 400 signed articles by scholars chosen for their knowledge of "countries, geographical regions, historical eras, important individuals, philosophical concepts, and many other issues important to an understanding of democracy." Articles are alphabetically arranged by topic, with tables of contents by subject and author; a detailed index to the entire encyclopedia is printed at the end of each volume

Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
REF HV6322.7.E532 2005 (Law Library)

Encyclopedia of Nationalism
REF JC311.S5484 1990

The work consists of 250 well-written entries with brief bibliographies. The various nationalisms covered include the expected and familiar American, Chinese, French, and German plus the less familiar Armenian, Jurassic, and Kurdish. Various nationalist groups, past and present, appear in the encyclopedia, including Al Fatah, the Carbonari, the Irish Republican Army, and UNITA. Concepts and topics developed by scholars of nationalism are also explained: Hayes Classification, jingoism, and mini-nationalisms.

Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion
REF BL65.P7E53 1998

The two-volume set provides about 256 articles, written and signed by leading scholars from numerous countries, with bibliographies on concepts, countries, peoples, and religions.

Encyclopedia of the United Nations
KZ4968.M66 2002 (Education Reference)

Provides a "guide to the UN's institutions, procedures, policies, specialized agencies, historic personalities, initiatives, and involvement in world affairs". The text consists of several hundred brief, alphabetically arranged, cross-referenced entries interspersed with longer explanatory essays accompanied by suggestions for further reading, including Web sites.

Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace & Conflict
REF HM886.E53 1999

This three-volume set provides researchers with a view of violence, peace and conflict from perspectives ranging from anthropological to ethical studies to sociological studies in lengthy chapters with extensive bibliographical citations.

Glossary of Terms for IR

Provide definitions for the language of international relations.

The Human Rights Encyclopedia
REF JC571.L523 2001

In this set, volume 1 is a country-by-country summary of the status of human rights in specific nations. Volume 2 continues the country analysis and also lists human rights issues and notable individuals who have had impact on human rights, nationally and internationally. Volume 3 continues consideration of issues but includes as well appendixes consisting of UN human rights documents and international treaties and declarations

International Encyclopedia of Women's Suffrage
REF JF851.H28 2000

Beyond facts and dates about suffrage, the articles in this resource offer insight into women's lives in many countries. Entries, varying in length from half a page to eight pages, cover countries, major individuals, organizations, movements, publications, and issues. Most include a bibliography. International Relations: the Key ConceptsREF JZ1160.G75 2002The 150 concepts are introduced in short essays that define the terms and identify the historical origins and subsequent development of its use in IR. Includes a short bibliography at the end of each entry.

Biographies

Consult biographical dictionaries to get brief information about people, dates and events. For more sources, see Biographical Resources.

American Political Scientists: a Dictionary
REF JA61.A525 1993

Blackwell Biographical Dictionary of British Political Life in the Twentieth Century
REF DA566.9.A1B57 1990

Provides "succinct summaries of the careers of leading figures in twentieth-century British political life, together with concise estimates of their stature and significance".

Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought
REF JA61.B57 1987t

Covers major political concepts, theories, and about 100 political thinkers and philosophers.

Canadian Parliamentary Guide
Government Documents (latest on Reference) CA1 X9 C16

Presents short biographies of all sitting Members of the House of Commons, the Senate and the Provincial and Territorial Legislatures. It also contains information about members of the Governor General's Household, judiciary, diplomatic corps, commissions, boards, and public service officials from 1867 onward (Government Documents' holdings begin with 1873).

Dictionary of Political Biography
(Oxford Reference Online)

Describes and assesses the lives of the major figures in world politics of the twentieth century.

Fifty Major Political Thinkers (2003)
REF JA66.A314 2007

Introduces in essay format the lives and idea of some of the most influential figures in Western political thought, from ancient Greece to the present day.

International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who
JA51 .I61 (1964; 1966-2000; 2000 in SL Reference)

Provide biographies of over 8,000 world figures.

Routledge Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Political Thinkers (1998)
REF JA83 .R725 1992t

Provides 165 signed articles on political thinkers which are defined broadly to include not only traditional political philosophers, but also some political activists, economists, psychologists, sociologists, and writers. Each article is followed by cross-references and selected bibliographies of primary and secondary works

Bibliographies

Consult bibliographies to find a comprehensive list of sources on a specific topic or a selective list of key works on a topic. To find out what bibliographies the Library has, do a subject search in QCAT.

American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies
Online from 1990-

"[P]roduced by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, [ABSEES] provides information on East-Central Europe and the former Soviet Union. Sources indexed include journals, books, dissertations, online resources and selected government publications published in the U.S. and Canada."

American Foreign Relations since 1600 : a Guide to the Literature
REF A6465.U5G84 2003

This two volume set is the standard bibliography of American foreign relations literature from colonial times to the present day.

American Studies: an Annotated Bibliography
REF Z1361 .C6 A436 1986

American Studies : an Annotated Bibliography, 1984-1988
REF Z1361 .C6 S35 1990

Provides detailed annotations for books published 1900 through 1988 that fall into eleven distinct areas of American Studies. Topics covered are Anthropology and Folklore, Art and Architecture, History, Literature, Music, Political Science, Popular Culture, Psychology, Religion, Science and Technology, and Sociology.

Bibliography of Canadian and Comparative Federalism, 1986
REF Z1387 .F4 R4 1988t

Bibliography of Works on Canadian Foreign Relations
Online from 1945- as Canadian Foreign Relations Index (CFRI) full text
Online from 1981- (CBCA: some full text)
1945-1970 REF Z6465 .C2 B34 1973t
1971-1975 REF Z6465 .C2 B35 1977t
1976-1980 REF Z6465 .C2 B36 1982t
1981-1985 REF Z6465 .C2 B37 1987
1986-1990 REF Z6465 .C2 B38 1994t
1991-1995 REF Z6465 .C2 B39 1998t

This bibliography includes articles, theses, government documents and conference papers. Organized by broad subject area, with name and subject indexes.

Canadian Political Parties, 1867-1968: a Historical Bibliography
REF Z7165.C2H43

This is an annotated bibliography concerning Canada's federal political history. Indexes books, articles and theses published before 1970. Has author and subject indexes.

Contemporary Canadian Politics: an Annotated Bibliography, 1970-1987
REF Z1385.M35 1988

Foreign Affairs Bibliography: a Selected and Annotated List of Books on International Relations, 1919/32-1962/72
REF Z6463.F73

International Bibliography of Political Science
REF JA36.2.I6 from 1963-

Provides a classified list of books, pamphlets, articles and government documents in various languages. Has subject and author index.

Oxford Bibliographies Online

Lists books, journals, primary documents, web resources, and multimedia in various discipline-based subject modules including International Relations.

Guides

Essentials of Political Research
JA71.M635 2000

Provides a brief, yet comprehensive, introduction to research methods for political science on the market. Concentrating on the essentials, this resource covers the fundamentals of the research process, data sources and collection, and introductory statistics.

Information Sources of Political Science
REF Z7161 .H64 1986

Political Science : a Guide to Reference and Information Sources
REF Z7161 .Y75 1990

Although dated, this source still provides the comprehensive overview of political science. Over 2,400 reference works and bibliographies are listed.

Social Sciences: a Cross-Disciplinary Guide to Selected Sources
REF Z7161.S648 2002

See pages 47-92 for the essential reference sources in print and electronic in political science.

Almanacs & Yearbooks

Yearbooks provide information (facts, summaries, statistics, etc), relating to the previous year. Yearbooks can deal either with a particular region or country, a number of countries, or a particular subject.

Almanacs are similar to yearbooks, in that they may be published annually. Their arrangement is often ad hoc and use of the index is essential. They may include chronologies of events, miscellaneous facts and figures, tables, charts, calendars etc.

Canada Year Book (2007-present)
Canada Year Book Historical Collection (1867-1967)
CA1 BS11 C402 (1980-current; 2002-2005 not published) (Documents)
CA1 BS11 C202 (1867-1979) (Documents)

Annual. Social and economic life of Canada and its citizens.

Canadian Almanac and Directory
F5008.1 C3 from 1857-

Latest volume in Reference.

Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs (1961-2003; missing 1983, 1989, 2002)
REF F5003.C33 (1960-2004[2010])

From 1960 to 1970, was named Canadian Annual Review. Survey of the major political, economic, and social events of the year in Canada.

Europa World Year Book
JN1.E85 from 1959-   (1959-1988: Europa Year Book)
JN1.E849 1930-1959 (Europa)
JN1.E848 1926-1929 (Europa Year-Book)

Latest year in Reference. Excellent resource as it includes a brief history and a summary of current events or conflicts and provides demographic, economic, and political data for each country.

International Who's Who
CT120.I61

Latest volume in Reference, with irregular holdings going back to 1942.

International Year Book and Statesmen's Who's Who
JA51.I61 (1964-1999)

Statesman's Yearbook
JA51.S7

Latest volume in Reference, with irregular holdings going back to 1867.

Whitakers Almanack
AY754.W5

The standard British almanac resource. Latest volume in Reference, with irregular holdings back to 1881.

World Almanac and Book of Facts (from 2000- )
REF AY67.N5W8

Latest volume in Reference, with irregular holdings back to 1911.

