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Research Guides

Location of Materials

  • Suzzallo and Allen Libraries are the major locations for the Political science and public policy collection in print.
  • Electronic resources may be found on the Political Science & Public Policy Research Guide.
  • Works that provide survey or introductory treatments of topics are found in the Odegaard Undergraduate Library. Many related materials are found at the Bothell and Tacoma campus libraries.
  • Government publications has extensive materials related to governing and governance both domestic and international.
  • Rare books, manuscripts and historic photographs especially those related to the political history and figures of the Pacific Northwest may be found in Special Collections.
  • Specialized encyclopedias, dictionaries, and bibliographies may be located in the Reference Section in Suzzallo Library.
  • Documentaries on politics and policy, primarily on DVD, are found in the browsing collection in Suzzallo first floor, and in media storage, requestable through UW Libraries Search. 

Photo: Suzzallo Reading Room courtesy of Curtis Cronn

Scope

a. Chronological

The focus is on contemporary politics and policy, roughly the collapse of the Soviet Union (1989-1990) to the present.  Materials dealing with periods prior are generally the purview of the history selector.  Political theory is the exception to this general rule. 

b. Geographical

There are no geographic limitations, although the emphasis is on North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. 

c. Language

Primary and secondary works are primarily in English. Materials in other languages falls under the purview of the international studies areas. 

d. Format

Electronic and print monographs, and serials are included in the collection. Videos are considered for purchase upon faculty reqest contingent on intended repeated use.  


e. Exclusions

Material of a purely popular nature, textbooks, workbooks, dissertations, juvenile literature, and reprints of material already in the collection are generally not collected.   Popular political commentary is generally not purchased, except for works by major political figures. Data sets are generally not acquired. Datasets are available through Government Publications and through the Center for Social Science Computation and Research, which has a data archive and through which our campus-wide membership in ICPSC is administered.