Resources for Faculty Interested in Global Security

Resources for Faculty Interested in Global Security

Resources for Faculty Interested in Global Security

This page contains a list of teaching resources for faculty and staff looking for instruction material on the topic of global security (relating to environment, health, and emergency response). Here, instructors can find various educational resources, ranging anywhere from primary source collections, lesson plans, sample syllabi, online courses, simulations, and more. Although some resources may require small payments or fees, most are free and easily accessible for in-person, online, or asynchronous courses.

Primary Source Collections

  • The National Archives website is a repository of U.S. primary source documents that includes a whole section of educational resources. Within the “Educator Resource” section, faculty can find primary sources, tools for teaching with documents, and student and educator programs that can be adapted for either online or in-person classes. There are also presidential libraries and museum websites where educators can access online documents.
  • The website for The Office of the Historian contains a collection of historical documents on foreign relations that faculty can find useful. Aside from their primary source collection, the website also has tabs on Department History, Guide to Countries, and more resources. Faculty can find various educational resources in the “more resources” tab.
  • The National Security Archive of George Washington University contains a collection of Electronic Briefing Books (EBBs) with online access to records on topics regarding U.S. national security, foreign diplomacy, diplomatic and military history, intelligence policy, and more. The Archive also includes the Digital National Security Archive which has access to collections of publications that have documented world events from WWII through the 21st century. The EBBs are divided into the categories of Europe, Latin America, Nuclear History, China and East Asia, U.S. Intelligence Community, Middle East and South Asia, the September 11th Sourcebooks, Humanitarian Interventions, and Government Secrecy.
  • The American Presidency Project is a non-profit and non-partisan website where one can access almost 70,000 documents related to American presidents such as executive orders, proclamations, press orders, addresses, etc. The website has tab sections for documents, statistics, media archives, presidents, analyses, and donations. Faculty can also use this website to find primary sources on American presidency which can be implemented in their classes.
  • The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Electronic Reading Room is a public service website with released documents from the FOIA and other CIA release programs. The FOIA Electronic Reading Room contains a long list of declassified documents referred to as the “special collections archive.” Within this archive, the National Intelligence Council (NIC) Collection contains a wide collection of intelligence reports; however, faculty can find other documents to be useful as well.
  • The Cold War International History Project is a program created by the Wilson Center intended to offer information from the two sides of the Cold War. There are numerous historical materials for scholars, journalists, and students that can be accessed through the project’s award-winning digital archive. The webpage also contains recent Cold War research and analysis along with a “Sources and Methods” blog which provides insight into contemporary international history.
  • The United Nations website is a great resource for faculty, especially their page on “UN Documents.” The UN Documents page contains numerous UNpublished documents that can be easily accessed by anyone. These documents include the Official Document System, the UN Digital Library, and the Founding Documents. One can also search for documents by specific topics such as the Main Bodies, Departments/Offices, Resources/Services, Key Documents, New and Media, and Issues/Campaigns.
  • The Avalon Project, created by Yale Law School, is a free collection of documents that pertain to law, history, and diplomacy. Faculty can find a variety of ancient documents, medieval documents, and documents filtered throughout the 15th-21st century. The website also contains a human rights archive called “Project Diana” and a document collection on the International Military Tribunal for Germany.
  • The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs contains a page dedicated to historical documents on Israel’s foreign policy. This collection of historical documents is intended to provide readers with knowledge on Israel’s foreign policy from the years 1947-2001. Aside from having access to these translated, edited texts, there are also four volumes of yearbook publications produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that cover the years of 2002-2005.
  • The National Academies Press (NAP) publishes numerous reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine which provide information on some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Although the National Academies primarily deal in sciences, engineering, and medicine, the NAP also contains over 600 books on “Conflict and Security Issues.” These books are available for free PDF downloads, or they can be accessed online for free.
  • The U.S. Department of Defense’s Archives website contains a collection of archived material from the years leading up to 2015. Although the website is no longer updated today, faculty can still find primary sources from the time such as the top issues and news, photos/videos, links to DoD sites, and numerous resources. Some prevalent resources include publications, policies, forms, careers, business, general information, and education resources.
  • The Center for Security Studies (CSS) is a center of international security policy that offers expertise in research, teaching, and consulting activities. The CSS has worked with various partners and created an online library with material that focuses on international relations and security studies. The library includes over 75,000 open source books, chapters, articles, reports, articles, etc. that can be easily accessed for free by anyone; the material is also available for download.
  • The RAND Corporation is a non-profit research organization that provides solutions and responses to various public policy challenges. The corporation’s page on “published research” lists over 25,000 RAND publications on numerous global security topics such as drug policy and trends, emergency preparedness, forced migration, global health, global security, and much more. The publications date back as early as 1946, and most of them are available for free eBook downloads.
  • FRONTLINE, created by the PBS organization, is an investigative journalism that offers a wide collection of documentaries relevant to international studies. The investigations have recognized achievements in expanding the investigations of terrorism cold cases, freeing innocent people from jail, influencing U.N. resolutions, and spurring policy and social changes. The website offers numerous documentary films and videos that can be searched by global security topics such as climate and environment, health, terrorism, etc.
  • Foreign Affairs is a multiplatform media organization, created by the Council on Foreign Affairs, that discusses American foreign policy and global affairs. The organization contains various articles that cover a broad range of subjects related to the politics, history, and economics of international studies. The website’s menu can be browsed by topics, regions, article types, newsletters, and more.
  • ForeignPolicy.com is an online magazine written by award-winning reporters and authors who discuss the topics of global politics, economics, and ideas. The website is one of the most-accessed news sites on the internet for international news and opinion. For those interested in knowing more about what’s actually happening in the world, they can access the website’s news, analysis, podcasts, the Foreign Policy magazine, channels, newsletters, events, and more.

