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How to Research | Identifying Bias in Information Sources | Resource List on Humanitarian Issues

Resource List on Humanitarian Issues

This annotated list of resources can be useful in answering some of your information needs when dealing with Humanitarian Issues.

REFERENCE SOURCES:

Evans, Graham and Jeffrey Newnham. Penguin Dictionary of International Relations. London: Penguin, 1998.

Provides a concise overview of contemporary international relations. The entries focus on ideas, theories, concepts, organizations and effects that have greatly affected international relations.

Finkelman, Paul and Joseph C. Miller, eds. Macmillan Encyclopedia of World Slavery. New York: Macmillan, 1998.

Provides most current and accurate information on the people and civilizations affected by slavery.

Grolier Global Studies Library. Guilford, CT: Dushkin, 1997.

The aim of this series is to help you develop a basic understanding of world regions and countries. Each volume (by continent or broad geographical area) provides foundation information about culture, geography, economy, politics, history and religion.

Matuszak, Nancy, ed. History Behind the Headlines: The Origins of Conflicts Worldwide. Detroit: Gale, 2002.

Provides important background information on long-term ethnic, religious, political, territorial and economic conflicts between nations today.

BOOKS:

Provided are a list of some books to be examined in "Getting the Facts".

Canada. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. The Canadian Reference Guide to the United Nations. Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 1999.

International Organizations Series. Published by Weigl Publishers Inc. (Mankato, MN). Titles in series include:
Craats, Rennay. United Way. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2002.
McLuskey, Krista. Red Cross. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2002.
Nault, Jennifer. Save the Children. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2002.
Ostopowich, Melanie. Greenpeace. Mankato, MN: Weigl, 2002.

Neier, Aryeh. War Crimes: Brutality, Genocide, Terror and the Struggle for Justice. New York: Times Books, 1998.

Strauss, Steven. The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Conflicts. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002.

World Organizations Series. Published by Franklin Watts (New York). Titles in series include:
Grant, Reg. Amnesty International. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Grant, Reg. NATO. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Melvern, Linda. United Nations. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Perkins, Ralf. International Red Cross. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Powell, Jillian. European Union. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Powell, Jillian. The World Health Organization. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Powell, Jillian. World Wildlife Fund. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Prior, Katherine. UNICEF. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.

PERIODICALS/MAGAZINES:

Canada World View. (Canada. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 125 Sussex Dr. Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2). (www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada-magazine).

Provides an overview of Canada's perspective on foreign policy issues, and features international Canadian initiatives and contributions.

Extra! The Magazine of FAIR - The Media Watch Group. (FAIR, P.O. Box 170, Congers, NY 10920-9930). (www.fair.org)

FAIR is a United States national media watch group that has been offering well-documented criticisms of media bias and censorship since 1986.

Peace Magazine. (Canadian Disarmament Information Service, Box 248, STN P, Toronto, ON, M5S 2S7). (www.peacemagazine.org)

Will keep you up to date on the important work of peacemaking. Articles focus on disarmament; conflict resolution; nonviolent sanctions; peace institutions (e.g. the United Nations); conflicts and crises around the world; profiles of activists and researchers; and controversies about development, population, and environmental protection.

The World & I. (3600 New York Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20002). (www.worldandi.com)

The current issues section of this magazine provides timely and incisive articles on major world new stories.

World Watch. (1776 Massachusetts Ave., Washington DC 20036). (www.worldwatch.org)

Offers a unique blend of interdisciplinary research, global focus, and accessible writing that has made it a leading source of information on the interactions among key environmental, social, and economic trends.

WORLD WIDE WEB

Try the following Subject Directories:
Type in keywords such as war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity, human rights violations, non-governmental organizations (NGO's).

1. Open Directory Project
www.dmoz.org
Type in war crimes, genocide etc, in the search box.

2. Internet Public Library
www.ipl.org
This is called a scholarly directory. It includes links to encyclopedias and magazines on line

3. Infomine
infomine.ucr.edu
Also a scholarly directory; an excellent site for locating first rate resources

4. Google.ca
www.google.ca
Before searching, click on the word DIRECTORY above the search box. This will take you out of search engine mode, and bring you into subject directory mode. Now begin your search.

SPECIFIC WEB SITES:

United Nations
www.un.org
Start with the sections entitled Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

Amnesty International
www.amnesty.org
Clicking on LIBRARY allows you to search by themes (i.e. Crimes against humanity)

Amnesty International Magazine
www.amnesty.org.uk/news/mag
Clicking on NEWS brings you to Amnesty International's latest press releases, case updates, journal articles and other media-related material.

Department of Justice Canada
canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/1999/doc_24328.html
Provides information on the International Criminal Court (ICC)

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada)
www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/foreign_policy/icc/
More information on the ICC

The Children and Armed Conflict Unit
www.essex.ac.uk/armedcon/default.htm
Valuable links to Country Files and Issues Files

International Crisis Group
www.crisisweb.org/
Covers humanitarian issues on five continents

Human Rights Watch
www.hrw.org
Spend a lot of time on this page. It has numerous valuable links worth investigating

CANADEM
www.canadem.ca/links.htm
Numerous links to Human Rights related sites, International NGOs, Canadian NGOs and Youth Related sites

Carleton University Ottawa Canada
Centre for Peace Action and Migration Research
www.carleton.ca/rrdr/links.htm
Great links to Canadian NGO's, Canadian Government Departments, Non-Canadian National Organizations, United Nations and its Organizations.

Freedom House (in conjunction with the U.S. Agency for International Development) administers the following site:
/www.ngonet.org/links.html
Great links to NGO's and as well as an Electronic Library

Magomania
www.magomania.com/english
This is a Canadian magazine search engine that will locate articles on human rights issues.

Peace Brigades International-Canada
www.web.net/~pbican
An organization that promotes a non-violent approach to peacekeeping and the protection of human rights. This organization was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.

Human Rights on the Net
From College and Research Libraries (A division of the American Library Association)
www.ala.org/acrl/ressept99.html
This site was compiled by an information specialist with the goal of encouraging activism. It is divided into sections such as: Starting Points (for an understanding of human rights), Web Directories, Human Rights Organizations and finally, Annual Surveys (reports on human rights violations worldwide)

The NGOs Network
www.ngos.net
The purpose of this site is to provide information on the activities of NGOs at the United Nations and worldwide. Great Links.