Skip to main content

HIST1825: Nothing Civil About It: Civil Wars Since 1900 (FR) Guide Ask Us

Guide Sections

Reference Sources

Looking for a place to start learning about Civil Wars?

An excellent starting point for the study of Civil War is this entry from the International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Science. In this article, Bill Kissane provides an overview of the subject, names researchers and publications that can help you, and ends with a bibliography of key books and articles that you may wish to follow up with. 

When researching a new topic it is often necessary to get an overview, explanations of unfamiliar terms, or brief factual information. The print and electronic resources listed below include selected reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopaedias, handbooks, guides, and standards) for the topic of Civil Wars. To find additional reference materials, check UNB WorldCat (the library catalogue) or our Reference Materials database.

Key Resources

  • The international encyclopedia of revolution and protest: 1500 to the present [HIL-REF JC491 .I58 2009 vols. 1-8]

    This definitive 8-volume reference is a comprehensive print resource covering the history of protest and revolution over the past 500 years - throughout the modern era of mass movements.

  • An encyclopedic dictionary of conflict and conflict resolution, 1945-1996 [HIL-REF D842 .J47 1998]

    Rather than mark the end of conflict, the end of World War II began a half century of ideological, political, military and economic struggles, many with century-old antecedents. This work brings together in encyclopedic format most of the major events of the last half century that can be classified as conflict. While war is the ultimate conflict, the volume includes assassinations, coups, insurgency, terrorism, massacres, and genocide. It provides detailed information on the people, places and events that have produced conflict and its resolution since 1945. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Regional guide to international conflict and management from 1945 to 2003
    "Efforts against terrorism, border skirmishes, ethnic clashes, civil strife, separatist movements, and the increasing presence of peacekeeping forces throughout hot spots in the world have increased the importance of understanding international conflict. Regional Guide to International Conflict and Management from 1945 to 2003 summarizes and analyzes international conflicts as individual and as regional events, illuminating their causes, relationships, patterns, and management." "The 343 conflicts at the heart of the book are grouped by regions - Africa, the Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Middle East - to highlight the patterns and consequences of conflict in those areas."--Jacket.  
  • Encyclopedia of stateless nations : ethnic and national groups around the world [HIL-REF D860 .M563 2016]

    "This volume represents the culmination of over a decade of research, planning, organization, and implementation as an updated and expanded sequel to the Encyclopedia of Stateless Nations: Ethnic and National Groups around the World, which was published in 2002. ... This encyclopedia was prepared to provide readers with an easy-to-use guide to the ethnic and national groups seeking recognition, autonomy, or independence in our complicated contemporary world. The encyclopedia is presented as a quick reference to the confusing issues of national identity, religious and ethnic relations, regional conflicts, and immigration that are important factors in all levels of national and international politics."--Preface, page xi.

  • Warfare and armed conflicts : a statistical encyclopedia of casualty and other figures, 1494-2007 [HIL-REF D214 .C54 2008]

    This volume is an attempt to account for military and noncombatant casualties in every war (and other forms of mass human violence) for which there exist statistics over the course of the last five centuries. Rather than engage in a dry recital of statistics however, the author has embedded the numbers within essays that briefly explore the historical contexts of the conflicts, how people died and at the end of which weapons, and the impacts of the various conflicts. Numerous other statistics are embedded within these essays as well, such as the number of personnel engaged in battles and campaigns, numbers of missing in action, and numbers of weapons and vehicles deployed.

  • Encyclopedia of violence, peace & conflict [HIL-REF HM886 .E53 1999 vols. 1-3]

    This outstanding three-volume set seeks to answer basic questions about modern warfare, conflict, violence, and peace, but also covers current topics such as police brutality, aggression in sports, television violence, and animal aggression. The greatest value of this multivolume work is its interdisciplinary coverage. The set is broken down into 15 subject areas covering approximately 200 different issues. Each article is about 9,000 words, including a definition of the subject, illustrations, glossaries, and bibliographies. It is an excellent source written by scholars from around the world.

Additional Resources

  • Conflict and conquest in the Islamic world : a historical encyclopedia [HIL-REF DS38.3 .C66 2011]

    Military-political conflict, and the resulting factionalism, shifts in leadership, and divergent belief systems, has been a constant and crucial part of the Islamic world. In order to fully grasp the cultural, social, or political aspects of Islam in the modern world, it is necessary to comprehend the rich tapestry of Islamic history from pre-Islamic times to the present, much of which involved armed conflict. This book provides hundreds of entries on wars, revolutions, sieges, institutions, leaders, armies, weapons, and other aspects of wars and military life, enabling readers to understand the complex role conflict has played in Islamic life throughout history and see how Islamic warfare has evolved over the centuries. This reference work covers not only the traditional Middle Eastern regions and countries but also provides relevant historical information regarding Islam in North Africa, Central Asia, Southeastern Asia, and Oceania.

