NOTE: Also check the
many relevant links in the United States Government Information
Sources, Peace,
Conflict Resolution, and International Security,
International
Relations Journals and Magazines, and Research
Institutes sections of this Web site, among others.
Insightful Blogs and Newsletters on American Foreign Policy and on World Affairs-- Foreign Policy's free newsletters, Best Defense, Defense One, Defense Post, Project Syndicate, Long War Journal, Danger Room, Foreign Policy Journal, Foreign Policy Association, Geopolitical Monitor (Canada), Council on Foreign Relations, Carnegie Endowment, The Hill, War on the Rocks, Small Wars Journal, Order from Chaos (Brookings), U.S Foreign Policy (Brookings), Lawfare- Hard National Security Choices (Lawfare Institute), Institute for the Study of War, LobeLog, Just Security, The Guardian
Database-- The Homeland Security Digital Library posts over 100,000 public resources concerning U.S. homeland and national security issues, broadly interpreted. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Directorate, FEMA, and the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
General Analytical Sources for American Foreign Policy
• American Foreign Policy Council-- "Non-profit organization dedicated to bringing information to those who make or influence the foreign policy of the United States and to assisting world leaders, particularly in the former USSR, with building democracies and market economies." Many excellent online articles from a staff of noted experts.
• Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training-- Private organization of retired U.S. diplomats "committed to strengthening public appreciation of diplomacy’s contribution to America’s national interests, and enriching the professional knowledge of diplomatic practitioners." Site posts "the world’s largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral history" [detailed interviews], the interesting "Moments in U.S. Diplomatic History" blog, sample lesson plans, a podcast, and more.
• Center for Climate and Security-- Based in Washington, D.C., a "solutions-oriented, bridge-building research institute focused on tackling systemic climate and ecological security risks. We break down silos across disciplines to ensure climate change considerations are integrated into security policies and security concerns are integrated into climate policy, both in the United States and countries around the globe."
• Center for International Policy-- Policy organization in Washington, D.C. "promoting a U.S. foreign policy based on international cooperation, demilitarization and respect for basic human rights." Posts reports and a newsletter on human rights, international security, and conflict resolution issues. Their Security Assistance Monitor "documents all publicly accessible information on U.S. security and defense assistance programs throughout the world, including arms sales, military and police aid, training programs, exercises, exchanges, bases and deployments."
• Center for a New American Security-- "Develops strong, pragmatic and principled national security and defense policies that promote and protect American interests and values... engages policymakers, experts and the public with innovative fact-based research, ideas and analysis to shape and elevate the national security debate." Posts publications, multimedia, blogs, and podcasts.
• Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments-- "Independent, non-partisan policy research institute established to promote innovative thinking and debate about national security strategy and investment options. CSBA’s goal is to enable policymakers to make informed decisions in matters of strategy, security policy and resource allocation." Posts information and analysis on financial implications of U.S. defense policies and actions.
• China-US Focus-- From the China-United States Exchange Foundation in Hong Kong, "dedicated to providing a range of opinions and perspectives on the issues shaping the world’s most important bilateral relationship. We seek opinions from experts in both the United States and China, to showcase the diversity of views held on either side of the Pacific and to spark diverse, vibrant, creative and constructive discussion of the China-US relationship."
• Cold War International History Project-- From the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., "supports the full and prompt release of historical materials by governments on all sides of the Cold War... also seeks to transcend barriers of language, geography, and regional specialization to create new links among scholars interested in Cold War history." Posts many declassified documents from the Cold War period, an occasional bulletin, and "other publications to disseminate new findings, views, and activities pertaining to Cold War history."
• Council on Foreign Relations-- The most influential private organization in U.S. foreign policy, whose ranks include nearly all past and present senior U.S. government officials who deal with international matters, renowned scholars, and leaders of business, media, human rights, humanitarian, and other nongovernmental groups. This excellent site posts Council studies, with much current and archived analytical material online about international relations and U.S. foreign policy, by region and topic. The Council's prestigious journal Foreign Affairs has contents and some full-text articles and book reviews online, with archive, plus links to related online resources.
• Foreign Policy In Focus-- A progressive gateway to American foreign policy issues, by topic or region, from the International Relations Center and the Institute for Policy Studies. Posts many policy briefs, commentaries, and papers.
• Foreign Relations of the United States-- From the Office of the Historian in the U.S. Department of State, a series of volumes in the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Recently-released volumes contain declassified records from all the foreign affairs agencies. Many volumes are online in full-text, from 1861 onward.
