Resources of the Week
Two items.
1) Refugees–Searchable Database
RefWorld
Source: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
RefWorld is the content-rich nucleus of the recently updated UNHCR website. Available here is a collection of databases “containing Country of Origin Information (COI) and Legal Information (which) have been compiled by UNHCR and consist of carefully selected reports and documents.” Select a country from the convenient drop-down menu to access all documents pertaining to that country on a single page, along with a picture of the flag and a few basic facts related to population, geography, languages spoken, etc. Choosing Iraq, for example, produces a comprehensive collection of links to full-text country reports (e.g., from Amnesty International, the U.S. Department of State, UK Home Office, etc.), events timelines, think tank papers and research briefs, as well as legal documents such as UN Resolutions, statutes and an interim constitution. Essentially, this is the online version of UNHRC’s Refworld 2004 CD-ROM collection, which “has been referred to as a ‘refugee encyclopedia’ as it contains documents ranging from background country reports to legal position papers and guidelines.”
See Also: UNHCR Library & Visitors’ Centre
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2) Philosophy–Encyclopedias
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Source: Metaphysics Research Lab, Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University
“The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is intended to serve as an authoritative reference work suitable for use by professionals and students in the field of philosophy, as well as by all others interested in authoritative discussions on philosophical topics.” Founded in 1995, it currently offers “more than 500 entries in 35 subject areas, including philosophy of science, aesthetics, history of ideas, feminism, ethics (theoretical and applied), social and political philosophy, and logic,” according to a press release from SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). This week SPARC stepped up to the plate to generate some financial support for this resource. Edward Zalta, its principal editor — a research scholar at Stanford University’s Center for the Study of Language and Information — said in the press release that he expects the encyclopedia — which is accessed roughly 300,000 times a week — to grow to more than 700 entries by 2006.

Browse the encyclopedia via an alphabetical abridged table of contents or do a simple keyword search from the same page. An extensive unabridged table of contents is also available. A few advanced search options, such as case sensitivity and partial match, are offered. A What’s New page alerts you to the most recent three months’ entries, or you can browse all of the entries chronologically, according to when they were published.

According to the encyclopedia’s Editorial Information page: “Contributions to the Encyclopedia are normally solicited by invitation from a member of the Board of Editors. However, qualified potential contributors may send a proposal to write on an Encyclopedia topic, along with a curriculum vitae, to an appropriate member of the Editorial Board.”

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