  • The A to Z of Afghan wars, revolutions and insurgencies

    This volume presents an encyclopedic survey of the endless chain of wars stretching over two and a half centuries in the country of Afghanistan. The coverage consists of the American involvement in Afghanistan since October 2001 as well as individual campaigns, including tactics and logistics of skirmishes, the weapons used, and biographical entries on the significant leaders involved in the battles. Extensive analysis of regional and ideological divisions within the country and the external forces that have brought around conflict in this remote, mountainous region, in addition to a chronology of the encounters, an extensive bibliography, and numerous maps and illustrations.

  • Encyclopedia of the Arab-Irsaeli Conflict: A Political, Social, and Military History, The [HIL-REF DS119.7 .E5653 2008 vols. 1-4]

    With a focus on the military aspects of the conflict, this 4-volume resource also contains lengthy entries on central issues of religion and culture that have an impact on Israeli and Palestinian relations. The first three volumes are devoted to the A-Z entries, many of them biographies, with topics that include specific battles, treaties, and sites. Individual entries are included for the policies of key countries, such as France, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and the Soviet Union. Each entry concludes with cross-references and a short list of references, and many include b #38;w images. Volume Four is given over to the comprehensive index and 168 primary documents (many in excerpted form), including military reports, resolutions and declarations by various delegations and congresses, protocols, and speeches. This is a thorough, even-handed work that provides clear descriptions of the history of this long-standing and complex conflict to a wide readership. Annotation #169;2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Encyclopedia of European social history from 1350 to 2000 [HIL-REF HN373 .E63 2001 vols. 1-6]

    "Covering the period from the beginning of the Renaissance to the present, this encyclopedia consists of 209 signed articles and nearly 300 biographical entries. The set is thoroughly indexed, amply illustrated, and a joy to read. Graduate students will find it useful as an introduction to historiography while advanced high school students will enjoy the articles on historical topics."--"Outstanding Reference Sources," American Libraries, May 2001. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • The Columbia dictionary of European political history since 1914 [HIL-REF D424 .C65 1992]

    Originally published: Dictionary of British and European history since 1914. U.K. : Macmillan.

  • Encyclopedia of Eastern Europe : from the Congress of Vienna to the fall of communism [HIL-REF DJK6 .E53 2000 ]

    "This encyclopedia explores the history of this complex region over the last two centuries." "Articles are included on countries and regions of Eastern Europe: Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and the countries that once made up Yugoslavia. European Russia is also included. These articles are both detailed and concise, offering the reader a brief but comprehensive introduction into a country's history during the last two centuries - a crucial time when Europe was swept by wars and convulsive political change that shaped the present." "The book covers not only the leading figures who shaped the region's political destiny, but also the major artists, writers, and other culturally significant individuals of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Some of these figures are known in the West, while others will be new to many readers." "An extensive map program enriches the text and helps the reader place a topic in geographic context. A bibliography at the end of each entry directs the reader to accessible sources for further reading or research on Eastern European history."

  • A dictionary of European history and politics, 1945-1995 [HIL-REF D1051 .U78 1996]

    The Dictionary of European History and Politics since 1945 covers, in a concise and easy-to-use format, the most significant features of Western and Eastern European history and politics in the tumultuous period since the end of the Second World War.

  • A Companion to Nineteenth-Century Europe
    This title is part of the Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online e-book collection available through the Wiley Online Library.
    Permitted Use | Purchased multi-user unlimited access
  • Russian Revolution of 1917 : the essential reference guide [HIL-REF DK265 .R958 2017]

    This invaluable reference guide provides an understanding of the social, political, and economic forces and events in Russia that led to the 1905 Russian Revolution in which leftists radicals disposed of the Czar and his regime. It addresses key developments such as the formation of the provisional government, the Bolshevik Revolution in October 1917, and the Russian Civil War—connected, evolutionary historical events that fundamentally reshaped Russia into the Soviet Union.

    This book serves students and general readers seeking a single source that provides in-depth coverage of the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War. Beyond the reference entries, the book contains primary documents that cover the key events, people, and issues that emerged during Russia's revolutions and Civil War. These documents give readers a more detailed understanding of how the Bolsheviks used calls for greater "democracy" to gain support for their revolution, how the Bolsheviks used terror and control as means to maintain their power once the Bolshevik Revolution took place, and why the Bolsheviks believed such extreme measures were needed. Also included is a chronology of major events from 1890 through 1923 and a bibliography that serves as a starting point for more directed research.

