Background - PSC 435 - Humanitarian Action in World Politics (Spring 2024) - Research Guides at Syracuse University Libraries

What is in this Guide

Welcome to an SU Libraries course guide for PSC 435: Humanitarian Action in World Politics

Use the links to subpages of this guide and/or the resources below for access to some selected starting points from Syracuse University Libraries for this course. The guide presents far more starting point options that any one PSC 435 student will need, but select judiciously, depending on your own specific topical and geographic focus. Here's an overview of the contents:

Background Find out where to get in-depth background information from online and encyclopedia sources. Generally, you will not rely solely on these so-called tertiary sources, but as background summaries they can be enormously helpful for thinking through development of the primary question for your research paper. They may reveal to you proper names or phrases linked to specific international actors (persons, organizations, nations, ethnic or national or other groups, political party names, et al), not to mention event names, names of laws or treaties, etc. And often reference encyclopedia style sources, in-depth research handbooks and the like will explicitly provide citations to other articles or books you may wish to track down and use in your preliminary bibliography, and/or also in your final research paper.
Research Methods Includes useful general discussion about search strategies and tutorials, with refreshers on how to navigate some of the primary Library search tools. Consult this if you feel rusty on how to think about research as a multi-step process.
Evaluating Sources Guidance offering concepts to consider when critically evaluating your sources.
Books Tips for locating books within SU Libraries collections, with the subject matter of this PSC course section in mind. Scholarly books or book chapters (either print volumes or ebooks) will certainly be among source types you will want to use as you move toward work on your final research paper
Articles, Video & Primary Sources Recommendations on finding articles using specific Library databases relevant for subject matter covered in this course. An important subpage on this guide, and a central portal that can lead all PSC 435 students into search tools likely to uncover applicable source material, especially discussion published within scholarly journal articles.
Interlibrary Loan (ILLIAD) If SU Libraries lack specific articles or books you are looking for, those can be promptly borrowed for you from another Library - for free.
Useful Data Sources & Web Sites A cross section of relevant websites, including many with access to open statistical data pertinent to subjects investigated in the course.

General Background Information on Countries

Europa World
Background on countries including political and economic information in over 250 countries and territories, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.

E.I.U. Economist Intelligence Unit
Objective and timely analysis and forecasts of the political, economic and business environment for almost 200 countries. Also produces in-depth annual country commerce reports. E.I.U.'s reporting is more lengthy than Europa World's briefer, encyclopedia style content. See especially the report category within E.I.U. called 'country report.'

eBook and Book examples

Three examples relevant to the course from among a great many print and ebook titles in the SU Libraries collection. To locate "more like this" for any specific book title you locate, on the Classic Catalog item record for each book title, pay careful attention to words and/or phrases assigned to that title as "subjects" (in other databases, sometimes called "subject terms" or "subject headings" or "descriptors" or subject "tags.") Using combinations of those words in subsequent searches of SUMMON and/or searches in article databases - increases likelihood you will have plenty of relevant sources from which to choose.