Presidential Libraries

The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum offers a collection of papers, books, and other historical materials documenting the life of former president, Harry S. Truman. All documents are available for access for the public and are strongly encouraged to be used for research purposes. The website also offers educational resources for faculty such as lesson plans, activities, and more.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home website provides a world-class research facility documenting the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The presidential library consists of historical records and papers, photographs, film, and artifacts for anyone who wishes to conduct research. The website also offers a tab on education where faculty can find activities, public programs, and virtual content. 

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to providing the public with access to historical materials related to the 35th president of the United States. The website contains archival collections of documents, photographs, audio, film and video, oral histories, collection policy and donating materials, and additional papers on Ernest Hemingway. Faculty can also find educational resources such as virtual school programs, curricular resources, professional development, civic education programs and materials, etc.

The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library houses a wide collection of historical documents, photographs, and recordings of Lyndon B Johnson’s political career. Aside from having access to Lyndon B. Johnson’s biographies, exhibits, events, research, and press, faculty can also access the numerous educational resources. Examples of some resources include educational programming, the education outreach program, professional development, and curriculum resources.

Richard Nixon’s presidential career is one of the most extensively documented administrations in U.S. history. The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum contains various historical documents, recorded Presidential conversations, recordings of broadcast video, audio recordings, still photographs, and film of Richard Nixon’s life. Additionally, the website’s education page offers education tours, lesson plans, analysis worksheets, and other resources that faculty may find useful.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum offers library collections, digital collections, and museum artifacts documenting the life of Gerald R. Ford. The presidential library also provides faculty with a rich collection of teacher resources that can be used in government, history, civics, geography, and/or STEM lessons. Examples of these resources include document collections, featured documents, national archives, additional presidential libraries, and links to other resourceful websites.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute contains a wide variety of resources dedicated to the life of Ronald Reagan. Faculty can find biographies, the presidential library and museum, archives, exhibitions, programs and events, and, of course, an education page. On the education page, faculty can explore primary source based curriculum, scholarship opportunities, and other educational resources.

The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum serves to preserve and provide access to the numerous records and artifacts of George H.W. Bush. The website contains biographies, exhibits, events, research, museum collections, and educational resources. Faculty can also find access to educational resources such as premier education programs, downloadable educational resources, and more.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum offers museum exhibits, research links, and educational resources of William Clinton’s life. Most notably, the presidential library contains archives, research guides, digital libraries, bibliographies, audio visual collections, national archive catalogs, and other useful links for research. Faculty can also locate lesson plans, activities, online educational programs, and workshops.

Lesson Plans

  • The Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training contains the world’s largest collection of U.S. diplomatic oral history. The website has a list of educational resources for faculty such as oral histories, lesson plans, evaluation worksheets, and student projects. The topics are related to diplomatic oral histories, U.S. Foreign policy, U.S. history, and world history.
  • Teach Mideast is a very resourceful website created by the Middle East Policy Council that is intended to offer high educators with educational information on various topics of the Middle East. Faculty can find resource guides on topics such as the impact of COVID-19, oil, Syria, women rights, Islam, etc. These resource guides include background information on the topic, lesson plans, teaching guides, films, documentaries, books, podcasts, resource links, and much more.
  • World 101, from the Council on Foreign Affairs, offers a variety of free teaching resources regarding topics of global challenges. These topics range anywhere from global health, climate change, migration, terrorism, globalization, and more. The teaching resources include lesson plans, essays, classroom simulation, supplemental readings, primary sources, discussion questions, glossaries, etc. that faculty can include in their lesson plans.
  • The PBS website has created a “Preventing Armageddon” page with tabs for a Global Security Simulator and Educational Activities. Educational Activities include five lesson plans related to global security along with educator resources that faculty can use in their courses. Although some of the lesson plan activities range from grades 7-12, it can also be adapted into a university-level format.