    Features

    • Provides a detailed history of the Russian Revolution, addressing events from the abdication of Czar Nicholas II to the Bolshevik Revolution
    • Gives readers a more complete understanding of how the Bolsheviks fought during the Civil War to maintain and solidify the success of their revolution
    • Includes a substantial collection of primary documents that offers keen insights into what key actors thought and how these individuals behaved during the historical period
  • Conflict in the former Yugoslavia: an encyclopedia [HIL-REF DR1232 .F67 1998]

    A reference text representing the contributions of 30 scholars and experts, intended for students, journalists, researchers, politicians, and historians. The nearly 500 entries cover topics such as cease-fires, ethnic cleansing, Titoism, the International Monetary Fund, reporting on the war. Also included are entries on all the major people and places in the former Yugoslavia. The volume features several maps, a chronology, and the text of the Dayton Agreement. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

  • Historical dictionary of civil wars in Africa [HIL-REF DT21.5 .A76 2008]

    "This second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Civil Wars in Africa reviews the wars that have occurred in Africa in the past half century: Algeria's struggle for independence from French colonial rule, Nigeria's fight to achieve a balanced state after the British departure, the Rwandan genocide of 1994, and the current ethnic cleansing in Darfur, to name only a few. It contains a chronology, a list of acronyms and abbreviations, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and cross-referenced dictionary entries on wars, conflicts, major political and military figures, and topics such as child soldiers, mercenaries, and blood diamonds."--BOOK JACKET. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • New encyclopedia of Africa [HIL-REF DT2 .N48 2008]

    Scribner's Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara was a welcome and much-needed work when it was released a decade ago. It assembled in four volumes a wealth of knowledge about Africa from the perspective of historians who studied the continent closely and intensively. Compiled by the original collaborators, this set is an effort to replicate, rework, and expand on that fine resource. Middleton (Yale) and Miller (Univ. of Virginia) have gathered a great group of contributors to provide coherent and focused content, which results in a set that is more contemporaneous and reflective of the global integration that Africa has undergone since 1997.

  • Historical dictionary of Rwanda [HIL-REF DT450.115 .T89 2007 ]

    "Blessed with natural beauty and rich vegetation, Rwanda is often called the "land of a thousand hills." A proud people, the Banyarwanda (Rwandans) possess a centric view of the world, believing that Imana (God) favors Rwanda, as conveyed through the saying "Imana yirirwa ahandi igataha i Rwanda" (God spends the day someplace else but goes back home to Rwanda to sleep) and the fact that Rwanda means "the universe." However, this idyllic view of Rwanda sharply contrasts with the sad history of ethnic strife that has unfolded in the country since the 1950s: the 1959 Hutu revolution followed by years of anti-Tutsi pogroms, undemocratic regimes, the civil war of 1990-1994, and, more significantly, the April-July 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and Hutu who opposed the killings."
  • Encyclopedia of twentieth-century African history
    see also [HIL-REF DT29 .E53 2003]

    The focus of this dictionary-style work is the past century of African history, covering decades of tremendous change, including resistance to colonial rule and the reestablishment of African independence.

  • A Companion to the Vietnam War
    This title is part of the Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online e-book collection available through the Wiley Online Library.
    Permitted Use | Purchased multi-user unlimited access
  • Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War : a political, social, and military history [HIL-REF DS557.7 .E53 2011]

    Contains over 1,000 entries discussing political, social, and military aspects of the Vietnam War. Includes maps, black-and-white photographs, a broad overview of the war, a chronology, a glossary, and primary source documents.

  • A Companion to Latin American History
    This title is part of the Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online e-book collection available through the Wiley Online Library.
    Permitted Use | Purchased multi-user unlimited access
  • Cambridge histories online
    This resource, part of Cambridge Core, contains the online versions of over 270 Cambridge Histories publications in the following 15 areas: American History, British History, Economic History, General History, History of Science, History of the Book, Language and Linguistics, Literary Studies, Music, Philosophy, Political and Social Theory, Regional History, Religious Studies, Theatre Studies and Performing Arts, and Warfare. For a complete listing of titles in each area, please refer to the publisher's site, at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/collections/cambridge-histories
  • Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online
    Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online "is a vast new online library giving instant access to the most authoritative and up-to-date scholarship across the humanities and social sciences. With more than 350 reference volumes to be published in Blackwell Reference Online by the end of 2008, it is the largest academic reference collection available online and includes the critically-acclaimed Blackwell Companions and Handbooks, major reference works such as the Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management and the Companion to Syntax, and a whole host of other valuable reference materials such as dictionaries, encyclopedias and concise companions."
  • Chronology of world history [HIL-REF D11 .M39 1999 vols. 1-4]

    This four volume set, which includes 70,000 events compiled by 27 contributing editors, constitutes the most complete and current chronology of world history ever created.