Humanitarianism and the Quantification of Human Needs by Joël Glasman
Call Number: BJ 1475.3 G59 2020
ISBN: 9780367222154
Publication Date: 2019-12-20
This book provides the first historical inquiry into the quantification of needs in humanitarian assistance. Ultimately the book argues that we cannot understand the global humanitarian aid movement, if we do not understand how humanitarian agencies made human suffering commensurable across borders in the first place. The book identifies four basic elements of needs: as a concept, as a system of classification and triage, as a form of material apparatus, and as a codified standard. Drawing on a range of archival sources ranging from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), and the Sphere Project, the book traces the concept of needs from their emergence in the 1960s right through to the modern day, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's call for "evidence-based humanitarianism". Finally the book assesses how the international governmentality of needs played out in a recent humanitarian crisis, drawing on detailed ethnographic research of Central African refugees in the Cameroonian borderland in 2014-2016. This important historical enquiry into the universal nature of human suffering will be an important read for humanitarian researchers and practitioners, as well as readers with an interest in international history and development.
Humanitarianism War and Politics by Thomas G. Weiss; Peter J. Hoffman; Jan Egeland (Foreword by)
Call Number: HV553 .H657 2018
ISBN: 9781442266124
Publication Date: 2017-06-30
What is humanitarianism? This authoritative book provides a comprehensive analysis of the original idea and its evolution, exploring its triangulation with war and politics. Peter J. Hoffman and Thomas G. Weiss trace the origins of humanitarianism, its social movement, and the institutions (international humanitarian law) and organizations (providers of assistance and protection) that comprise it. They consider the international humanitarian system's ability to regulate the conduct of war, to improve the wellbeing of its victims, and to prosecute war criminals. Probing the profound changes in the culture and capacities that underpin the sector and alter the meaning of humanitarianism, they assess the reinventions that constitute "revolutions in humanitarian affairs." The book begins with traditions and perspectives--ranging from classic international relations approaches to "Critical Humanitarian Studies" --and reviews seminal wartime emergencies and the creation and development of humanitarian agencies in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The authors then examine the rise of "new humanitarianisms" after the Cold War's end and contemporary cases after 9/11. The authors continue by unpacking the most recent "revolutions"--the International Criminal Court and the "Responsibility to Protect"--as well as such core challenges as displacement camps, infectious diseases, eco-refugees, and marketization. They conclude by evaluating the contemporary system and the prospects for further transformations, identifying scholarly puzzles and the acute operational problems faced by practitioners.
Going Beyond Aid by Justin Yifu Lin; Yan Wang
Call Number: HC59.7 .L41862 2017
ISBN: 1316607151
Publication Date: 2017-01-20
Developing countries have for decades been trying to catch up with the industrialized high-income countries, but only a few have succeeded. Historically, structural transformation has been a powerful engine of growth and job creation. Traditional development aid is inadequate to address the bottlenecks for structural transformation, and is hence ineffective. In this book, Justin Yifu Lin and Yan Wang use the theoretical foundations of New Structural Economics to examine South-South development aid and cooperation from the angle of structural transformation. By studying the successful economic transformation of countries such as China and South Korea through 'multiple win' solutions based on comparative advantages and economy of scale, and by presenting new ideas and different perspectives from emerging market economies such as Brazil, India and other BRICS countries, they bring a new narrative to broaden the ongoing discussions of post-2015 development aid and cooperation as well as the definitions of aid and cooperation.
Leaders at War by Elizabeth N. Saunders
Call Number: JK558 .S38 2011 (ebook)
ISBN: 9780801449222
Publication Date: 2011-02-03
One of the most contentious issues in contemporary foreign policy--especially in the United States--is the use of military force to intervene in the domestic affairs of other states. Some military interventions explicitly try to transform the domestic institutions of the states they target; others do not, instead attempting only to reverse foreign policies or resolve disputes without trying to reshape the internal landscape of the target state. In Leaders at War, Elizabeth N. Saunders provides a framework for understanding when and why great powers seek to transform foreign institutions and societies through military interventions. She highlights a crucial but often-overlooked factor in international relations: the role of individual leaders. Saunders argues that leaders' threat perceptions--specifically, whether they believe that threats ultimately originate from the internal characteristics of other states--influence both the decision to intervene and the choice of intervention strategy. These perceptions affect the degree to which leaders use intervention to remake the domestic institutions of target states. Using archival and historical sources, Saunders concentrates on U.S. military interventions during the Cold War, focusing on the presidencies of Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson. After demonstrating the importance of leaders in this period, she also explores the theory's applicability to other historical and contemporary settings including the post-Cold War period and the war in Iraq.
Celebrity Philanthropy, Activism and Ethics by Hilde Van Den Bulck
Call Number: HV16 .B85 2018
ISBN: 1138234451
Publication Date: 2018-03-26
In recent years, celebrity philanthropy and activism has attracted much attention from the media, sparking a great deal of public interest. As exponents and endorsers of the marketisation and corporatisation of philanthropy and activism, globally renowned super-celebrities habitually lend their name, time and energy to a range of causes. They help raise awareness, generate funds and endeavour to evoke social and political responses to crucial societal issues. These can range from domestic violence, cancer prevention, climate change and transgender acceptance, to refugee problems and fighting poverty at home and abroad. But in what ways do (mediated communications about) these celebrities have the power to define what is going wrong in the world, who or what is to blame, how this can be solved and how this is to be evaluated morally and ethically? Does celebrity humanitarianism and activism serve to reinforce postcolonial power relations or does it help solve social problems, advancing traditional views on how society is, and should be, organised? Importantly, more than conceptual and empirical exploration of celebrity philanthropy and activism as such, this book analyses the mediated communication, the mediatised narratives that these endeavours provide. Combining insights from philanthropy and welfare regime studies, international politics and diplomacy, postcolonial studies, but also from marketing, from celebrity, star and fan studies, and from media, communication and cultural studies, this book critically analyses the mediated discourses and debates that celebrity philanthropy and activism provokes, and considers wider ethical and theoretical perspectives. It will be of interest to all scholars and students working in sociology, health and social care and social policy.
Understanding the Humanitarian World by Daniel G. Maxwell; Kirsten Gelsdorf
Call Number: JZ 6369 M376 2019
ISBN: 9780367232931
Publication Date: 2019-05-08
Conflict and disaster have been part of human history for as long as it has been recorded. Over time, more mechanisms for responding to crises have developed and become more systematized. Today a large and complex 'global humanitarian response system' made up of a multitude of local, national and international actors carries out a wide variety of responses. Understanding this intricate system, and the forces that shape it, are the core focus of this book. Daniel G Maxwell and Kirsten Gelsdorf highlight the origins, growth, and specific challenges to, humanitarian action and examine why the contemporary system functions as it does. They outline the main actors, explore how they are organised and look at the ways they plan and carry out their operations. Interrogating major contemporary debates and controversies in the humanitarian system, and the reasons why actions undertaken in its name remain the subject of so much controversy, they provide an important overview of the contemporary humanitarian system and the ways it may develop in the future. This book offers a nuanced understanding of the way humanitarian action operates in the 21st century. It will be essential reading for anyone with an interest in international human rights law, disaster management and international relations. erview of the contemporary humanitarian system and the ways it may develop in the future. This book offers a nuanced understanding of the way humanitarian action operates in the 21st century. It will be essential reading for anyone with an interest in international human rights law, disaster management and international relations.

