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Collection Development for Political Science, International Studies & Law in the Boston College Libraries

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Scope and Collecting Emphases

Guide to the Political Science, International Studies & Law Collections

This collection serves the Political Science Department and the International Studies Program.  It supports research, teaching and learning in law, politics, political history, political theory and philosophy, government, military and naval science, international relations and international studies at Boston College.

Disciplinary Scope & Collecting Emphases

The collection supports the four major areas of study within the Political Science Department (political philosophy, American politics, comparative politics and international politics) and concentrations of interest in International Studies such as political economy, development studies, peace and conflict studies, social justice and religious and secular ethics.  The law component of this collection is broad to meet a range of research and teaching interests on the subject at the Chestnut Hill campus.

The Political Science collection focuses on current events, issues, and processes with historical emphasis in government, political development, political theory and philosophy. Research in this field is often interdisciplinary in nature and selection supports this.  The collection is global in scope but the United States and Europe are best represented.  Major publishers include Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, University of Chicago Press, Princeton University Press, CQ Press, Taylor & Francis  and Sage Publications. 

The International Studies component of the collection is highly interdisciplinary.  It spans history to present day with greatest emphasis on the 20th and 21st centuries.  This collection provides research level support for topics of curricular needs and faculty research in their disciplines. 

The Law collection  is basic and focused on U.S. federal law with minimal state law and some basic Massachusetts law included.  Technical and advanced works are typically out of scope unless requested by a faculty member or graduate student.  Case books are occasionally collected.

Material that some may consider controversial may be acquired for the collection if it supports research and teaching needs.