COMMENTS ON
ASSIGNMENT 1 (March 2002)
EXAMPLES OF ONLINE DATABASES
(S. Baldi)
ASSIGNMENT:
Consult
the list of examples (mind map) of useful websites with databases for
diplomatic activities at the course 2002 home page:
• Try to
find at least 3 additional websites that you use or consider specifically
useful for your work
•
Briefly describe their contents and explain why you recommend them.
This
assignment should be sent to Sylvana and Stefano
before
Monday 18th March.
Here are
some of the sites you indicated in your assignments. I tried to take some
examples in order to show what I consider real databases online and what can
only be regarded as well-organized web-pages (sometime kind of portals)
Remember
that while most of the contents of web pages can be retrieved by search
engines, this is not the case for the contents of databases.
Right:
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/britian/brtreaty.htm
Avalon Project of Yale Law School represents unique
collection (database)
of historical political documents encompassing several
hundred years of
Anglo-Saxon political/diplomatic history. Some
interesting parallels can
be drawn comparing some historical periods after
analyzing certain
documents. Extremely helpful in understanding
Anglo-Saxon political
(diplomatic), military and economic development.
UNISIPAL -
UN Information System on the Question of Palestine
URL: http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF?OpenDatabase
The UN
information system on the question of Palestine
– UNISIPAL
is a data base that consists of all UN
resolutions,
reports, press releases etc. since the
year 1945
up-to-date this is along with studies and
maps
concerning the question of Palestine. It is a
very
important website for all Palestinian politicians
and
diplomats.
http://politicalgraveyard.com/
Little historical trivia (but not really trivial) that
may help in
relations with U.S. diplomats. I used to practice this
even it’s a bit
morbid. (I used to surprise British diplomats like –
Did you know that
“Beautiful” Anne Bolen had only tree fingers on her
right hand? I just try
to make everyones life a little more surreal.
OECD
The OECD
statistic section is good for two reasons. The first one is that it is there is
a statistic portal which gives access to many OECD statistics. The second one
is that there is also a link to frequently asked statistics which are easily
accessible.
http://www.oecd.org/EN/statistics/0,,EN-statistics-0-nodirectorate-no-no-no-0,FF.html
Wrong (NOT DABASES BUT SIMPLE WEBPAGES OR
PORTALS)
http://www.diplomatswithoutborders.org/
the website
of Diplomats without Borders treats about the art and practice of negotiating,
mediating and
managing relations between people in a non-governmental,
unofficial
manner. It is a pre-eminent private diplomacy organization
founded by
a team from private business, government diplomacy, and the
military.
The objective of the organization is to help clients achieve
breakthrough
thinking, negotiations, and agreements in multi-cultural
environments.
http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjb3v/rjb.html
A recently discovered website which provides
links to a variety of other sites depending on the subject-area that you are
interested in. It features a number of categories by which you can search, such
as United Nations System; NGOs and IGOs; International Law; International
Relations etc.
This is an
extremely useful research of the National Radiation Protection Board of the
UK. It is a good example of how a
regulatory body in a developed country can provide information and useful links
to countries wishing to emulate or seek help in the area.
The home
page gives all the details of the Board and it components, its legal basis,
structure and function. Additionally it
gives information on all areas of radiation protection including advice to the
public and a kids exercise. the home
page is very interactive and easy to browse - practical and very
informative.
DEFINITIONS: