Research Guides: Politics

All Items by Source

Journals/Magazines

Academic Search Premier Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available Resource contains images
Multi-disciplinary database which includes a large collection of peer-reviewed journals in many areas of academic study including: archaeology, area studies, astronomy, biology, chemistry, ethnic & multicultural studies, law, mathematics, music, physics, psychology, religion & theology, women's studies, and other fields.  Coverage varies, but begins in the 1990s for most journals.

GreenFILE Unrestricted Resource ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
An index drawing on the connection between the environment and disciplines such as agriculture, education, law, health and technology. GreenFILE provides a unique perspective on the positive and negative ways humans affect the environment. Nearly 300,000 records (full text for selected titles) from scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports.

LexisNexis Academic Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Full-text access to continuously updated news, law, and business information. Highlights: News: newswires, transcripts, regional, national/international news, & Gallup Polls; Legal: law review articles, federal case law, and federal/state codes; Business: company profiles, country profiles, and SEC filings; People: directories from the entertainment industry, elected officials, executives, politicians, and obituaries.  Also has a section that includes full-text of several health newsletters and abstracts of articles in major medical journals.

ProQuest Social Science Journals Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
Full-text periodicals covering the social sciences, including addiction studies, urban studies, family studies, international relations and much more.

Alternative Press Index Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled
Index to articles in alternative news sources. Use to research topics that may not be well covered in the mainstream press; 1991 to current.

Research Library Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
Broad range of subjects; aka ProQuest Research Library. Default incl. ProQuest Newspapers and AMA. 1971-present.

PROL: Political Research Online Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
A repository of papers delivered at professional conferences, and emerging political science scholarship - sponsored by the American Political Science Association.

Contemporary Women's Issues Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
Information on women in 150+ countries: sociology, psychology, health, education and human rights. 1995-present. Items include journal articles, newsletters, research reports from non-profit groups, and fact sheets from governments and international agencies.

GenderWatch Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
Full-text database containing 140 international publications plus reports, pamphlets, papers and conference proceedings devoted to women's and gender issues. A repository of materials on gender issues worldwide, the evolution of the women's movement, and the changes in gender roles over the last twenty years.

JSTOR Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available Resource contains images
Complete backfiles of core scholarly journals, searchable by journal (1 or more), keywords, author, title etc. Files do not include the latest 3-5 years. The content is delivered as page images.  Results from image searches can be dragged from the website to your desktop and then used in a paper or presentation (for educational use only).

LGBT life with Full Text Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
World's literature regarding Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender issues. (Was GLBT Life with Full Text)

Military and Government Collection Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
Current news pertaining to all branches of the military: full-text journals, periodicals and pamphlets; indexing/abstracts for additional titles.

Handbook of Latin American studies Unrestricted Resource
Citations for journal articles, research reports, and books about Latin America, in English, Spanish, etc. Coverage 1935 to present.

Project Muse Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
Full-text scholarly journals in the Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Mathematics; Coverage varies by journal but generally only 2-3 current years.

Readers' Guide Retrospective Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled
Database containing comprehensive indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States and reflects the history of 20th century America. The complete database covers the years 1890 through 1982. Use to research contemporary writings on general news areas as current events, business, fashion, politics, crafts, education, history, sports, food, science, theater reviews, and film reviews.

Newspapers

Alternative Press Index Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled
Index to articles in alternative news sources. Use to research topics that may not be well covered in the mainstream press; 1991 to current.

New York Times (ProQuest Historical Newspapers) Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available Resource contains images
Complete archive covering 1851-2005, fully searchable cover to cover; includes full text and full image, as well as advertising.&nbs Search for names, events and concepts. See a summary of the article as well as an image of the article or the entire page of the newspaper. Use the Date option at the bottom of the screen to limit your search to particular dates.  The Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to display full-text and images.
Note: The direct link for the Historical New York Times will be at the bottom of the ProQuest database list.

ProQuest newspapers Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only ArticleLinker enabled Some full text available
32 newspapers; incl. the former Newspaper Abstracts Complete.
Note: Scroll down to select the newspaper/s you wish to search.