Encyclopedias, Literature Reviews and Oxford Handbooks

CQ Researcher - A terrific starting point for obtaining non-partisan historical background discussion, chronologies and references to further readings and websites. Many CQ Researcher reports cover domestic U.S. politics. However, for PSC 400 there are relevant encyclopedia style overviews if one enters the phrase "Foreign Aid" - including this CQ Researcher April 14, 2017 overview article entitled, Rethinking Foreign Aid: Should the U.S. Cut Back on Assistance?

Encyclopedia style reports here include background chronologies, and also bibliographies listing additional articles or books you may wish to track down via SU Libraries (check with the librarian if not sure how to do that), as well are sets of websites appearing under the "contacts" segment of each relevant report, for links to relevant government agencies, international organizations and the like.

Annual Reviews - Offers highly scholarly review articles in a wide variety of disciplines, each loaded with citations to additional scholarly books and articles. Topics covered tend to be fairly diverse. PSC 400 students using this database will want to look to use the "advanced search" screen - and in addition to entering search words like "humanitarian" or "humanitarian action" or "military intervention" or "development aid" - also be sure to enter "annual review of political science" into the advanced search query window that is labeled, "published in" (otherwise you will have to wade thru results for journals having nothing to do with political science or IR).
You will likely see additional useful articles here if in addition to placing "annual review of political science" into that 'published in' query window - you also try - to limit to results "published in":

Annual Review of Anthropology
Annual Review of Sociology
Annual Review of Economics

HOW TO USE ANNUAL REVIEW ARTICLES: While they can be cited directly, if you use these reviews in your essay or final research paper, the purpose of these very lengthy review articles is to encapsulate and briefly summarize a large quantity of other existing published academic articles or books covering subtopics for whatever the particular annual review article explores. Therefore, these can be superb tools for deliberately selecting some of what an annual review article cites and then tracking down those cited sources here at SU (contact the librarian if hitting a roadblock when doing that)

If you locate a review article of interest, in addition to boosting your background knowledge to enhance effectiveness of searches you conduct in other places - you can use the Library website's journal locator, classic catalog or SUMMON search engine to determine if any of the individual sources cited within a pertinent Annual Review are available here at SU. Or if not, request that item via Interlibrary Loan. Be selective and see what you can uncover.

