Global Security Studies
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Explore resources in national and global security studies
Homeland Security Digital Library
Homeland Security Digital Library
The nation's premier research collection of open-source resources related to homeland security policy, strategy and organizational management.
In this database find:
- Huge collection of material on contemporary and historical issues in homeland security and its related fields
- Featured topics
- News Digests
- Intelligence Reports including Nightwatch
- Blogs on Homeland Security
The HSDL is sponsored by the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA.
Globalsecurity.org
A source for news and security information, directed by John Pike.
As a visitor, you are entitled to free access to 4 premium pages each 30 days.
Global Security Studies Online Resources
Search national security databases below.
Need help choosing? They're categorized by broad topic. Or, click the information button for a description of a database.
Click on the database title to search it individually.
Looking for a database not listed below, but available via JHU libraries? Use JHSearch's Databases A-Z list here.
- Center for Military ReadinessThe Center for Military Readiness is an independent, non-partisan 501(c)(3) educational organization formed to take a leadership role in promoting sound military personnel policies in the armed forces.
- Congressional Research Service Reports on TerrorismCongressional reports provided by the Federation of American Scientists.
- Defense Technical Information CenterThe scope of DTIC's scientific and technical (S&T) collection covers all areas of defense research, including biological and medical science, environmental pollution and control, and behavioral and social science. The collection also contains Department of Defense (DoD) directives and instructions, budget information, conference and symposia proceedings, patents and patent applications, and other topics of interest to the defense community.
- Department of Homeland SecurityThe scope of DTIC's scientific and technical (S&T) collection covers all areas of defense research, including biological and medical science, environmental pollution and control, and behavioral and social science. The collection also contains Department of Defense (DoD) directives and instructions, budget information, conference and symposia proceedings, patents and patent applications, and other topics of interest to the defense community.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation Reports and PublicationsExtensive compilation of FBI reports and publications on itself, terrorism, cyber issues, white-collar crime, violent crime, law enforcement services, and statistics.
- Freedom HouseSignature reports on: Freedom in the World; Freedom on the Net; Freedom on the Press; Nations in Transit; Countries and the Crossroads; Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa.
- Global Terrorism DatabaseThe Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is an open-source database including information on domestic and international terrorist events from 1970 through 2007 (with annual updates planned for the future).
- Homeland Security Digital Library list of selected websitesSponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA and the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security this section of the site lists over 100 recommended websites grouped by topics such as borders and immigration, emergency management, infrastructure protection, terrorism and threats, weapons systems and more.
- Human Security GatewayThe Human Security Gateway is a research and information database regrouping electronic and bibliographic resources on human security.
- Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS)The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) is a non-profit, non-partisan institution dedicated to informing the public about science and policy issues affecting international security. Its primary focus is on stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and related technology to other nations and terrorists, bringing about greater transparency of nuclear activities worldwide, strengthening the international non-proliferation regime, and achieving deep cuts in nuclear arsenals.
- Intelligence in CongressFAS Intelligence Resource Program. The full text of Congressional Floor Debates, Hearings, and Reports, 1994-present.
- Jewish Virtual Library (JVL)Information about Jewish history, Israel, U.S.-Israel relations, the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and Judaism. Includes a terrorism page.
- National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START)The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism—better known as START - is a university-based research center committed to the scientific study of the causes and human consequences of terrorism in the United States and around the world.
- Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)Internet clearinghouse of articles, database links, country profiles, source documents, and issues analyses regarding nuclear, biological, and chemical weaponry on a global perspective.
- OpenTheGovernment.orgA coalition of 80+ organizations concerned with making the federal government more open and accountable.
- Polity IV Project: Political Regime Characteristics and Transitions, 1800—2011The most widely used data resource for studying regime change and the effects of regime authority. Codes the authority characteristics of states in the world system for purposes of comparative, quantitative analysis.
- Small Arms SurveyThe principal international source of public information on all aspects of small arms and armed violence.
Below are selected resources providing statistics on terrorism and the military. Please see SAIS Strategic Studies Statistics guide for a fuller list of sources.
Also for general statistics, please see our Data and Statistics Guide. For general statistics, the database Statista is an excellent starting point.
- Correlates of War (COW)COW is a free database offering data sets on the history of war and international conflicts. Click on "Related Data" for links to additional sites of conflict-related data.
- Global Terrorism DatabaseThe Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is an open-source database including information on domestic and international terrorist events from 1970 through 2007 (with annual updates planned for the future).
- IntelCenterFocuses on tracking and analysis of terrorist and rebel groups. Includes analytical reports, graphs, charts and other visualizations. The database allows three concurrent users, so please log out after use.
- The Military BalanceThe Military Balance is IISS’ annual assessment of the military capabilities and defence economics of 170 countries world-wide. It is an essential resource for those involved in security policymaking, analysis and research.
- Terrorism and Extremist Violence in the United States (TEVUS) DatabaseRequires free registration. Approval may take up to 7 days.
- Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium (TRAC)Provides information about terrorist groups, individuals, ideologies, tactics, targets, and more
- Digital National Security ArchiveThe Digital National Security Archive contains the most comprehensive collection of primary documents available. The database includes more than 60,000 of the most important declassified documents regarding critical U.S. policy decisions.
- U. S. Declassified Documents OnlineU.S. Declassified Documents Online, formerly Declassified Documents Reference System, offers access to more than 750,000 pages of government documents. Covering major policy issues from the period before the Second World War into the twenty first century, the archive serves as a convenient source for documents from government departments including Defense; State; Treasury; CIA; and the White House. USDDO supports the study of history, politics, international relations, and journalism, among other fields.
- History VaultIncludes U.S. Military Intelligence Reports; World War II: U.S. Documents on Planning, Operations, Intelligence, Axis War Crimes, and Refugees; Office of Strategic Services (OSS)-State Department Intelligence and Research Reports, 1941-1961.
- Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading RoomOnline access to previously classified government documents, covering major international events from the Cold War to the Vietnam War and beyond.
- FBI Records: the VaultOriginal sources records, dossiers, and files on many individuals of political or legal interest to the government. FBI.
- Digest of Terrorist CasesCompilation of legal cases and procedures relating to actual international terrorist episodes.
Other List of Primary Sources
Georgetown Security & Intelligence Studies Primary Sources Guide
This site lists several primary source collections focused on security and intelligence studies. Please note that many of the collections are in the Digital National Security Archives (DNSA). If the title is in DNSA, you will need to use our link to access DNSA.
JHU Alphabetical List of Primary Sources
This list is comprehensive and not just security focused.
Books - search Catalyst, which is the name of our online catalog.
Dissertations
- Use Dissertations and Theses to find U.S. dissertations; it includes some master's theses and non-U.S. dissertations and offers PDFs for most post-1997 dissertations.
- Global Security Studies Student Work
- Visit our Institutional Repository Jscholarship to find graduate theses from Global Security Studies.