H-Peace http://www.h-net.org/~peace/
Founded in 2003, the H-Peace electronic network seeks “to broaden understanding about historical and contemporary peace, justice, and disarmament concerns.” As part of the larger H-Net network, H-Peace, also affiliated with the Peace History Society, is a most welcome addition. As with other lists and networks within H-Net, visitors can view reviews of books within the field, peruse past discussion logs, investigate high-quality bibliographies, and even browse syllabi submitted by H-Peace members. Visitors wishing to get a basic idea of the discussions offered online can look through the “Recent Messages” area on the homepage. Finally, the site also contains direct links to related lists, such as H-1960s, H-Democracy, H-Genocide, and H-War.
EU Reform: A New Treaty or an Old Constitution? http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2007/rp07-064.pdf
The future of Europe is a subject that has intrigued scholars, policymakers, and politicians since long before the Treaty of Westphalia, and this working paper is an interesting reflection on that subject. Released in July 2007, the paper was authored by Vaughne Miller on behalf of the British Parliament’s House of Commons. Miller’s work takes a critical look at the failure of the European Union (EU) to effectively ratify the 2004 “Treaty Establishing a Constitution For Europe”. The report begins with a brief summary, and then goes on to discuss the viewpoints offered by different EU institutions, member states, and the general public. It’s definitely worth a look, as it offers both incisive analysis and commentary on the political economy of the EU.
State Legislatures’ GrassCatcher http://www.ncsl.org/programs/press/grasscatcher.htm
In some circles, the mere mention of the activities of state legislative bodies may cause people to leave the room. However, even those persons may be converted by the uniformly high quality of this site, which is provided and frequently updated by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Working with a number of partners, the GrassCatcher site brings together news articles and relevant documents on timely topics that include criminal justice, education, energy, the environment, and social policy. Visitors can scroll through some of the recently posted news stories and links, or click on an interactive map of the United States to find out what is going on in various state legislatures. Users can also make their way through the GrassCatcher archive, which features stories that made their way onto the site earlier in the week. Of course, those who are drawn in by these features will want to sign up for their RSS feed and maybe even take in the NCSL podcast.
After Katrina: Washed Away? http://www.urban.org/publications/411530.html
A number of institutes and organizations continue to investigate the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and just as many groups are offering follow-up analyses of the situation on the ground in and around New Orleans. One such organization is the Urban Institute, and three of their researchers recently released this compelling 15-page review of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the criminal justice system of New Orleans. Authored by Caterina Gouvis Roman, Seri Irazola, and Jenny Osborne, the report draws on interviews with criminal justice stakeholders living and working in greater New Orleans. The authors examine the functioning of the criminal justice system before and after the hurricane and the report concludes with a number of policy considerations and how other jurisdictions might learn from the experiences of those persons in New Orleans.
Counter-Terrorism Training and Resources for Law Enforcement http://www.counterterrorismtraining.gov/
With the growing interest in counter-terrorism training and related resources, it’s not surprising that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs created this site. The site draws on expertise provided by a number of public and private organizations, including the National Institute of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Assistance, and the Office for Domestic Preparedness. The site is divided into sections that include “Conferences”, “Funding”, “Research & Statistics”, “Equipment”, and “Publications”. Scholars who arrive at the site may wish to look at the “Research & Statistics” section first, as it brings together a number of resources in this field, such as aerial photographs, a number of recent FBI reports, and a global terrorism map. Additionally, the “Publications” area contains thematically-organized publications that cover port security, threat assessment, and weapons of mass destruction.
BlackPast: Remembered and Reclaimed http://www.blackpast.org/
Professor Quintard Taylor of the University of Washington and his colleagues have created this very fine online resource that covers six centuries of African American history. The site includes an online encyclopedia of hundreds of famous and lesser known figures in African America, along with full text primary documents and major speeches of black activists and leaders from the eighteenth century to the present. Visitors should make sure and visit the “Perspectives on African American History” area, which includes rather fascinating pieces such as “Gentrification, Integration or Displacement?: The Seattle Story” and “Juneteenth: The Birth of an African American Holiday”. The site merits numerous return visits, and those with a penchant for African American history, and United States history in general, will find some stellar materials here.
Copyright 2007 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu
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