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Area Studies Research Guides
Area studies are interdisciplinary fields of research related to specific geographical, national/federal, or cultural regions. The following links are to area studies research guides that will be of help if you have a particular geographic research need.
Introduction
International relations (IR) is defined as the study of the relationships between and among nation-states and the international system in general. Scholars of IR seek to understand the behavior, actions and struggle for power among international actors from different perspectives (i.e. idealist or realist) and at different levels of analysis (systemic, foreign, domestic, and individual). This guide is designed to support international relations coursework in the following Penn programs.
University of Pennsylvania Department of Political Science
The University of Pennsylvania's Political Science Department course offerings span the discipline of political science, from American political institutions to the politics of world regions, the emergence of a new international order, and recent and ancient political ideas. Learn more >>
The Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics
The Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics Center was established at the University of Pennsylvania in 1997 in order to promote interdisciplinary research and teaching across the University community on issues of international relations, international security, and international political economy. Learn more >>
The International Relations Program at Penn
The International Relations Program at Penn is consistently ranked in the top five programs nationally and is widely respected for its selectivity and commitment to excellence. Our interdisciplinary training across history, politics, economics, and regions is highly valued by the commercial and public sectors for its rigorous but practical content and adaptable skills. Learn more >>
The Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business
The Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business is Penn’s unique undergraduate four-year jointly administered coordinated dual degree program in language, the liberal arts, and business. The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally-minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and across the globe. Learn more >>
The Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies
A pioneering program for aspiring global business leaders. Lauder students earn two degrees in two years: a Wharton School MBA plus an International Studies MA from the University of Pennsylvania.* Our innovative curriculum integrates comprehensive professional training with interdisciplinary coursework in international politics, economics, history, culture, and language at an Ivy League institution. Learn more >>
"Getting Started" Research Tips
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Academic, scholarly, and peer-reviewed books, journals, and articles are considered appropriate sources for college-level research and writing assignments. Here are a few tips when searching for books, journals, and articles:
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Databases to Start Your Research
Two major commercial database vendors—EBSCO and ProQuest—are widely used to provide e-books, political science journals, and peer-reviewed articles. Universities will usually provide access to databases from one or both vendors. Important things to know about EBSCO and ProQuest.
- Both provide access to dozens of individual subject databases that use a single search interface.
- Both provide a varied mix of scholarly journals, trade publications, general magazines, and newspaper resources.
- Both are multidisciplinary, which means they cover many subject areas, including political science.
- EBSCO MegaFileGeneral, multidisciplinary periodical database, covering all scholarly disciplines, with many general and popular magazines, and news sources. Includes bibliographic citations with indexing and abstracts for more than 16,000 periodicals.
- ProQuestProQuest is a large, multidisciplinary database with thousands of titles in full-text. It serves as the central resource for researchers at all levels in all subjects. Over 160 subjects areas are covered extensively in this product including business and economics, health and medical, news and world affairs, technology, social sciences and more.