Web Sites

Public Agenda Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Public Agenda is a nonpartisan opinion organization founded by Daniel Yankelovich and Cyrus Vance. Its issue guides set out the facts and policy alternatives and offer a detailed profile of public thinking about controversial topics. Among the issues are: Abortion, Campaign Reform, Child Care, Crime, The Economy, Education, The Environment, Gay Rights, Immigration, Poverty and Welfare, and Race.

Sunlight Foundation: Transparency in Government Unrestricted Resource
The Sunlight Foundation uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Projects include:

  • OpenCongress.org: Brings together official government data with news and blog coverage, social networking, public participation tools, and more to give you the real story behind what's happening in Congress. OpenCongress is a free, open-source, not-for-profit, and non-partisan web resource with a mission to make Congress more transparent and to encourage civic engagement.
  • Foreign Lobbying: Foreign Lobbyist Influence Tracker, a joint project of ProPublica and the Sunlight Foundation, digitizes information that representatives of foreign governments, political parties and government-controlled entities must disclose to the U.S. Justice Department when they seek to influence U.S. policy. 
  • Congrelate: Lets you view, sort, filter and share information about members of Congress and their districts. 
  • Transparency Corps: Allows anyone anywhere to have a positive impact on making our government more transparent by aggregating small actions that require human intelligence but not specialized political knowledge. 
  • Sunlight Lab: An open source community of thousands dedicated to using technology to transform government. 
  • Party Time: Documenting the Congressional Fundraising Circuit 
  • Transparency Jobs: Featuring jobs from both the US Federal Government as well as Non-Government Organizations 
  • LouisDB: The Library Of Unified Information Sources, an effort, to paraphrase Justice Louis Brandeis, to illuminate the workings of the federal government.

ICYouSee, a guide to critical thinking about what you see on the Web. Unrestricted Resource
From Ithaca College Library, a guide to evaluating Web sites and other resources used for research

American Rhetoric Unrestricted Resource Some full text available Resource contains video Resource contains audio
A database of over 5000 full text, audio, and video versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates and interviews.

BBC News: Country Profiles Unrestricted Resource
Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions. They also include audio or video clips from BBC archives. Contain information on the different types of press available in the country.

Mixed Messages: Tracking Political Advertising Unrestricted Resource Some full text available Resource contains images
A database that includes political advertisements funded by campaigns, parties, committees, and independent advocacy groups. Most of the ads are tied to specific U.S. House, U.S. Senate, or gubernatorial races throughout the country. Some of the ads are more general "issue" or advocacy ads not tied to a particular race or candidate.

Ithaca College Department of Politics Unrestricted Resource

Almanacs & Yearbooks

Facts.com Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Information on issues, events, and people. 1940-present. Incorporates World Almanac and Book of Facts.

CQ's Politics in America
Call Number: REF DESK JK1083 .B55
Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Published annually, it contains in-depth profiles of members of Congress. Current ed. at the Reference Desk. Prior 4 years are in the General Stacks.

The Europa world year book
Call Number: REF DESK JA 51 E85
Unrestricted Resource
Gives descriptive information and overviews on countries around the world. Includes history, politics, economics, education, media (magazines, television, radio, newspapers), etc. Latest at REF DESK. Older editions in General Stacks.

The Almanac of Women and Minorities in American politics
Call Number: REF HQ1236.5.U6 M3778
Unrestricted Resource
A comprehensive reference work for women, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, native minorities, gays and lesbians who have been elected to state or national positions with additional information on locally elected positions.

Atlases

Columbia gazetteer of the world online Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Database of names, descriptions, and characteristics of 165,000+ places in the world.

Audio Files

Presidential Libraries Podcasts Unrestricted Resource Some full text available Resource contains audio
Historical clips from the Presidential Library collections for Presidents Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton.  Listen to discussions about  policy issues with  advisors, addresses to the nation, and conversations with friends and family members.   Hear the presidents speak both publicly and privately about issues of their day.

Legislatures Live Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Live proceedings from 40 states and about three-fourths of the 99 legislative chambers. (Download RealPlayer or Windows Media Player to listen or watch these Webcasts.)

Biographical Information

World Political Leaders, 1945-2008 Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
List of all current rulers by country up-to-date, site includes a database of Biographies of Political Leaders.

A Dictionary of Political Biography (Oxford Reference Online) Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Covers more than 1000 major figures in world politics of the twentieth century with brief descriptions and assessments.

Project Vote Smart Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Biographical information, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances and interest group ratings for candidates and elected officials.

Dictionaries

A Dictionary of Contemporary World History (Oxford Reference Online) Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only
Provides in-depth coverage of the major historical figures and events from 1900 to the present day. Extensive surveys of every country are included with detailed analytical entries covering political and military leaders, political parties, international organizations, and acts of war.

Directories

Congressional Directory (U.S. Congress) Unrestricted Resource
Presents short biographies of each member of the Senate and House, listed by state or district, and additional data, such as committee memberships, terms of service, administrative assistants and/or secretaries, and room and telephone numbers. It also lists officials of the courts, military establishments, and other Federal departments and agencies, including D.C. government officials, governors of states and territories, foreign diplomats, and members of the press, radio, and television galleries.

Federal Lobby Directory Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Includes Individuals or Entities That Lobby, Lobby On Behalf of Others, or Hire Lobbyists To Lobby For Them. Includes filings from mid-year 1998 to the present for Firms/Organizations, Clients, and Individual Lobbyists.

The White House Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Official site for the Executive branch of the Federal Government. Includes speeches for the President and Vice President, press briefings, and information on appointments, nominations, and cabinet departments.

Encyclopedias

The Oxford Guide to the United States Government Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only
Authoritative information on the three branch of American government.

The Oxford Companion to Politics of the World Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Over 600 articles and essays on historical, theoretical, and current thought and development in global politics. The second edition brings articles up-to-date through 2000.

Encyclopedia of minorities in American politics ; v. 1: African-Americans and Asian-Americans Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Data on the political activities of African-Americans and Asian-Americans

Encyclopedia of minorities in American politics, Vol. 2 Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Data on Hispanic Americans and Native Americans in American politics.

Encyclopedia of feminist theories Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Presents an overview of topics related to women and feminist scholarship, including theory, but related topics as well, such as collaborative learning, menopause, television, and single sex education.


Call Number: Also in Reference Collection: REF HQ1190 .E63 2000
Unrestricted Resource

The Oxford Companion to American Military History Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Entries range from brief factual pieces to extensive essays and examine every major war from the Revolution to the Persian Gulf. Includes entries on acts of Congress and on diplomatic policies; on peace and antiwar movements; on war in film, literature, music, and photography; and on war viewed through the disciplinary lenses of anthropology, economics, gender studies, and psychology.

Oxford Guide to Countries of the World Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
A global handbook with brief entries for each country that give an overview covering the contemporary social, economic, religious and political issues, and vital statistics.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 2nd ed. Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Is a reference devoted to the terms and concepts of U.S. law. It covers a wide variety of persons, entities, and events that have shaped the U.S. legal system.

Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World
Call Number: REF DS35.53 .O95 2001
Unrestricted Resource
Articles relate traditional Islamic doctrines to the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Government Information

FDsys Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
The Government Printing Office's Federal Digital System (FDsys) provides public access to government information submitted by Congress and Federal agencies and preserved as technology changes.The migration of information from GPO Access into FDsys will be complete in mid-2009. The migration is occurring on a collection-by-collection basis. Collections currently available on FDsys are: 

Compilation of Presidential Documents (1993 to Present)
Congressional Bills (103rd Congress to Present)
Congressional Documents (104th Congress to Present)
Congressional Hearings (105th Congress to Present)
Congressional Record (1994 to Present)
Congressional Reports (104th Congress to Present)
Federal Register (1994 to Present)
Public and Private Laws (104th Congress to Present)

ReliefWeb Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
A project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) it provides news, statistics, reopts and other information related to humanitarian relief, including updates to crisis situations, refugee camps, and other relief efforts.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
The USAID clearinghouse provides documents relevant to USAID offices that were created by both governmental and non-governmental sources. Most topics of the files are related to public health and development issues.

American Presidency Project Unrestricted Resource Resource contains audio
A digital archive of the Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States from Hoover to Bush (1929 to present); see also IC Library stacks at: J80 .A283. The site also includes: inaugural addresses, radio addresses, fireside chats, debates, convention speeches, and party platforms.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Executive department rules codified from the Federal Register.

Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) 1861-1960 Unrestricted Resource
Digital facsimile of these government documents. Covers 1861-1960 with some gaps. Also available in print and microfiche at JX233.A3rn

Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) 1961-1975 Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Digital facsimile of these government documents See also IC Library stacks & microfiche at: JX233 .A3 for earlier volumes

House and Senate Committee Documents and Hearings Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Links to House and Senate Committee Documents and Hearings.
Note: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/index.html

Open CRS: Congressional Research Report for the People Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Congressional Research Service (CRS) provides background reports to Congress yet they were not distributed to government document collections. Citizens had to write their Congressional representatives to obtain copies. The Open CRS site has indexed and posted copies of these valuable documents.

Oyez : U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia Unrestricted Resource Resource contains images Resource contains video Resource contains audio
User friendly website that contains biographies of Supreme Court justices, case decisions, and some transcripts audio of select cases.

Thomas - Legislative Information Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Database of United States legislative information including: bills, resolutions, the Congressional Record, treaties, Committee Reports, Public Laws, Roll Call Votes, etc.

U.S. Code from the House of Representatives Unrestricted Resource
Searchable version of the U.S. code either by keyword, boolean or by title and section.

United States Government Manual Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. Also includes information on quasi-official agencies, international organizations in which the United States participates, and boards, commissions, and committees.


Call Number: REF JK421 .A3
Unrestricted Resource Some full text available

USA.gov Unrestricted Resource
The U.S. government's official web portal. This site makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the web. (Formerly known as FirstGov)

World factbook Unrestricted Resource Resource contains images
Gives basic history of all countries including map, population, history, politics, economics, education, communications, transportation and military among other.

Handbooks & Guides

CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Theory and research in international affairs; working and occasional papers, research projects, conference proceedings, books, journals and policy briefs. 1991-

CQ Researcher Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available Resource contains images
Comprehensive reporting and analysis on current issues in the news. Each report includes an introductory overview; background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; pro/con statements from representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.

ebrary Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available Resource contains images
Over 45,000 full-text ebooks on business & economics, education, technology, humanities, life & physical sciences, law & politics, medicine, social & behavioral sciences, language & literature, and career guidance. Approximately 175 ebooks are single-user access titles; all other ebooks support multiple-user simultaneous use.

Images

AP Images Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available Resource contains images Resource contains video Resource contains audio
Provides 24/7 access to over 4.9 million primary source photos from 1825 to the present. Additionally, provides audio, video, graphics and interactives. Constantly updated, AP Images is an important resource for virtually every discipline. This database may be used for educational purposes only. Images may not be posted on the Web or otherwise made available electronically to anyone outside the Ithaca College community. These images may not be republished or distributed in newspapers, newsletters, magazines, brochures, catalogs, yearbooks, calendars, posters, or similar materials.

Organizations

Associated Press Sports Editors Unrestricted Resource
Professional organization's website with links to news, jobs, and internship information.

Primary Sources

Homeland Security Digital Library Unrestricted Resource Some full text available Resource contains video Resource contains audio
Provides  access to important U.S. policy documents, presidential directives, and national strategy documents as well as specialized resources such as theses and reports from various universities, organizations and local and state agencies. HSDL content includes multi-media offerings.   Registration is required.

CQ public affairs collection Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Vital issues, statistical and historical analysis, historic documents, primary source materials and a directory of key government, nonprofit, and private organizations in each of the major policy areas.

CQ Weekly Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Weekly info on Congress: reports on upcoming issues, wrap up of news, status of bills, behind-the-scenes action, committee and floor activity, debates and all roll-call votes.

Avalon Project at Yale Law School Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Digital documents relevant to the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government.