  • International historical statistics [HIL-REF HA155 .M575 2003 vols. 1-3]

    This three-volume set of international historical statistics allows the full breadth of statistical analysis and comparisons across both time and across the world.

  • The Blackwell Companion to Social Movements
    This title is part of the Wiley/Blackwell Reference Online e-book collection available through the Wiley Online Library.
    Permitted Use | Purchased multi-user unlimited access
  • Propaganda and mass persuasion : a historical encyclopedia, 1500 to the present [HIL-REF HM1231 .C85 2003]

    A truly international, authoritative A-Z guide to five centuries of propaganda, in both wartime and peacetime, which covers key moments, techniques, concepts, and some of the most influential propagandists in history.

  • Cambridge History of Twentieth-Century Political Thought, The [HIL-REF JA83 .C25 2003]

    This major work of academic reference provides a comprehensive overview of the development of political thought from the late nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century. Written by a distinguished team of international contributors, this Cambridge History covers the rise of the welfare state and subsequent reactions to it, the fascist and communist critiques of and attempted alternatives to liberal democracy, the novel forms of political organisation occasioned by the rise of a mass electorate and new social movements, the various intellectual traditions from positivism to post-modernism that have shaped the study of politics, the interaction between western and non-western traditions of political thought, and the challenge posed to the state by globalisation. Every major theme in twentieth-century political thought is covered in a series of chapters at once scholarly and accessible, of interest and relevance to students and scholars of politics at all levels from beginning undergraduate upwards.

  • Encyclopedia of genocide and crimes against humanity
    This encyclopedia contains approximately 350 articles that explain the issues behind crimes against humanity as they relate to individual countries and the world at large. It traces the history of events that qualify as genocide and crimes against humanity, profiles perpetrators and heroes, and explains international laws and legal proceedings aimed at ending genocide and crimes against humanity. Electronic version of the three-volume Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity edited by Dinah Shelton and first published in print by Macmillan Reference in 2005.
    Purchased multi-user unlimited access
  • Encyclopedia of international development [HIL-REF HD82 .E547 2005]

    "The Encyclopedia of International Development provides definitions and discussions of the key concepts, controversies, and actors associated with international development for a readership of development workers, teachers and students. With 600 entries ranging in length from shorter factual studies to more in-depth essays, a comprehensive system of cross references and a full index, it is the most definitive guide to international development yet published." "This encyclopedia will provide crucial information for universities, students and professional organizations involved with international development, or those interested in related topics such as international studies or other studies of social and economic change today."--BOOK JACKET. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • The encyclopedia of religion and war [HIL-REF BL80.3 .E53 2004 ]
    "The Encyclopedia of Religion and War examines the complex relationship between religion and war throughout the world and across time. In 130 articles, it analyzes how and why religious beliefs have generated wars and conflicts. The entries are contributed by international scholars representing many areas of expertise, including religious studies, world history, political science, philosophy, and anthropology."
  • A history of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim perspectives on war and peace [HIL-REF BL65 .W2 F76 2004 vols. 1-2]

    Frost (Swarthmore College) has written widely about peace and Quakers. Here he compiles perspectives from the major world religions on war and peace for general readers who are not specialists in the history of religions, the evolution of wars, the relationship between the two, but are interested in how faith communities in the past dealt with issues similar to those in effect now. In addition, he says particular chapters could be used in undergraduate courses and seminars. This first volume covers the origins of the ideas in the five religions, and Euro-American traditions through the 19th century. The two volumes are paged together, and the index and bibliography for both are contained in each. Annotation #169;2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

  • Keesing's contemporary archives [HIL-REF D410 .K4 v.32 1986]

    Textual holdings: v. 1 1931/34-v. 32 1986

  • Keesing's record of world events. -- [HIL-REF D410 .K4 v.54 2008]

    Textual holdings: v. 33 1987 - current.

