Yale University Library Research Guides: Resources in US Foreign Relations: Foreign Relations

Getting started with U.S. foreign relations research

Quicksearch
Search the Orbis and Morris Yale University Library catalogs simultaneously with Quicksearch.
ProQuest Congressional
Full-text access to Congressional documents including bills, hearings, the Congressional Record, the Serial Set, and more.
Primary Sources on American Foreign Relations
A comprehensive guide to primary source collections at Yale related to the study of American foreign relations. In addition to providing information about relevant manuscript and archival collections, this guide also highlights specific government documents.
American Foreign Relations Since 1600: A Guide to the Literature (Yale subscription)
Guide to primary and secondary sources for the study of American foreign relations, produced by ABC-Clio and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR). The chapter on "Reference Works and Bibliographies" gives a good overview of the types of resources that foreign relations historians use, along with how/where to find these resources.

Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS)

"The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. The series, which is produced by the State Department's Office of the Historian, began in 1861 and now comprises more than 450 individual volumes. The volumes published over the last two decades increasingly contain declassified records from all the foreign affairs agencies." (U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian)

FRUS from the State Department's website (Some of the most recent volumes are being published as "electronic only" versions.)
FRUS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
FRUS from Hein Online (Yale subscription)

Declassified documents

Declassified documents collections
This research guide highlights print and electronic resources for declassified foreign policy documents.
CIA Electronic Reading Room
Searchable database of documents the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has declassified and made available.
National Security Archive at George Washington University
Library and Online archive of declassified and FOIA released documents on a variety of foreign relations topics.
FOIA Archive
A joint project of History Lab and Columbia University Libraries, FOIArchive is an aggregated open access database and platform consisting of over 4.6 million declassified documents. In addition to this current web search interface, FOIArchive is also accessible through the “U.S. Government Information” portal of Columbia University Libraries’ online catalog and through an open API.

Diplomatic dispatches

State Department Consular Despatches (microfilm)
This microfilm collection includes reports to the Department of State from U.S. diplomatic representatives stationed abroad. Years of coverage vary, but most documents are from the late 19th through early 20th centuries.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) & Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS)

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports
The FBIS Daily Reports provide English-language translations of broadcast transcripts, news agency transmissions, newspapers, periodicals, and government statements from countries around the world, 1941-1996. FBIS Daily Reports back to 1946 (except 1948-1952) are also available on microfilm and can be found in Orbis.
World News Connection (Yale subscription database)
A continuation of the materials covered by FBIS; provides access to translations of non-U.S. media sources from 1996 until ceasing compilation in Dec. 2013.
Joint Publications Research Service (JPRS) Reports (1957-1993, various formats)
JPRS reports contain translations of "unclassified foreign documents, scholarly works, research reports, and other selected source materials" (JPRS Catalog Cards in Book Form). This link will take you to a search in Orbis for JPRS.
JPRS materials from the Defense Technical Information Center
Try searching "All Collections" using JPRS as a keyword; you'll probably also want to narrow your search by country or region, but if you start with the very broad search, you'll begin to see how the reports are organized.
Transdex index to JPRS microfiche
Use this index to locate JPRS materials on microfiche.
JPRS materials on microfiche
Use the Transdex index to identify the microfiche you need, then make a request ("Request recall or delivery") through this Orbis record. You can also request JPRS reports through Interlibrary Loan if what you need isn't available through DTIC or our microfiche collection.

Treaties and legal resources

Treaties and Agreements Library (Hein Online; Yale subscription database)
This collection includes all U.S. treaties, whether currently in-force, expired, or not-yet officially published.
The Avalon Project (Yale Law Library)
Documents in law, history, and diplomacy.

Additional resources for foreign affairs research

Department of State Bulletin (online through Hein Online - Yale subscription)
Issued by the Department of State, 1939-1977 (weekly) and 1978-1989 (monthly). In addition to online access, Yale also has The Department of State Bulletin in print. "The Bulletin contains articles about the views of the United States in the areas of public and private international law. The Bulletin also contains articles about diplomatic missions around the world and the activities of the State Department." (Description from HeinOnline)
Dispatch (online through Hein Online - Yale subscription)
The successor to Department of State Bulletin, 1990-1999.
U.S. Foreign Affairs on CD-ROM (1993-March 1998)
A wide selection of official statements, testimony, transcripts, foreign policy fact sheets, annual reports, previously published materials and country information. Some of the same documentation is available through the Department of State's archived website (1997-2001).
American Foreign Policy Index (1993-1995)
Index and microfiche collection of key documents from official government sources, including executive branch departments and offices, independent federal agencies, and the U.S. Congress, that make American foreign policy and conduct U.S. foreign relations.

State Department electronic archives

State Department Electronic Archives, 1990-1997
The University of Illinois at Chicago has archived electronic State Department publications produced from 1990 to 1997. For the most current information and publications from the State Department, go to http://www.state.gov.
State Department website archive, 1997-2001
State Department website archive, 2001-2009
Information released online by the State Department during the G.W. Bush administration, January 2001-January 2009.

Archivist for American Diplomacy

Joshua Cochran

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Resources in US Foreign Relations: Foreign Relations