Description of the Course
An analysis of politics in Russia and in the postcommunist republics of the former Soviet Union.
After analyzing the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. under Gorbachev, the course will focus on the
attempts since 1991 to create democratic political systems. Special attention will be paid to
elections, constitutions, political party formation, parliaments, leadership strategies, and
nationalism.

Library Resources in Russian Politics

• LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

The Library of Congress Classification System organizes material in libraries according to
twenty-one branches of knowledge. The 21 categories are further divided by adding one or two additional letters and a set of numbers.

Branches of interest during this course include:
 

• D - History: General and outside the Americas
• DK - Russia, Former Soviet Republics, Poland
• H - Social Sciences
• HX - Socialism, Communism, Utopias, Anarchism
• J - Political Science
• JN - Political Institutions and Public Administration: Europe

• ONLINE CATALOGS

• LUCY2

The library's online catalog, contains records for titles of books, titles of journals (not journal articles), microforms sets, reference works, sound recordings, videos, select government documents and Special Collections materials housed in the library.
• Library Catalogs Worldwide

Links to catalogs worldwide will allow you to search the holdings of other libraries.  Materials not owned by the Skidmore Library can be requested from our Interlibrary Loan Department.
• World Cat contains records describing items owned in libraries around the world including books, musical scores, and sound recordings, films, software, videos. It does not include individual articles appearing in journals.
• REFERENCE WORKS

 
• Yearbooks

These are guides to all communist parties, including the CPSU.  They are useful for statistical comparisons and annual chronologies of past events.
• Russia and Eurasia - Facts and Figures Annual (formerly USSR-Fact and Figures Annual) (1977 to present), REF DK1.U3

Covers basic information; state and politics; military, security, and crime; health and welfare; economy, aid and agriculture; energy and environment; and foreign trade and investment.
• Yearbook on International Communist Affairs (1966 to 1991), REF HX1.Y4

An annual summary of major events relating to ruling and non-ruling communist parties throughout the world. The fifteen republics of the USSR are contained in the entry on the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (USSR).
• Biographical Sources, Encyclopedias, and Dictionaries
• Atlas of Eastern Europe, 1990, REF Folio G2080.A85
• Biographical Dictionary of Marxism, REF HX23.B568
• Biographical Dictionary of the Former Soviet Union (prominent people in all fields from 1917, REF CT1213.V76 1992
• Biographical Directory of Soviet Regional Party Leaders, REF DK37.B56 1988
• Chronology of 20th Century Eastern European History (1900-1993), REF DJK30.C47 1994
• Dictionary of Political Parties and Organizations in Russia, REF JN6699.A795.P75 1992
• Encyclopedia of the Ukraine, REF DK508.E613
• Ethnohistorical Dictionary of the Russian and Soviet Empires, REF DK33.E837 1994
• Europa Publications
• Europa World Yearbook, REF JN1.E85

Provides an "Introductory Survey" describing recent history, the government, and economic affairs for each country. Also lists addresses of government, religious and cultural institutions.
• Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, REF  HC244 .E225 1992

This regional guide gives more detailed information on each country.
• Handbook of Major Soviet Nationalities, REF DK 33.H35 1975
• The Modern Encyclopedia of Russia and Soviet History (and Soviet Eurasian History), REF DK14.M6, 59 vols. plus supplements.
• The Newly Independent States of Eurasia: A Handbook of Former Soviet Republics, REF DK17.B34 1993
• Political Parties of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Successor States, REF DJK51.P655 1994
• The Soviet Union, REF DK 246.S68 1990

Chronologies and biographical information.
• The Soviet Union: a biographical dictionary, REF CT1213.S65 1991
• The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, REF DK17.S64 1986

Handbook covering countries and events to 1985.
• The Tauris Soviet Directory: The Elite of the USSR Today, REF JN6521.T38 1989
• Ukraine: A Concise Encyclopedia, REF DK508.U413
• Who's Who in the Soviet Union, REF DK37.W48 1984
• Who Was Who in the USSR,,REF CT1212.I57 1972

A biographical directory containing 5015 biographies of prominent Soviet historical personalities.
• Bibliographies
• American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies,
• Books on Communism, REF HX36.K666
• Guide to the Study of the Soviet Nationalities - Non-Russian Peoples of the USSR, REF DK33.G8 1982
• Russia and the Former Soviet Union: a bibliographic guide to English language publications (1986-1991), REF DK19.S89 1994
• Soviet Studies Guide, REF DK266.S68 1992
• USSR: Analytical Survey of Literature, REF Z2491 U44

Includes summaries and analyzes books and articles. Emphasis is on military and foreign policy, although other topoics are also included. Useful charts and maps.
• INDEXES & ABSTRACTS DATABASES
• ABSEES

Covers 1990 - present. Updated Monthly.
ABSEES Online is the online version of The American Bibliography of Slavic and East European Studies. Includes citations to journal articles, books, book chapters, book reviews, dissertations, and selected  government publications on East-Central Europe and the former Soviet Union published in the United States and Canada.

