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Political thought and philosophy: Recommended: start here

Unusual among American social sciences, political sciences retains an active, explicitly normative subfield that often has more in common with humanities than with other social sciences.

What's here

This guide focuses on principal research resources in teh foundational subfield of political science.  It is supplements the main subject guide for political science and international studies.  The Other political science research guides tab is a menu that connects you to related research guides for the major subfields of the discipline and for related programs in the VT School of Public & International Affairs. 

Resources listed on this page are clustered into Key databases for accessing scholarly literature, Background information sources; Contact information for the subject librarian; and access to Additional information.

Parts of this guide are also available in related subject guides: News/journalism/streaming media;  Advice for searching/citing/engaging with related scholarly literatures; and Accessing VT Library resources off campus.

Essential resources -- start here

Reference and background information

Temporary, trial access only -- use while you can

Tech's University Libraries seek user input about possible purchases of online resources; October, February, and  (sometimes) April are the primary trial months. 

Let us know how (if...) a trial fits the research, teaching/learning, and public service missions of the university.  Share your judgments through the short survey linked to each trial blurb and/or more detailed remarks in an email to a subject librarians. If we do not receive favorable comments about products on trial, we will not buy them.

All active trials are listed in a sidebar on the Databases A-Z guide, usually including their expiration dates and links to online user evaluation surveys.  Here I list current trials of likely interest to the departments I serve.  

Trials of these HeinOnline databases expire May 14, 2022:

Social Sciences & History Librarian

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Bruce Pencek
Contact:
Newman Library (MC 0434)
Office #3050
560 Drillfield Dr
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Email is the best way to contact me with questions or appointment requests.

Office hours (walk-in and/or Zoom): T-W 1-3:00 pm, Th 2-4:00 pm (Eastern time), and by appointment.
- virginiatech.zoom.us/j/95623507981

(540) 231-2140

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Interlibrary Loan Services

All current Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff, regardless of your location, may request through ILLiad for materials:

  • not owned by Virginia Tech (books, articles from journals and conference proceedings, book chapters, standards, and technical papers)
  • owned by Virginia Tech but are unavailable for use (print books)
  • owned by Virginia Tech and available in print (scans of articles from journals and conference proceedings, book chapters, standards, and technical papers)

We ship requests via UPS to users outside the immediate Blacksburg area (Montgomery, Giles and Pulaski counties).

Articles, book chapters, and many technical papers are delivered in PDF format to your ILLiad account. Occasionally, due to copyright restrictions, a paper copy of an article or standard is held for your at the Newman User Services Desk or sent o the mailing address listed on your account.