USMA Library Homepage: Social Sciences: American Politics

Welcome to American Politics

Students of American Politics, Policy, and Strategy study governance, policymaking, institutions, processes, and strategy-making, with focused attention on the U.S./American perspective.

Books

Impeachment by Cass R. Sunstein
Call Number: KF5075 .S84 2017
ISBN: 9780674983793
Publication Date: 2017
With an eye toward the past and the future, the author considers a host of actual and imaginable arguments for a president's removal, explaining why some cases are easy and others hard, why some arguments for impeachment have been judicious and others not. In direct and approachable terms, it dispels the fog surrounding impeachment so that Americans of all political convictions may use their ultimate civic authority wisely.

eBooks

American While Black by Niambi Michele Carter
Call Number: Electronic Resource
ISBN: 9780190053550
Publication Date: 2019
What has an expanded immigration regime meant for how African-Americans express national attachment? The author argues that immigration, both historically and in the contemporary moment, has served as a reminder of the limited inclusion of African Americans in the body politic. They use the issue of immigration as a way to understand the nature and meaning of their American citizenship, specifically the way that white supremacy structures and constrains not just their place in the American political landscape, but their political opinions as well.

Political Science Databases (American Politics)

Black Life in America This link opens in a new window
Discover comprehensive coverage of the African American experience from the early 18th century to the present day. Sourced from nearly 19,000 American and global newspapers from 1704 to the present, including over 400 African American newspapers. Updated daily.
CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online This link opens in a new window
View a comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs with scholarship ranging from university research institutes, NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, conferences proceedings, books, journals and policy briefs. This contains a wide range of scholarship from 1991 onward.
Congressional Research Service Reports This link opens in a new window
Publicly accessible government reports present a legislative perspective on topics such as agriculture policy, counterterrorism operations, banking regulation, and veteran's issues.
CQ Press Library This link opens in a new window
Browse resources on American government, current affairs, history, politics, public policy, and data analysis for the social sciences. Search across the following included content: Congress Collection, CQ Almanac, CQ Researcher Plus Archive, Political Handbook of the World, Politics in America, Public Affairs Collection, Voting and Elections collection and CQ Press Supreme Court Collection.
Congress Collection: A Comprehensive guide to the U.S. Congress, including floor votes.
CQ Almanac: Narrative accounts of major legislation from every congressional session, 1945-2020.
CQ Researcher: In-depth reporting on today's issues.
CQ Press Books: Books and reference titles covering American government, politics, history, and public policy.
Encyclopedia of American Government: Explanations regarding the who, how, and why of American democracy.
Politics in America: Profiles and commentary on every member of congress.
Public Affairs Collection: Primary sources, stats summaries, and in-depth reporting on policy and affairs.
Supreme Court Collection: Insight on the decisions and opinions of the Supreme Court.
Voting and Elections Collection: A look at U.S. elections, including returns from 1789-present.
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) This link opens in a new window
ICPSR maintains a data archive of more than 250,000 files of research in the social and behavioral sciences. It hosts 21 specialized collections of data in education, aging, criminal justice, substance abuse, terrorism, and other fields. Its archive contains over 3,000 in a wide range of topics in political and social sciences.
An international consortium of more than 750 academic institutions and research organizations, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis for the social science research community.
Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window
Updated weekly, this resource presents key facts, arguments, history, and current context of current events and important issues.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window
Explore multiple viewpoints on popular controversial topics. Information is presented in a pro and con viewpoint format with additional reference articles that provide context.
Policy File Index This link opens in a new window
Citations and abstracts, most with links to full text, for U.S. public policy research from over 350 think tanks, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, university centers, advocacy groups, and other entities.