• FirstSearch

FirstSearch is an electronic information service offering access to over 40 bibliographic and full-text databases on all subject areas.
 
• Government Printing Office

Citations to U.S. federal government publications. Based on the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications, it contains references to books, reports, studies, serials, maps and other publications. Topics covered include finance, business, demographics, foreign relations, public health and social issues.
• GPO Access, 1994 - present, updated daily
• FirstSearch Access, 1976 - present, updated quarterly
• Lexis/Nexis Information Service

Lexis/Nexis provides full-text news and information on a regional, national, and international level.
• Periodical Contents Index

PCI Web is an electronic index to the contents of thousands of periodicals in the humanities and
social sciences, from their first issues to 1990/1991. The scope is international, including journals in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and other Western languages.

• PERIODICALS (Print)

Located in alphabetical order on the ground floor of the library.  Recent issues are on the open shelves, bound issues are found in the compact shelving area.
 
• Canadian American Slavic Studies, 1972 -
• East European Quarterly, 1981 -
• Foregin Affairs, Current issue on shelf, 1948 -  (microfilm), 1922 - 1979 (print)
• Foregin Policy, 1970 -
• Political Archives of the Soviet Union, 1990 - 1991
• Problems of Communism, 1960 - 1992
• Russian History, 1974 -
• Russian Review, 1965 -
• Slavic and East European Journal, 1959 -
• Slavic Review, 1941 -
• Slavonic and East European Review, 1970 -
• Soviet Documents, 1963 - 65
• Post Soviet Affairs, 1993 -

Soviet Economy, 1985 - 1992
• Russian Politics and Law, 1993 -

Soviet Law and Government, 1966 - 1992
• Russian Life, 1992 -

Soviet  Life, 1965 - 1991
• Soviet Literature, 1966 - 1990
• Russian Social Science Review, 1992 -

Soviet Review, 1960 - 1991
• Sociological Research, 1992 -

Soviet Sociology, 1966 - 1991
• Soviet Studies, 1970 - 1992
• Russian Studies in History, 1992-

Soviet Studies in History, 1966 - 1992
• Russian Studies in Literature, 1991 -

Soviet Studies in Literature, 1964 - 1990
• Soviet Studies in Philosophy, 1962 - 1964
• Soviet and Post-Soviet Reveiw, 1992 - 1995

Soviet Union, 1974 - 1991
• Commonwealth of Independent States and the Middle East, 1992 -

Soviet Union and the Middle East, 1984 - 1991
• Communist and Post Communist Studies, 1993 -

Studies in Comparative Communism, 1972 - 1992
• Studies in East European Thought, 1993 -

Studies in Soviet Thought, 1961 - 1992
• Survey (Soviet and East European Studies & Journal of East/West Studies), 1961 - 1989
• World Policy Journal, 1985 - (microfilm)
• World Politics, 1948 - (paper), 1995 - (online via Project Muse)
• World Press Review, current issue on shelf, 1983 -  (microfilm), 1980 - 1982 (paper)

• PRESS TRANSLATIONS
• Current Digest of the Soviet Press, 1968 - 1992 (periodical area)

Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press, 1992 - (periodical area)
 
• FBIS (Foreign Broadcast Information Service)

Collects and translates current political, economic, technical, and military information from the media worldwide for the U.S. government.  Contents include FBIS Daily Reports, JPRS reports, and created reports (FBIS Analysis, FBIS Trends, S&T Perspectives, Foreign Media Bulletin, Foreign Media Guide, PacRim Economic Review, and Foreign Press Survey.
• CDROM, PrEx 7.10/3:..., July 1996 - present.

Shelved in Government Documents CDROM cabinets.  Software is loaded on the GOVDOC1 computer.  This CDROM is searchable with full-text access.
 
• Microfiche, PrEx 7.10:FBIS..., current 5 years only.

Shelved in Government Documents microfiche cabinets. Skidmore does not own the indexes for FBIS. Consult the monthly cumulated table of contents filed directly in front of each month's reports.

• Daily Report: Eastern Europe, PrEx 7.10:FBIS-EEU
• Daily Report: Central Eurasia, PrEx 7.10:FBIS-SOV
• JPRS (Joint Publications Research Service) reports include economics, international relations, national politics, military affairs, and science and technology from social science and technical journals.

 
• Microfiche, PrEx 7.13..., current 5 years only.

