The ISA Compendium Project Moves Forward

The ISA Compendium Project Moves Forward
Andrea K. Gerlak, Director of Academic Development
March 2007 Newsletter

The ISA Compendium Project is designed to provide the most comprehensive major reference resource in international studies. Since undertaking the project at our 2006 meeting in San Diego, we have worked to complete three major tasks. First, the various elements of the project had to be solidified. Our on-line version, International Studies On-Line (ISO) will provide both compendium review essays and live links to archives, datasets, cases and pedagogical materials. Our hardback version (ISE) for sale to libraries will include the review essays in a standard order. The third version, the section volume series, is voluntary. Sections may choose to gather additional material and propose a special separate section publication if they wish.

Getting the word out to any group as large as the ISA is difficult and news of the compendium project was slow to make its way from members of the Governing Council to the membership. As a result, we began a major information campaign. Please check out either of our two websites for information on the history, rationale or current status of the project: www.isanet.org/compendium/ or www.udel.edu/poscir/radenemark/denemarkprojects.html. Anyone with questions or concerns is welcome to contact Bob Denemark at denemark@udel.edu.

Most critically, ISA sections have worked hard to establish lists of topics to be considered in the project. These are to be serious review essays that consider important topics, their historic treatments, and the current status of the literature. These will be up to 10,000 words in length and will be subject to peer review. According to General Editor Bob Denemark, some 475 topics have already been suggested, and another 100 are expected in the immediate future. Individuals who wish to access the lists can go to the isanet.org/compendium site and click on “sections” to review topics and find the names and contact information for compendium section editors. Over the next few months, authors will be identified. Prospective authors and reviewers are most welcome and can submit their information via ISA’s website at www.isanet.org/compendium/.