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1. Purpose of the collection
The Library collects material in the subject area of political science primarily to support the teaching and research requirements of the School of Political Science and International Studies. Because of the nature of the collection, it is widely used by staff and students from many other schools.
2. Primary user groups served
The Library acquires material to support curriculum within the School of Political Science and International Studies which focuses, at the undergraduate level, on Australian Politics, Political Economy, Public Policy, Asian Politics, Comparative Politics (European, American and Asian), Gender Politics, International Relations, Peace Studies, Political Theory and Political Methods.
The Library acquires material to support a number of Postgraduate programs, including an Honours degree in Government, two coursework masters degrees in Labour Studies and International Relations/Asian Politics as well as postgraduate research degrees leading to the awards of Master of Social Science, Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy.
The library also acquires material to support the school's Centres and Research Units:
- Centre for Democracy
- Labour and Industry Research Unit
- International Relations & Asian Politics Research Unit
- Rotary Centre for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution
Because of the cross-disciplinary nature of the subject, the Library also acquires material from other subject areas including history, economics, commerce, management and law.
3. Description of existing collection
The collection consists of textbooks and background/research material on a range of Government-related areas such as international relations, peace and conflict studies, industrial relations, federal, state and local government, and politics. Parliamentary materials such as Hansard and Parliamentary Papers are also collected at both state and federal levels.
4. Interdisciplinary relationships
Government shares common areas of interest with other subject areas such as Journalism, Management and Economics.
5. Scope of current collecting
1. Languages collected
We collect primarily material in English.
2. Geographical areas collected
We collect material primarily related to Australia, the US, Canada, Western Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. We do not collect significant amounts of material on Africa, Latin America or Eastern Europe, since these are not teaching or research areas of current interest at UQ.
3.Chronological periods collected
The period of the twentieth century is probably the best represented chronological era, though eighteenth and nineteenth century material is also collected.
4. Types (forms) collected
The library also collects material in electronic format, e.g. the full text of articles and papers through databases available on the Web and through the University of Queensland Library network.
Publication dates
The emphasis is on recent publications.
6. Special considerations
None.
7. Conspectus
- Political Science consistently scores an overall rating of 3a.
- Official Documents score a rating of 3a, but particular strengths include Australian Commonwealth and Queensland, which rate a 4
- Collections and General Works - Treatises rates a 3 as does Constitutional History and Administration, including Political Rights and Guaranties; Government, Administration; and Political Parties. However there is a comparative lack in strength in the 1980's of monographs and foreign language materials.
- Political Theory, Theory of the State; Nationalism, Minorities, Geopolitics; Forms of the State; The State and the Individual, Liberty, all score 3b.
- Constitutional History and Administration:
- North America, there is some deterioration in US monographs and primary sources and a lack of congressional material from the late 1970's, leading to a rating of 2b as does Latin America and British materials.
- The Canadian collection is decisively better at 3a.
- Europe, with a score of 2b is an extremely variable collection, with fewer primary sources from the mid 1980's
- Great Britain scores 3b to mid 1980's with strengths in the 1830's, and 1880-1914
- France scores 3a to 1986. Germany 3a to mid 1980's, with the strongest holdings for social democratic parties and trade unionism to 1932.
- Russia (former Soviet Union) scores 3a with some strength in primary sources, including samizdata, 1917 onwards.
- Except for Great Britain the selection of European material is in languages other than English.
- Asia rates 2b with strengths in East and South East
- Africa rates 2a, comparatively stronger for East Africa and Nigeria.
- Australia, scores 3b but scores 4 for Australian national politics from 1945 onwards and Queensland. Increasing deficiencies in current source materials outside national, and Queensland politics. Particular strengths in Queensland trade unions and Labor, as well as student radicalism. Comparatively strong (AV)and (EP). New Zealand and the Pacific Islands both score 3a, however there are significant deficiencies in official published sources and local political material.
- Local Government rates 3a.
- Colonies and Colonization rates 3a.
- Immigration and Emigration rates 2b with Australia rating 3b despite a lack of ethnic newspapers. Quality of holdings varies greatly across other countries.
- International Arbitration, World Peace rate 3a - probably 3b to mid 1980's cessation of most UN subscription series. Australia rates the highest at 4 although lacking some working and occasional papers. International Law rates 3.
- Diplomatics and Diplomatic Relations both score 1a.
- International Law, International Relations scores 3a with holdings of 30 of the top 40 most cited periodicals in SSCI. Treaties scores 3a, whilst United States holdings scores 3b, with deficiencies in recent official material.
- Military Science, the library either does not collect or has minimal coverage - rating is 0-1a.
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