Library Guides: IR 237: National Security: The Military Instrument of Foreign Policy: Getting Started

Finding Background Information

BBC News Country Profiles
Guide to the history, politics and economics of countries and territories.
CIA World Factbook
Updated on a bi-weekly basis, the CIA Factbook, give a quick snapshot of each nation's demography, economy, government, geography, and other sectors such as transportation, communication, transportation and military.
Foreign Affairs Online
A major gateway to resources in international relations. Provides annotations and links.
U.S. Department of State Background Notes
Find facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty.
WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources
A major gateway to resources in international affairs. Provides annotations and links.

Encyclopedia of Conflicts since World War II by James Ciment Thoroughly revised to include 25 conflicts not covered in the previous edition, as well as expanded and updated information on previous coverage, this illustrated reference presents descriptions and analyses of more than 170 significant post-World War II conflicts around the globe. Organized by region for ease of access, "Encyclopedia of Conflicts Since World War II, Second Edition" provides clear, in-depth explanations of events not covered in such detail in any other reference source. Including more than 180 detailed maps and 150 photos, the set highlights the conflicts that dominate today's headlines and the events that changed the course of late twentieth-century history.
Call Number: ebook
Publication Date: 2015

Country Studies
The Country Studies Series presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world

Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
Oxford Reference includes dictionaries, including authoritative dictionaries for many languages, encyclopedias, and companions, featuring more in-depth but still brief entries, e.g. Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization.