Scope and Purpose:
A library collection in support of the curriculum and research of the Department of Political Science should include materials in the fields of American politics, comparative/international politics, criminal justice, and, to a lesser extent, political theory. Some of these fields are very broad. Within the field of American government and politics are the topical areas of state and local government, Congress, the Supreme Court, the American presidency, elections, politics and the media, minority group politics, American political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political behavior and analysis, and intergovernmental relations. Comparative politics focuses on the politics and governments of specific countries or regions or of country groupings, such as the developing nations. International politics looks at issues of alliances, foreign policies, and arms control.
Materials that provide for the study of American government and politics are collected at the research level. Materials that support research on international/comparative politics, criminal justice, and political theory are collected at the advanced study level.
Curriculum:
The Department of Political Science offers two distinct courses of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree: the American Track and the International/Comparative Track. The Department also offers a Bachelor of Science in Political Science/Criminal Justice degree. Minor courses of study are available in American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Politics, Public Policy Analysis, Pre-Law, and Political Science/Criminal Justice. The Department, in conjunction with the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, also offers an undergraduate Certificate Program in Applied Politics.
The Department of Political Science offers a Master of Arts degree, with coursework focused on political theory, research methods, and other topics. The Ray C. Bliss Institute offers a Masters in Applied Politics, with courses on campaign management, political communication, and survey research methods.
In addition to materials acquired under this policy, research in political science is supported by the economics, public admininistration and urban studies, history, communication, and sociology collections, as well as the University Libraries collection of United States government documents. The political science collection supports research in these various areas, as well as in conflict management, Canadian studies, Russian area studies, and women's studies.
Geographical Coverage:
All areas of the world are studied, but the United States is studied in much greater breadth and depth. Materials on the United States should be collected at the research level, and those on other countries at the advanced study level.
Language:
English-language materials are collected.
Period Coverage:
Material is collected in all chronological periods, with an emphasis on contemporary political phenomena. Typically, History acquires materials that describe political events, conditions, and personalities, regardless of time period, while Political Science collects materials that attempt to draw generalizations or build theory from these same political phenomena.
Publication Types:
Journals, monographs, reference works and other sources of published information are acquired.
The University Libraries also selectively acquires documents issued by a number of governments and international agencies, including: the United States, the State of Ohio, Summit County, the City of Akron, the United Nations, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the International Monetary Fund. These documents are essential to the study of American government and international relations.
Formats:
Monographs, journals, and reference works in print, microform, and electronic formats are collected. Electronic data files in CD-ROM and direct download formats are acquired or accessed as part of the University Libraries membership in ICPSR. Videos and other audiovisual materials are acquired selectively for this collection.
Remote Sources:
The University Libraries is an institutional member of the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research. ICPSR provides access to a variety of data sets useful for research in political science (see Guide to Accessing ICPSR Data).The Center for Research Libraries collection and OhioLINK member libraries support advanced studies in many areas of political science.
Exclusions:
The University of Akron School of Law Library collects materials related to the study and practice of Law. In general, the University Libraries does not duplicate these materials, except with respect to monographs and reference works focusing on the judicial branch of American government.
Policy Revised: 10-2002
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