Typical questions

• • Who are the key authors of world systems theory?

• • I need a chronology of UK relations with Iraq.

Starting points

• • Many websites cover international affairs. However, students should be encouraged to evaluate them to check dates of publication and any potential political bias. The resources listed here provide good academic starting points for further research.

• • A key area is foreign policy and diplomacy. This chapter has a specialist sub- section covering this. Also useful are the sources listed in the Government and Parliamentary Publications, International Security (covering wars, terrorism and conflict), Political Science and Treaties chapters. The History chapter will of course be useful for background analysis of older situations.

Recommended resources

Key organisations – academic associations

Use these sites to trace conference listings, key academic journal titles and specialist research groups. They include networks to support postgraduate students.

BISA: British International Studies Association

www.bisa.ac.uk

Leading professional organisation. Website provides free access to some conference papers and the ability to register for free e-mail contents alerts from its journal titles, which include the Review of International Studies.

International Studies Association (ISA)

International network of scholars. Members can access professional resources including teaching and learning videos and journal articles. Non-members will find it useful to check the social media updates for current awareness. They can also use some archived papers from past conferences.

Study guides

Keesings World News Archive (Subscription)

www.keesings.com

Access articles and chronologies of world events since 1931. Includes coverage of conflicts, terrorist attacks and disasters.

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies (Subscription) [Basic]

internationalstudies.oxfordre.com

Published in collaboration with the International Studies Association. Provides access to over 500 peer reviewed articles covering international relations theories and topics. Recommended for introducing students to a subject area as each article contains a bibliography to guide further reading. Some articles are feely accessible to non- subscribers.

News services

Use these to supplement the national newspapers.

ForeignPolicy.com (Subscription)

foreignpolicy.com

Well-known US news publication, founded in 1970. Provides news, articles and analysis focusing on global affairs, current events and US domestic and international policy. Some free access to articles for non-subscribers.

New Humanitarian

www.thenewhumanitarian.org

Formerly IRIN News. Independent, non-profit media service specialising in reporting humanitarian crises from the ground.