Yearbook of International Organizations
JX1904.A42

Latest volume in Reference, with irregular holdings going back to 1949.

Yearbook of the United Nations
UN4 OPI Y27 (Government Documents)

Latest 10 years in Government Documents Reference.

Quotations

Macmillan Dictionary of Political Quotations
REF PN6084.P6E54 1993

Lists over 12,000 quotations arranged by topic and then by author.

Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations
REF PN6084.P6O94 2005

Political Quotations: a Collection of Notable Sayings on Politics from Antiquity through 1989
REF PN6084.P6P58 1990

Lists over 4000 quotations, which are arranged alphabetically by subject heading and then by date. Includes author and keyword index.

Country Reports

Agora in Athens

Photo: Jorge Orte Tudela, via Flickr (CC license)

International Government Information Search



Country reports

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Articles

Books

Newspapers

Statistics

Find more statistics sources

Rankings

Human rights

Travel advisories

Websites

C.D. Howe Institute

"Since its formation in 1973, the C.D. Howe Institute has earned a reputation as Canada's most respected independent, nonprofit, economic and social policy research institution. Governments, the media, and Canadians in every region look to the Institute to provide balanced, well-reasoned, and comprehensible analysis of issues of national interest." Click on 'Publications' to download publications from 1996 to 2004 (PDF format).

Calendon Institute

"The Caledon Institute is a social policy think tank. Established in 1992, the Caledon Institute of Social Policy is a private, non-profit organization with charitable status. It is supported primarily by the Maytree Foundation, located in Toronto. Caledon is an independent and critical voice that does not depend on government funding and is not affiliated with any political party."

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

"The CCPA is an independent, non-profit research organization, funded primarily through organizational and individual membership. It was founded in 1980 to promote research on economic and social policy issues from a progressive point of view."

Canadian Political Science Association

Information and links relating to the study of Political Science in Canada and information about the CPSA and its activities.

Center for the Study of Democracy - Paper Series

The CSD "publishes working papers on topics of empirical democratic studies. Like the Center itself, the topics may range from the problems of democratic transitions to the expansion of the democratic process in advanced industrial democracies. The series is multidisciplinary in its research approach, as well as diverse in its definition of democratization topics."

CIRCLE (Centre for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement)

CIRCLE “promotes research on the civic and political engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25 ... [and] is also a clearinghouse for relevant information and scholarship. “.

Country Information

Elections Canadian flag icon

“This site provides a range of material about Canadian federal election campaigns, the electoral system, polls, and results from past elections.” Subjects covered include Voter Turnout, Election Law and Policies, Parties & Candidates...

Elections Canada Canadian flag icon

“Just about everything you need to know about elections in Canada can be found here, from the Chief Electoral Officer's official report to Parliament, a list of backgrounders on the electoral system and its regulations, to Did You Know?, a series of facts...” Find information on past elections, electoral law, policy and research, international activities....

Equal Voice  

The campaign to have more women elected in all levels of Canadian government.

European Union Internet Resources

Provides links to European Union documents on the Web, such as treaties and reports, international organizations, the GATT.

Global Database of Quotas for Women

Collection of information, including country-by-country comparisons, on representation of women in national governments.

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers (U.K.)

With searchable full text, and detailed subject indexing from 1801-present.

HuriSearch

Searches over 3000 human rights websites

Inter-Parliamentary Union

The IPU is the world organization of sovereign states and provides links to Web Sites of National Parliaments. Find out about parliamentary structure, inter-parliamentary union, women in parliament, meetings, issues, publications, current events...

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance

The International IDEA is an intergovernmental organization that supports sustainable democracy worldwide. Find information on democracy assessment, electoral issues, gender, political parties, voter turnout...

Intute - Politics

Provides access to European political parties, politics databases including many full text databases on U.S. politics.

Resources for Political Science

A very comprehensive directory of political science web sites arranged by topic by L. Romans, Vanderbilt University.

Transparency International

Non-profit, non-government coalition organization devoted to fighting corruption in key institutions of power such as governments, corporations and banks. Transparency International has more than 90 national chapters and works at both the national and international level. Includes press releases, daily news, their Quarterly Newsletter, speeches and links to related resources.

UNdata

Union of International Organizations

Listed by name alphabetically, by subject and by region. Selected from the Yearbook of International Organizations.

Theses

[Gabrielle Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil on the Nature of Fire; Pen and Paper; Albert Einstein's Dissertation]

Queen's

To find theses and dissertations produced at Queen's, search the following:

Canada

Repositories

Search for full text of open access dissertations and theses by searching the following sites:

United States

International

TIP: The Library sometimes can have a copy of a dissertation from another university--either purchased by the Library, or purchased by an individual student or faculty member and later donated to the library collection so always check QCAT.