Provided by the Class of 1946.
Polling the Nations This link opens in a new window
A database of polls taken on a variety of subjects all over the world from 1986 to the present.
ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Explore a collection of historic and current U.S. Congressional information and publications on all aspects of legislation from 1789 to the present. Full text is available for many resources beginning in 1990 through present day. Use this resource to browse bills, laws, legislative histories, hearings, committee prints, House and Senate documents and reports, the Congressional Record, Congressional Research Service reports, Code of Federal Regulations, and Federal Register.
ProQuest Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Full text collection of a wide range of current and historical American newspapers.
ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the U.S. This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Use the Abstract as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information both in print and on the Web. Covers 1790 to present.
ProQuest Statistical Insight This link opens in a new window
Statistical information produced by U.S. Federal agencies, States, private organizations, and major intergovernmental organizations.
SHAFR guide online This link opens in a new window
Browse this annotated bibliography of historical work covering the entire span of U.S. foreign relations. The SHAFR Guide Online’s thirty chapters cover all eras in U.S. history from colonial days through the Barack Obama presidency as well as all geographical areas of the world.
HeinOnline U.S. Congressional Documents Library This link opens in a new window
Law Journal Library -- Brennan Center for Justice Publications at NYU School of Law -- Code of Federal Regulations -- Criminal Justice in America: U.S. Attorney General Opinions, Reports, and Publications -- Federal Register Library -- Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) -- GAO Reports and Comptroller General Decisions -- Gun Regulation and Legislation in America -- History of International Law -- John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection -- Legal Classics -- Military and Government - Pentagon Papers -- Religion and the Law -- Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law -- U.S. Code -- U.S. Congressional Documents -- U.S. Congressional Serial Set -- U.S. Federal Agency Documents, Decisions, and Appeals -- U.S. Federal Legislative History Library -- U.S. Presidential Library -- U.S. Presidential Impeachment Library -- U.S. Statutes at Large -- U.S. Supreme Court Library -- U.S. Treaties and Agreements Library -- Women and Law (Peggy) -- World Constitutions Illustrated.
U.S. Congressional Serial Set [GPO] This link opens in a new window
Browse this database of Congressional documents and reports from 1995 onward. This resource provides access to primary source material on all aspects of American history, including committee reports related to bills and other matters, presidential communications to Congress, treaty materials, and selected executive department and non-governmental publications.
U.S. Congressional Serial Set [Readex] This link opens in a new window
Browse this database of Congressional documents and reports from 1817 through 1994. This resource provides access to primary source material on all aspects of American history, including committee reports related to bills and other matters, presidential communications to Congress, treaty materials, and selected executive department and non-governmental publications.
Vanderbilt Television News Archive This link opens in a new window
Stream regularly scheduled newscasts from ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox News. Special news reports are recorded in addition to these newscasts, including material from other networks.

Subscriber institutions will be able to view online video from the Archive's collection of NBC material, ranging from August 5, 1968 to the present and CNN broadcasts beginning in 1995. No current material will be made available until at least 72 hours after it was originally broadcast.

The New York Times - Politics RSS Feed

Websites

Politico

POLITICO covers political news with a focus on national politics, Congress, Capitol Hill, lobbying, advocacy, and more.

Articles

The Case for More Guns (and More Gun Control)

The article discusses gun control in the U.S. and argues for a connection between increased access to guns among law-abiding citizens and the prevention of gun violence. The author looks at several shootings such as the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado and the state's 1999 Columbine High School shooting.

Government Documents

Fencing along the southwest border

Call Number: Electronic Resource

Publication Date: 2017

Hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on the status of border security, in light of the ongoing flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S. from Mexico.

Federal Government Websites

govinfo
govinfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government. Very useful for acquiring primary sources by researching federal government documents.
Congress.gov
Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information, providing timely information for Members of Congress and the public. Additionally, roll call votes are provided for both the House and Senate from 1989 to the present (101st to the 116th Congress).
U.S. Senate
Provides detailed information about Senators, committees, legislation and records, including recent roll call votes.
U.S. House of Representatives
Provides detailed information about individual Representatives, leadership, committees, and legislative activities.
whitehouse.gov
Provides information on President Trump's administration and public policies from the perspective of the President.