Political Theory: Home

What follows is a list of journals associated with political philosophy and theory (check EUCLID & eJournals for access).

• Contemporary Political Theory
• Critical Review
• Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy
• European Journal of Political Theory
• European Journal of Social Theory
• Journal of Political Ideologies
• Journal of Political Philosophy
• Philosophy and Public Affairs
• Politics, Philosophy, and Economics

The following are magazines/periodicals of political thought and commentar; note that each may have a particular slant or bias (e.g., the Nations is leftist, whereas the National Review is located on the right side of the ideological spectrum):

• American Prospect
• Reason
• Dissent
• Nation
• National Review
• New Republic
• Commentary

General Political Theory

• Encyclopedia of Political Thought, Garrett Ward Sheldon, ed.
  Reference JA61. E52 2001
  Brief narratives of important and influential movements, terms, and figures in political thought. Also provides a selection of "further readings" along with each entry.
• A Companion to contemporary political philosophy
  JA71 .C565 1993
  Goodin, Robert
• Routledge Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Political Thinkers
  JA83 .R725 1998
• Encyclopedia of Democracy
  Reference JC423 .E53 1995
  Good reference for exploring terms and developments associated with democracy and democratization.
• Encyclopedia of Democratic Thought
  Reference JC423 .E54 2001
• Oxford Companion to Philosophy (1995)
  General B51 O94 1995
  Covers Western and non-Western traditions. Includes brief bibliographies (with many articles) and portraits of major philosophers. Contributors include many leading contemporary scholars in philosophy.  
• Bibliography of Philosophical Bibliographies (1977)
  General Reference Z7125 A1 G83
  International coverage of bibliographies from 1450 to 1974. Divided into two sections: "Bibliographies of Individual Philosophers" and "Subject Bibliographies."
• Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-century Philosophers (1996)
  General Reference B804 B52 1996
  International in scope. Includes bibliographies of major publications and secondary literature and indexes by name, subject, nationality, fields of interest, and influences. Also includes a section devoted to the brief overview and basic bibliography of major schools and movements, primarily of the western world.
• British Philosophers, 1500-1799 (2002)
  General Reference B1111 .B75 2002
  Leading scholars write career biographies and selected bibliographies for 33 philosophers, from Mary Atell to Mary Wollstonecraft. Includes illustrations and photographs.
• British Philosophers, 1800-2000 (2002)
  General Reference B72 .B693 2002
  Leading scholars write career biographies and selected bibliographies for 32 philosophers, from G.E.M. Anscombe to Ludwig Wittgenstein. Includes illustrations and photographs.
• Thinkers of the twentieth century: a biographical, bibliographical and critical dictionary (Devine et al, 1983)
  General B804 .T456 1983
  The entry for each thinker consists of a biography, bibliography, a listing of critical studies on the entrant, and a signed critical essay.

Materials on Specific Political Theorists & Ideologies

Blackwell Philosopher Dictionary Series.

I have highlighted those philosophers that primarily consider political theory and philosophy.

Titles in this series serve as excellent sources of biography as well as for substantial discussions of key ideas in each philosopher's thought and historical context. Includes citations to primary sources.

• Hegel Dictionary: B2901 .I58 1992
• Heidegger Dictionary: B3279 .H48 Z44 1999
• Hobbes Dictionary: B1246 .M37 1995
• Kant Dictionary: B2751 .C38 1995
• Locke Dictionary B1297 .Y64 1993
• Rousseau Dictionary: PQ2042 .D46 1992

Blackwell also has several anthologies that may be of use:

• Contemporary Political Philosophy JA71.L578
• Guide to the Philosophy of the Social Sciences H61.B4774
• Guide to Ancient Philosophy B171.B65

The Cambridge Companion Series. Again, I have highlighted only those that deal specifically with political philosophy and theory.

• The Cambridge Companion to ARISTOTLE
  B485.C35 1995
• The Cambridge Companion to HABERMAS
  B3258.H324C36 1995
• The Cambridge Companion to HEGEL
  B2948.C28 1993
• The Cambridge Companion to HEIDEGGER
  B3279.H49 C25 1993
• The Cambridge Companion to HUME
  B1498.C26 1993
• The Cambridge Companion to KANT
  B2798.C36 1992
• The Cambridge Companion to LOCKE
  B1297.C29 1994
• The Cambridge Companion to MARX
  B3305.M74 C35 1991
• The Cambridge Companion to NIETZSCHE
  B3317.C29 1996
• The Cambridge Companion to PLATO
  B395.C28 1992

• Encyclopedic Dictionary of Marxism, Socialism, and Communism
  Reference HX17.W54
  Economic, philosophical, political, and sociological theories, concepts, institutions, and practices. Classical and modern; east-west relations included.
• Biographical Dictionary of Marxism
  Reference HX23.B568
• Utopia and Utopians
  Reference HX626 .T73 1999
  Major names, figures, and utopian ideas. Nice set of sources for further research.
• Dictionary of Conservative and Libertarian Thought
  Reference JA61.D5
• Dictionary of American Conservatism
  Reference JA84.U5
• Encyclopedia of Political Anarchy
  Reference HX830. G39
• Routledge Companion to Fascism and the Far Right
  JC481 .D37 2002 (Stacks)
• American Radical Press (2 Volumes)
  Reference HCX1.A49
  Portraits of major periodicals/newspapers, etc. of the American Radicalist movement, 1880-1960.
• Encyclopedia of the American Left
  Reference HX86 .E58 1998
  A dictionary arrangement of articles treating "that segment of society that has sought fundamental changes in the economic, political, and cultural systems" outside existing capitalist structures. Strong emphasis on anarchists, socialists, and communists. Includes numerous biographies as well as organizations and movements. Articles include bibliographies as well as a general bibliography at end.