Government Documents for You

The Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research (HIIK) at the Department of Political Science at the University of Heidelberg is a private organization. The work is dedicated to research, document, and analyze national and international political conflicts. The HIIK continually updates the COSIMO-database. The research results are periodically published in the annual Conflict Barometer.

The HIIK annually publishes the Conflict Barometer, which describes recent trends in conflict development, escalations, settlements. This publication is freely available to the public in English from 1997, 2002-Present and can be found here: http://www.hiik.de/en/konfliktbarometer/index.html.

COSIMO (Conflict Simulation Model), is the raw data on national and international conflicts from 1945 - present. The first version of the database, COSIMO 1, comprises data on national and international conflicts from 1945 to 1998 (version 1.3). You can download the dataset as xls or csv. The additional codemanual is available at following link as doc. Data from 1998 - present has not yet been published.

The Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China has provided English-translations of Government White Papers. White Papers are authoritative reports or guides that address issues and how to solve them. Some of the topics covered are:

National Defense
Ethnic Minorities
Energy
Environmental Protection
Democratic Reforms
Human Rights

These papers can be found at the following website: http://china.org.cn/e-white/index.htm

**Description taken from SIGAR's website**

The United States has committed almost $32 billion in humanitarian and other aid to Afghanistan since 2001. This amount constitutes the largest single contribution of any nation supporting the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. When paired with the $25 billion provided by 60 other countries since the fall of the Taliban regime, the total international non-military investment in the rebuilding of Afghanistan exceeds $57 billion. To provide for the independent and objective conduct and supervision of audits, inspections, and investigations relating to these funds, Congress created the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). As such, the Office of the SIGAR is charged with overseeing the accounting for monies expended for the effective reconstruction of Afghanistan, so that it is internally and externally secure, democratic, and inhospitable to terrorism, drug trafficking, and narcotic cultivation.

The appointment of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, endowed with broad investigative powers and underpinned by independence and collegiality, constitutes a formidable and compelling instrument to make oversight of reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan a reality.

SIGAR releases quarterly reports, which can be found at the following website: http://www.sigar.mil/reports/quarterlyreports/Default.aspx

Oversight Mission and Plans: http://www.sigar.mil/reports/missions.aspx

Congressional Testimony: http://www.sigar.mil/reports/testimony/Default.aspx

The Homeland Security Council published the first edition of "Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation," its recommendations for responding to a nuclear detonation in the United States. The HSC is a Federal interagency committee with representation from the Executive Office of the President (Homeland Security Council and Office of Science and Technology Policy), the Departments of Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Transportation, Veteran's Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

According to the document, "The purpose of this guidance is to provide emergency planners with nuclear detonation-specific response recommendations to maximize the preservation of life in the event of an urban nuclear detonation. This guidance addresses the unique effects and impacts of a nuclear detonation such as scale of destruction, shelter and evacuation strategies, unparalleled medical demands, management of nuclear casualties, and radiation dose management concepts."

Planning Guidance for Response to a Nuclear Detonation: First Edition can be found at the following website: http://www.afrri.usuhs.mil/outreach/pdf/planning-guidance.pdf

This information is particularly relevant to residents of Gulf Coast states in light of recent natural disaster responses.

**Text taken from FEMA Press Release**

National Disaster Housing Strategy Released

Release Date: January 16, 2009
Release Number: FNF-09-001

* National Disaster Housing Strategy Base Document
* National Disaster Housing Strategy Annexes

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the release of the National Disaster Housing Strategy. The Strategy summarizes, for the first time in a single document, the many sheltering and housing capabilities, principles, and policies that guide and inform the disaster housing process. The Strategy also charts the new direction that our disaster housing efforts must take to better meet the disaster housing needs of individuals and communities moving forward.

The Strategy promotes a national housing effort that engages all levels of government, the nonprofit and private sectors, and individuals to collectively meet the urgent housing needs of disaster victims and enable individuals, households and communities to rebuild and restore their way of life when a disaster threatens or strikes.

"The National Disaster Housing Strategy recognizes that effective housing solutions are those that go beyond simply providing a housing unit to also address the complex needs of disaster victims," FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said. "The Strategy reflects the combined efforts of FEMA and many partner agencies, and incorporates feedback from organizations and the public that have a role in disaster housing, whether it's at the tribal, state or local level, with our private sector partners and with individuals."

The Strategy calls for a National Disaster Housing Task Force, which is chaired by FEMA, and jointly led with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National American Red Cross and includes experts from all levels of government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. The Task Force will focus full time attention on disaster housing, developing operational plans, building disaster housing capabilities, and achieving the vision and goals of the Strategy.

"The Strategy illustrates the importance of federal, private and local partners working together to provide long-term housing assistance after a disaster," said HUD Secretary Preston. "HUD will continue to assist FEMA and others to address disaster housing needs."

FEMA received nearly 500 comments from individuals, industry representatives, associations, and State and local government representatives during the public comment period. Our housing staff has spent the past six months adjudicating these comments and seeking additional guidance and direction from our stakeholders in order to address these concerns and comments. The final Strategy incorporates most of these comments, as well as the input of numerous agencies and organizations at the federal, state, local levels. It includes seven annexes that summarize current disaster housing efforts and programs and provide the foundation to review, analyze, and improve disaster housing.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

November 9, 2009 is the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. To commemorate this event, I have created a LibGuide highlighting resources available at Mississippi State University and on the Internet about the history of the Berlin Wall. Additionally, in cooperation with the German Missions in the United States, we have books and pamphlets concerning the Berlin Wall and Germany available in the Government Documents, Microforms, and Current Journals Department at the Mitchell Memorial Library.

Additionally, the Mitchell Memorial Library will host an event on November 9th, from 4:30 - 6:00 in the Grisham Room. Five of MSU's professors will each speak about the History of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War, and the lasting significance of this event.

http://guides.library.msstate.edu/Berlin_Wall

The Reference Department at the Mitchell Memorial Library, as part of our continued service, outreach, and engagement to our community has created a new LibGuide: Living in a Recession. Christine Fletcher, Judy Li, and I have created a virtual Recession Survival Skills tool-kit that provides: budget tips, gardening, finding grants and scholarships, and other public concerns.

http://guides.library.msstate.edu/Living_in_a_Recession

We will continue updating the LibGuide over the next few weeks and months as more information becomes available.

Please feel free to send us any comments or suggestions you have!