Shelved in the Government Documents microfiche cabinet.  Use the Transdex Index to access materials.
 
• Transdex Index, 1987-1993 available on microfiche in the periodicals area.

Provides access to JPRS materials with a keyword index, keyword frequency list, personal name index, a publications index, and a series index.  The index will provide the JPRS fiche number and page.
• RFE/RL REPORTS

These weekly research reports are an important set of analytical resources on the post-communist period
• Web Access, April 1997 - present.
• Report on Eastern Europe, 1990 - 1991 (bound periodicals)
• Report on the USSR, 1989 - 91 (bound periodicals)
• RFE/RL Research Report, 1992 - 1994 (bound periodicals)

Internet Sites
The following sites will get you started on your research.
 

• CEESource: Central and East European Legal, Political, Business and Economics WWW Resources focuses on legal, political, business and economics links to Central and Eastern Europe, with an emphasis on English-language links from government, academic, NGO, and news agency sources. Links that are not at least partially available in English are so noted.

• Chronology of Russian History dates the major (and some not so major) events in Russian history and links them with explanatory and related materials on the Web. The chronology has been divided into four arbitrary periods: Pre-Petrine (860-1689), Petrine (1689-1916), and Soviet (1917-1991) and Post-Soviet (1991 to the present).

• Russia.Net contains links to important information. Click on politics (at the top) and thereafter to topics such as the Constitution (text), Who Is Who (biographies), Political Parties, Elections, Maps, etc. Or click on history and then on topics and periods of interest from the 7th century B.C. to the August 1991 coup.
• REESWeb is a comprehensive index of electronic resources on the Balkans, the Baltic states, the Caucusus, Central Asia, Central Europe, the CIS, Eastern Europe, the NIS, the Russian Federation, and the former Soviet Union.

• Russian Regional Database

• Links to Russian and FSU Web Resources contains links to general web servers and information, travel and news, science links and funding, Russian communities, NIS city, region and country links, language departments, photo-exhibitions, music, literature, art and more.

• REENIC is a collection of links to websites with information about East and Central Europe, Russia, and the newly independent countries of the former Soviet Union. REENIC is supported by The University of Texas at Austin Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies and the College of Liberal Arts.

• News
• OMRINet (Open Media Research Institute) is a research and publishing operation, jointly created in June 1994 by RFE/RL and the Open Society Institute, that provides information and news reports from Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.  Coverage is January 2, 1995 - March 28, 1997.

 
• Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on the WWW broadcasts news and current affairs programs daily in 23 languages to a regular audience of 25 million listeners across Central Europe and the former Soviet Union.  Coverage is April 1, 1997 - present.

 
• Voice of Russia broadcasting insists that the entire range of opinions, views and platforms should be represented in the programs.  The services does not to give one-sided coverage or advertise just one point of view.

Country Information
The text and sources found under each country are supplied by the class.

 

Armenia	Azerbaijan	Byelarus
Estonia	Georgia	Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan	Latvia	Lithuania
Moldova	Russia	Tajikistan
Turkmenistan	Ukraine	Uzbekistan

Listservs and Discussion Groups
Listservs and discussion groups allow you to join topic specific discussions with other students, scholars, and professionals.

• Directory of Scholarly Electronic Conferences covers topics of interest to scholars and      professionals for use in their scholarly, pedagological and professional activities.

 
• TILE.NET/LISTS is a list of listserv discussion groups.

 
• Liszt is a searchable list with over 24,500 sites indexed.

 
• Dejanews is "the largest collection of indexed archived Usenet news available anywhere."

Searching the Internet
This document will provide you with the basic concepts, subject directories, search engines, and guides to use the World Wide Web successfully.

Citing Sources

• PRINT
• The Chicago Manual of Style, REF Z253 .U69 1993
• A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, READY REF PE2369 .T8 1996
 
• ELECTRONIC
• APA Style for Citing Internet Resources is the complete guide to citing Internet resources APA style.
• MLA Style for Citing Internet Resources is the complete guide to citing Internet resources MLA style.

Evaluating Internet Sites and Sources
Use the following sites to evaluate the information you find on your topic.

• Evaluation Checklist to use with individual sites.

• Evaluating World Wide Web Information a general checklist from Rutgers University.

 
• Checklists for evaluating specific types of web resources from the Wolfgram Memorial Library at Widener University.
• Advocacy Web Pages
• Business/Marketing Web Pages
• News Web Pages
• Informational Web Pages
• Personal Home Pages

Jennifer Taxman
jtaxman@skidmore.edu
Lucy Scribner Library, Skidmore College
Last Update: January 26, 1999
http://hudson2.skidmore.edu/irc/library/courses/gov327/