Collection Profile: Political and Social Sciences

Political and Social Theory (100–199, 300–301, 320.01), including analyses of concepts and methods, contemporary European social theory and the history of political thought. Important themes include justice, liberty, equality, rights and duties, tolerance, citizenship, self-determination. Social theory includes broad coverage of the methodological foundations of the modern social sciences.

Sociology and Political Economy (300–307, 360–369, 380–389), including the comparative macro-analysis of socio-economic and socio-political structures, welfare states and nation states. Library holdings cover comparative socio-economic structures (welfare states, labour markets, industrial relations, income distribution, taxation and public expenditure, &c.); the social bases of political behaviour (social stratification, mobility, social movements, demographic developments, ethnic and cultural minorities, &c.); and processes of modernisation (industrialisation, urbanisation, mass politics, social media, democratic transitions, post-communist societies).

Comparative Politics (320–328), including classical and institutional analysis of government, behavioural and quantitative analysis of political systems and processes. Library holdings cover governmental institutions and processes (e.g. constitutions, executives, legislatures, bureaucracies, &c.); non-governmental politics (e.g. political parties, interest groups, mass movements, elections, public opinion); policies and policy-making (e.g. relating to welfare, unemployment, immigration and the environment).

The Politics of European Integration and Processes of Europeanisation (321.0404), including European Union institutions, processes and policies of the European Union, EU member states and external relations of the EU. The Library collection provides multi-lingual coverage of all aspects of contemporary and historical European social, political, economic and legal dynamics.

International Relations and International Political Economy (327, 382), including inter-state and inter-regional political economic relations, security studies and military alliances. The Library collects extensively on the theory of international relations; foreign policies of EU member states and the external relations of the EU.

Details of the classification system for the Political and Social Sciences Collection are on this Library page.

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Suggesting works for acquisition

EUI scholars play an active role in the Library's collection development by suggesting books, journals, databases, reference works and news resources.

Selection criteria for new titles include: Quality indicators, such as publisher's reputation; Relevance indicators, including anticipated usage and number of requests; Alignment with broad departmental and research centre profiles and; Potential inter-disciplinary usage.

All suggestions are considered, including new works, new editions, older works newly relevant, new translations, re-issued works with new commentary and anniversary editions.

Contact: Thomas Bourke

 

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