Research Guides
SIS 495: Task Force - Winter 2011: Task Force F
Research and writing resources for winter quarter Jackson School Task Force projects.
U.S. Relations with Russia: Bilateral Relations and Global Impact
ROBERT HUBER T TH
1:30-3:20
The purpose of this task force is to allow students to simulate membership in a Presidential Advisory Commission on U.S. relations with Russia. After a brief review of academic and policy research literature in the first two weeks, students will appoint a chairperson, who will be responsible for coordinating four sub-commissions on the following four aspects of U.S.-Russian relations and their global impacts:
- arms control and international security,
- business development and economic relations,
- civil society, and
- regional issues.
Skills Assessment Survey: https://catalyst.uw.edu/webq/survey/owrc/121119
Indexes and Catalogs of Scholarly Sources
Principal finding aids for locating peer-reviewed books and articles that approach Russian affairs through a variety of academic disciplines.
- UW Libraries SearchFinds scholarly books and articles held by UW, other Summit libraries, and beyond. Use keywords "Russia Federation Foreign relations United States" to retrieve an initial set of citations and refine your search from there.
- JSTOR Search
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A full-text database of mostly English-language scholarly journals in the social sciences and humanities, with contents embargoed for the most recent 2-3 years. Advanced Search options allow for optimal retrieval of relevant items. - Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS)
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Principal index to articles in political science and public affairs. Keywords "Russia foreign policy" retrieve over 3,000 citations, including scholarly publications and policy papers. - IBZ - International Bibliography of Periodical Literature
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Index to West European (German, French, Italian, British) periodicals in the social sciences and humanities.
- EconLit This link opens in a new window
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The most comprehensive index of scholarly work published worldwide in the field of economics.
Key Scholarly Journals
- Problems of Post-Communism
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One of the leading U.S. scholarly journals on Russian domestic and foreign affairs since 1991. Published six times per year.
These are just a few of the most prominent scholarly and policy journals specializing in Russia today. For these journals it would be worthwhile for you to browse the contents of each issue over the past few years to gain a sense of what aspects of the world's relations with Russia have recently occupied leading academic and policy experts.
- Post-Soviet Affairs
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Prominent U.S. scholarly journal published four times per year featuring articles on domestic and foreign affairs of post-1991 former Soviet republics. - International Affairs (Moscow : In English)
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The leading Russian journal on Russian foreign affairs, featuring both policy and scholarly articles. Published six times per year. - Orbis
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Quarterly journal of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, "founded in 1957 as a forum for policymakers, scholars, and the informed public ... on the full range of topics relating to American foreign policy and national security" (from the journal's aims and scope statement). - Foreign Affairs
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Published six times per year by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), "a nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs" (from the journal's mission statement).
Background and Country Information
Concise and authoritative overviews, both government-sponsored and academic, of present-day conditions in Russia, U.S.-Russia relations, and Russian foreign policy.
- Russia-U.S. Relations Page (U.S. Dept of State)A continuously updated collection of documents, news posts and briefings relating to U.S. official policy toward Russia. Includes material of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission, U.S. Dept of State Background Notes on Russia, an extensive Library of Congress Country Study, fact sheets on various topics and much more.
- World Factbook (Central Intelligence Agency)
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Produced the the CIA, the World Factbook provides concise overviews of the history, geography, demography, economy, internal political issues and principal international disputes of every country. Select Russia from the map on the main page. - Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia (Europa World Plus Series)
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A publication in the Europa World Plus series Regional Surveys of the World, this annual overview provides general background on the region and together with specialized expert essays on "International Relations of Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia," "Asia and the Post-Soviet Space," "The Politics of Energy in the Caspian Sea Region," and others. - Country Report. Russia (Economist Intelligence Unit)
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Published monthly by the Economist Intelligence Unit (New York and London), the country report provides a series of briefs intended mainly to assist financial and business decision-making on various aspects of Russia, including: the political outlook, economic policy outlook, economic forecast, the political scene, economic policy, economic outlook, etc. - OECD Economic Surveys. Russian Federation (In English)
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A concise triennial analysis of the state of the Russian economy, conducted by experts at the European Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The most recent Russia report is dated July 2009. - Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Official Site : In English)Provides a basic selection of official documents on Russian foreign policy in English translation, including Russia's "foreign policy concept" (2008). The Russian-language version of the site has full text of Russia's military doctrine (2010), climate doctrine (2009), national security strategy through 2020 (2009), and much more.
- Bulletin of International Treaties (Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs : In Russian)A monthly digest of treaties recently concluded between Russia and other countries.
Policy Sources
- Russian Analytical Digest (Bremen, Germany : In English)Russian policy and analytical briefs produced by a consortium of German and Swiss universities. Published every two weeks.
- Eurasia Daily Monitor (Washington, DC)Policy and news analysis bulletin on Russia and the former Soviet Union, sponsored by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation.
- Brookings Institution (Washington, DC)A "non-profit public policy organization [conducting] high-quality, independent research... [to] secure a more open, safe, prosperous and cooperative international system" (from the mission statement).
- Carnegie Moscow Center (Moscow, Russia : In English)The Russian office of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace issues daily commentary on current Russian affairs by the Center's experts. Special sections are available on Nonproliferation, Foreign and Security Policy, U.S.-Russia Relations, and more.
- Center for Strategic and International Studies, Russia Program (Washington, DC)Washington-based think tank "founded at the height of the Cold War ... dedicated to finding ways for America to sustain its prominence and prosperity as a force for good in the world" (from the mission statement).
- Heritage Foundation (Washington, DC)A Washington-based think tank which "formulates and promotes conservative public policies based on principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom ... and a strong national defense" (from the mission statement).
- American Enterprise Institute (Washington, DC)A Washington-based think tank which "furnishes policymakers with ideas ... based on the resilient principles of private liberty, individual opportunity, and free enterprise" (from the mission statement)
Current News
- Johnson's Russia List (In English)A daily digest of news in English from and about Russia, compiled from U.S., Russian and other international media sources by David Johnson of the World Security Institute. From the main page under "Global/Security" select "U.S.-Russian relations."
- Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press (In English)
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A weekly English-language digest of key articles from the Russian press appearing mainly in prominent papers such as the independent Novaia gazeta, semi-independent papers such as Nezavisimaia gazeta, Kommersant, and Vremia novostei, and official government papers such as Rossiiskaia gazeta. - ISI Russian News and Finance Database (In Russian or English)
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An aggregator of over 300 Russian Federation newspapers, wire services and other media outlets, ISI is the most extensive Russian news source available at UW. Use keywords in English to retrieve English-language publications, otherwise use keywords in Russian. - Transitions Online (In English)
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A continuously published outlet for news and opinion on politics in Eastern Europe and Russia. Founded in 1994 in Prague by the Soros-funded Open Society Institute, TOL identifies itself as a "non-profit organization established to strengthen the professionalism, independence and impact of the news media in the post-communist countries of Europe and the former Soviet Union." - Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (In English)A U.S. congresionally-funded, Prague-based media outlet charged with "reporting the news in 21 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established." RFE/RL relies for its Russian reports on a network of reporters located within Russia, coordinated by Prague-based editorial staff.
Need help?
Michael Biggins, Russian, East European, & Central Asian Librarian
Office: 132 Suzzallo Library
How do I find out if the article I need is online?
Determine if the article you need is available to you online through our Electronic Journals web page. | Time - 01:35 | Transcript | Play Video