  • Waging war on trial : a handbook with cases, laws, and documents [HIL-STACKS KF5060 .Z9 D57 2003]

    pt. I. Introduction. Chaotic nature of war ; The laws of war, the war of laws ; Law versus war ; Conclusion -- Historical background. War and the Constitution ; War and the Constitution before the Civil War ; Civil War: the law's first real test ; Imperialism and a World War ; Law, the Constitution, and the "good war" ; Korea, Vietnam, and war by presidential fiat ; Congress's pendulum: the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and the War Powers Act of 1973 ; After Vietnam: exorcised demons? -- Cases. The "least dangerous branch": the Supreme Court and American war making ; Defining the new roles: the Court and war making in the early national era ; The Civil War: libertarian idealism versus wartime pragmatism ; Reconstruction and ex parte Milligan ; World War I and Justice Holmes's conscience ; World War II ; After World War II: traditions ; The Court and war in the nuclear age ; Youngstown and the "imperial presidency" ; Expanding wartime dissent ; Reining in military justice: the Military Court of Appeals, and the My Lai atrocities ; Law and war: whither the Supreme Court? -- Legacy and impact. Met on a battlefield, of sorts ; The war powers issue: who's in charge? ; Wartime civil liberties and military justice ; The pending war with Iraq ; Law and war in the terrorism era: old wine in new bottles? -- pt. II. Documents. Constitutional language about war ; What Is a "war?" ; Controlling the wartime economy ; Clear and present danger: Schenck v. United States ; The retreat from Schenck: Abrams v. United States ; Slowing the imperial presidency: Youngstown ; Modern times: the Gulf War and the War on Terrorism.

  • International encyclopedia of the social & behavioral sciences (2nd Ed.)
    Fully revised and updated, the second edition of the International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, first published in 2001, offers a source of social and behavioral sciences reference material that is broader and deeper than any other. Available in both print and online editions, it comprises over 3,900 articles, commissioned by 71 Section Editors, and includes 90,000 bibliographic references as well as comprehensive name and subject indexes.

    UNB has online access to the 2001 edition as well as owning print volumes of the earlier edition.
  • HeinOnline - World Constitutions Illustrated
    All the world's current constitutions in their original languages and English translations are gathered into this single database, which also includes full-text historical legal and political treatises and scholarly articles. Bibliographies of and links to a multitude of secondary resources are also provided. Researchers can use the advanced search screen to perform cross-jurisdictional searches, but users focusing on one particular country might want to use the "browse by country" option and then search within that jurisdiction.
  • HeinOnline - Foreign & International Law Resources Database
    With HeinOnline's FILRD, researchers can search or browse online throughsome of the world's best international law publications, from AmericanSociety of International Law proceedings and prominent yearbooks from aroundthe world to the Hague Permanent Court of International Justice series andthe publications of dozens of other highly respected publishers.
  • Oxford Guide to Treaties [HIL-REF KZ1301 .O94 2012]

    From trade relations to greenhouse gasses, from shipwrecks to cybercrime, treaties structure the rights and obligations of states, international organizations, and individuals. For centuries, treaties have regulated relations among nation states. Today, they are the dominant source of international law. Being adept with treaties and international agreements is an indispensable skill for anyone engaged in international relations, including international lawyers, diplomats, international organization officials, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.


  • Encyclopedia of the United Nations and international agreements [HIL-GOVREF KZ4968 .O84 2003]

    This thoroughly revised and updated edition is the most comprehensive and detailed reference ever published on United Nations. The book demystifies the complex workings of the world's most important and influential international body. 

  • UN iLibrary (United Nations)
    The United Nations iLibrary is the comprehensive global search, discovery, and viewing source for digital content created by the United Nations. Themes include Agriculture Rural Development and Forestry, Children and Youth, Democracy and Governance, Disarmament, Drugs, Crime and Terrorism, Economic and Social Development, Environment and Climate Change, Human Rights and Refugees, Human Settlements and Urban Issues, International Law and Justice, International Trade and Finance, Migration, Natural Resources, Water and Energy, Peacekeeping and Security, Population and Demography, Public Health, Transportation and Public Safety, United Nations, and Women and Gender Issues.
  • Undata
    The UNdata database (formerly the United Nations Common Database (UNCDB)) provides access to selected statistical sources from a wide range of UN organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, the UNCDB features databases from other international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
  • United Nations treaty collection / Collection des traités des Nations Unies
    Under Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, "Every treaty and every international agreement entered into by any Member of the United Nations after the present Charter comes into force shall as soon as possible be registered with the Secretariat and published by it".

 

Talk to me about your research and teaching needs including working with primary sources, literature searches, building a research question, evaluating online sources, effective reading and organizing sources, and more.

Last modified on April 19, 2024 01:10