The Online Books Page Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
25,000 e-texts, search by Title, Author, or Subject; browse by LC Call Number.

Political Organization Filing and Disclosure (US Internal Revenue Service) Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Search and view copies of electronically filed Forms 8871, Political Organization Notice of Section 527 Status, and Forms 8872, Political Organization Report of Contributions and Expenditures .

Representative American Speeches (1956- )
Call Number: REF PS668 .B3
Unrestricted Resource
A year-by-year selection of speeches, arranged by Subject.

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
This official government publication contains speeches, press conferences and other statements by the president of the United States. 1993+

Statistics/Data

Gallup.com Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Presents daily briefings on a single current topic, as well as recent Gallup Poll findings for public opinion on politics, government, eocnomics, and management.

Odum Institute for Research in Social Science Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Public opinion database maintained by the University of North Carolina - allows for keyword and string searching. The database searches the Harris Poll, Carolina Poll, Southern Poll, State Poll and Knight Foundation Community Poll collections.

General Social Survey. Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
The survey "contains a standard 'core' of demographic, behavioral, and attitudinal questions, plus topics of special interest. Many of the core questions have remained unchanged since 1972 to facilitate time-trend studies as well as replication of earlier findings. It has tracked the opinions of Americans over the last four decades."

ICPSR: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only Some full text available
Collections of raw, unanalyzed data sets and files designed for use by researchers conducting statistical analysis. Covers social science disciplines such as political science, sociology, demography, economics, international relations, gerontology, public health, criminal justice, and education. Data sets can be downloaded and used with statistical software such as SAS and SPSS. Use the ICPSR Thesaurus to identify subjects, personal names, and geographic names when searching the database. To download, each individual must create a separate MyData account.

Pollster.com Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Website focuses on political polls - tracks, aggregates, and analyzes political polls, including presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial races.  Includes links to public pollsters, poll blogs and sites, and academic surveys.

PollingReport.com Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Provides summary-level highlights from recent national polls, and includes some historical comparative data (1985- present). Primary subjects include politics and policy, business/economics, and the American scene.

The Africa Multi-Country AIDS Program 2000-2006 Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
A World Bank report on HIV/AIDS that compiles five years worth of data from African countries showing trends and offering scorecards. Overview, sections, and entire document are available in pdf.

Budget of the United States Government Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
A collection of documents that contains the budget message of the President, information about the President's budget proposals for a given fiscal year, and other budgetary publications that have been issued throughout the fiscal year. Other related and supporting budget publications, such as the Economic Report of the President, are included, which may vary from year to year.

Campaign Finance Reports and Data (Federal Election Commission) Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
Search by candidate, PAC, and Party.

NationMaster Unrestricted Resource
A central data source and handy way to graphically compare nations. NationMaster is a compilation of data from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, UN, and OECD.  Use the search form to generate maps and graphs on all kinds of statistics.

Opensecrets.org: Your Guide to the Money in U.S. Elections Unrestricted Resource
This site by the Center for Responsive Politics eports on PACs, donors, soft money and lobbyists.

Polling the Nations Campus Faculty, Staff and Students only polling_nations_guide.pdf Some full text available
A compilation of public opinion surveys, containing the full text of questions and responses from 14,000 surveys from 1986 to the present in the United States and more than 80 other countries. Each record includes the polling organization responsible for the poll, the sample size and the date the poll was released.
Note: NOTE: LIMITED TO 4 SIMULTANEOUS USERS.

Statistical Abstract of the United States Unrestricted Resource Some full text available
The authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Unrestricted Resource
Site includes the following databases: Facts on International Relations and Security Trends; Multilateral Peace Operations; Data on Military Expenditure; Data on Arms Transfers; Data on Arms Production; Database on National Export Control Systems

Video

Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952-2008 Unrestricted Resource Resource contains video
From the Museum of the Moving Image, visitors can stream political ads through history. Site includes lesson plans for high school teachers and links to online resources.

UChannel Unrestricted Resource Resource contains video
A collection of public affairs lectures, panels and events from academic institutions all over the world - users can view, listen to, stream or download. Offered freely by Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.