RESEARCH TIP: YOU CAN USE A WORD(S) OR PHRASE(S) FOR A TITLE YOU SEEK, BASED ON A CITATION FROM ANY REFERENCE SOURCE LIKE ANNUAL REVIEWS - IN A NEW SEARCH USING THE ADVANCED SUMMON SEARCH SCREEN, AND -IF SEEKING A BOOK - CHECK THE BOX TO LIMIT RESULTS TO CONTENT TYPE, 'BOOK/EBOOK.' TO SEE IF SU LIBRARIES OWNS THAT TITLE.

Some additional specific non-circulating books at Bird Library:

Encyclopedia of International Relations and Global Politics / Martin Griffiths, editor
Bird-2nd Floor-Reference
JZ1160 E53 2005

Globalization and Security : an encyclopedia/ G. Honor Fagan and Ronaldo Munck, editors
Bird-2nd Floor -Circulating Collection, 2 vols
D763.M47 G56 2009

Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace / Nigel Young
Bird-2nd Floor-Reference
JZ5533 O95 2010

Human Rights Encyclopedia / foreword by Aung San Suu Kyi ; editors James R. Lewis, Carl Skutsch.
Bird-2nd Floor-Reference, 3 vols
JC571 .L523 2001

Resort to War : A data guide to inter-state, extra-state, intra-state, and non-state wars, 1816-2007 / Meredith Reid Sarkees and Frank Whelon Wayman
Bird-4th Floor-Circulating Collection
JZ6385 S27 2010

U.S. conflicts in the 21st century : Afghanistan War, Iraq War, and the War on Terror / Spencer C. Tucker, editor ; Paul G. Pierpaoli Jr., associate editor.
Bird-3rd Floor-Circulating Collection, 3 Vols.
E897 .U17 2016

The Oxford encyclopedia of American military and diplomatic history / Timothy J. Lynch, editor in chief.
E181 .O95 2013
ebook-2 volumes

The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization/George Ritzer
Bird-2nd Floor - Reference, 5 vols.
JZ1318 W543 2012

Not unlike "Annual Reviews" Oxford Handbooks are substantial and in depth scholarly reference books that cover a great many of topics and subtopics you explore in this PSC 400 course. Because these sources go into even greater detail than Annual Reviews, when entering a search word or phrase into this database, many also may have luck if they enter the name of specific country or region, in combination with other terms, such as "humanitarian," "foreign aid," "humanitarian intervention," "development aid," "military intervention," etc. Again, similar to the Annual Reviews, these can be cited directly. They are quite in-depth, lengthy reading - but they pull together discussion that otherwise might be scattered across dozens, or hundreds of other article and book sources. One efficient way to use them is as a reference source, following specific citations mentioned - to locate source material (other scholarly books or articles) on those topics:

Audiovisual Sources (News Reports)

Anyone with interest in looking at some historical U.S. broadcast TV news coverage is not limited to the idiosyncracies of YouTube. For any PSC 400 student seeking to viewing some archived U.S televised news reports about news worthy events covered in this PSC 400 course, or related to a focus of your research, Both CNN (1995-present) and NBC News video (1968-present) can be viewed directly online- via the SU Libraries licensed database called - TELEVISION NEWS ARCHIVE (SEARCH KEYWORDS, OR BROWSE BY AIRDATE). Interested in original language news reports from other countries, although extent of the archive varies by country, and excellent database containing non-U.S. news broadcasts and some additional categories of non-news programming is SCOLA

PSC 435 - Humanitarian Action in World Politics (Spring 2024)

Social Science Librarian

Citation Guide

What is in this Guide

General Background Information on Countries

eBook and Book examples

Encyclopedias, Literature Reviews and Oxford Handbooks

Audiovisual Sources (News Reports)