• Foreign Service Journal-- From the American Foreign Service Association, "foreign affairs from an insider's perspective," including Foreign Service officers, ranking academics, and diplomatic correspondents. All issues since 1919 are available in an archive. AFSA is the professional association of the United States Foreign Service, and maintains a roster of U.S. ambassadorial appointments since the mid-1970s, as well as of current ambassadors to the United States from other countries.
• Foundation for Defense of Democracies-- Stressing issues relevant to American foreign policy, this think tank based in Washington, D.C. "conducts in-depth research, produces accurate and timely analyses, identifies illicit activities, and provides policy options – all with the aim of strengthening U.S. national security and reducing or eliminating threats posed by adversaries and enemies of the United States and other free nations."
• Frontline Diplomacy: The Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training-- "Interview transcripts from the oral history archives of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training... present a window into the lives of U.S. diplomats during the second half of the 20th century... Hundreds of interviews with senior American diplomats, both career Foreign Service Officers and political appointees, serve as a door to the foreign policy process not normally open to the public."
• German Marshall Fund of the United States-- "Non-partisan American public policy and grantmaking institution dedicated to promoting better understanding and cooperation between North America and Europe on transatlantic and global issues." Posts publications on this topic, including Transatlantic Trends, an "annual public opinion survey examining American and European attitudes toward the transatlantic relationship and global challenges."
• Jamestown Foundation-- Think tank whose mission is to "inform and educate policy makers and the broader policy community about events and trends in those societies which are strategically or tactically important to the United States and which frequently restrict access to such information." Posts information and analysis about global terrorism, Russia and Eurasia, and China, among other regions and issues.
• National Security Archive-- "A research institute on international affairs, with a library and archive of declassified U.S. documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act," located at the George Washington University. Many documents and reports available online-- a most valuable resource.
• Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft-- "Action-oriented think tank that will lay the foundation for a new [U.S.] foreign policy centered on diplomatic engagement and military restraint...[with] ideas that move U.S. foreign policy away from endless war and toward vigorous diplomacy in the pursuit of international peace."
• War Powers Resolution Reporting Project-- From the NYU School of Law, "an expansive new resource that analyzes the war powers reporting practice of every president in the 45 years since the War Powers Resolution was enacted [1973]. It sheds light on how presidents use U.S. armed forces abroad and relationships between the president and Congress on matters of war and peace."
• WikiLeaks-- "Independent global group of people with a long standing dedication to the idea of a free press and the improved transparency in society that comes from this." Publishes a huge quantity of leaked and usually classified or restricted material from official government sources and large corporations around the world, often alongside related news stories. Well-organized and easily searched.
Public Opinion Sources, U.S. and International, about American Foreign Policy
• Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research-- Well-regarded polling organization that conducts and posts surveys on U.S. domestic matters and foreign policy, as well as on some international topics. "We inform public policy debates as they are taking place and contribute to the informed electorate every democracy needs to function properly."
• Chicago Council on Global Affairs-- Posts authoritative studies of the American public's and leadership's attitudes on international matters, as well as related topics of U.S. foreign policy. From "one of the oldest and most prominent international affairs organizations in the United States. Independent and nonpartisan, The Chicago Council is committed to influencing the discourse on global issues through contributions to opinion and policy formation, leadership dialogue, and public learning."
• Gallup-- The Gallup Poll presents recent survey results on American attitudes toward international matters, and some data from non-U.S. publics, in summary form for non-subscribers.
• Pew Research Center-- Excellent "nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world [through] public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research." Note the International Affairs page and the Global Indicators Database, which allows users to find poll results on diverse topics in the scores of countries where Pew has done surveys.
• Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life-- U.S. organization that "seeks to promote a deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs... by delivering timely, impartial information to national opinion leaders... it tracks and aggregates news and conducts independent research, including surveys, legal backgrounders, reports, books and Q&A interviews... [and] provides a neutral venue for discussion." Posts much information and analysis on religion and society, in the U.S. and the world, including in U.S. foreign policy.
• Polling Report-- "An independent, nonpartisan resource on trends in American public opinion," with highlights of many foreign policy-related polls online.
• Watching America-- "Discover What the World Thinks of U.S." with English language translations of foreign press commentary about the United States and its foreign policy, from around the world and with links to the original sources.
• YouGov America-- From "an international research data and analytics group headquartered in London," providing "insight into what the world thinks," U.S. public opinion polls on varied topics, including U.S. domestic and foreign policy issues.