Sample Syllabi

The Consortium on Gender, Security, and Human Rights provides a wide range of courses on topics related to gender, armed conflict, peacemaking and postwar reconstruction, and feminist perspectives on global politics. The website’s syllabus collection contains syllabi on topics such as gender, peacekeeping, humanitarian development, human rights, the environment, and more. Faculty may find these syllabi useful since they also represent what other professors have found to be useful in their teachings.
The School of International Relations at the University of South Carolina offers a list of sample syllabi related to courses on international relations. Faculty can download the sample syllabi and adapt the syllabi to better accommodate their classes. Some examples of the syllabi topics include international relations, international affairs, international security, etc.
The Council on Foreign Affairs offers free “Teaching Notes” that faculty and staff can implement in their classes. Teaching notes can be filtered by foreign relation topics such as defense and security, energy and environment, health, human rights, etc., and they can also be filtered by regions. A few examples of the activities from these teaching notes include readings, essay questions, projects, etc.

Courses/Lectures

  • The SDG Academy Library contains a free collection of over 1,200 video lectures and case studies related to sustainable development. The videos can be searched and filtered by Sustainable Development Goals or by global security subjects such as global studies, health, policy, science, and more. These video lectures can also easily be transferred into the Canvas management system for online courses if needed.
  • SDG AcademyX includes 30 free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), offered by the SDG Academy, that all pertain to Sustainable Development Goals. These interactive courses range anywhere from climate change, global health, human rights, etc. Although the courses are free to learn, there is also an option to receive a verified certification for a fee; fee prices may vary.
  • Coursera offers a wide variety of free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) related to global health topics. The MOOCs are offered by world-renowned instructors and universities, and these courses include auto-graded assignments, video lectures, and community discussion forums. Those who complete the course can pay a small fee to receive an official course certificate.
  • The John Hopkins Berman Institute of Ethics offers a free course with ten, mock cases involved in global health research called “Ethical Challenges in Short-Term Global Health Training.” This course will introduce students to ethical challenges that they may encounter while working with global health research abroad. In addition, these case series involve real-world experiences that can be applied in future global health careers. A certificate of completion is also available at the end of each case study.
  • The Global Health eLearning Center offers free, online courses that aim to increase one’s knowledge on global health. The courses can be filtered by certificate program topics on the right-side of the page. Some examples of these courses include family planning, gender and health, governance and health, early childhood development, etc.
  • Harvard University offers nine, online courses related to global health. Some of these courses include health worker programs awareness, pandemic prevention information, the health effects of climate change, and more. Although most of these courses are free, some do require payments.
  • John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has an OpenCourseware page intended to serve public health knowledge for anyone in the world. One can find free, open public health courses and materials by topic on this page; most notably, on the topic of global health. However, there are other topics available such as environment, general public health, public health preparedness, and more.
  • “Unite for Sight” is a non-profit organization that seeks to provide universal eye-care, and their website lists an extensive page of “Global Health eLearning Resources.” This list of e-learning resources is categorized into global health, global health technology, health technology, global health research, community development, cultural competency, global health history, and more. Some examples of these educational resources include online courses, articles, global health programs, etc.
  • The Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) is an organization that offers educational resources, resources, service, and advocacy to better improve the wellbeing of all people and the planet. The CUGH features an “Educational Products” page with links to open-access toolkits, online courses, case studies, and other materials related to global health for anyone to use. The page also contains a list of global security topics such as climate and environmental health, global health, and emergency and disaster response.

Simulations

Model Diplomacy is a free simulation program created by the Council on Foreign Relations intended for anyone to use. In this program, faculty and students have the opportunity to engage in National Security Council (NSC) and UN Security Council (UNSC) simulations by dealing with hypothetical scenarios regarding global issues. Instructors must create an “instructor account” in order to start the simulations, and Model Diplomacy can be adapted into online courses as well.
The National Museum of American Diplomacy offers numerous exercises and simulations regarding American diplomacy on many global challenges topics. Simulation topics range from human rights, global health, national security, and others. Faculty can also find instructional videos, teacher guides, and sample simulations to aid with their understanding on how to effectively run these diplomacy simulations.
The International Security Sim is a global security simulation application that can be run in-person, online, or asynchronously. In this world simulation, students will take on the roles of world leaders and try to create powerful countries as they go against various security decisions and global events. The simulation runs in real-world time, working 24/7 for 7-10 weeks, and it only requires a $35 payment per student. Instructors will need to book a short demo meeting on the website in order to get the simulation running in their classes. The Statecraft Simulation website also lists other simulation applications related to international relations, U.S. government, and the United Nations.
"Stop Disasters'' is a free, disaster and emergency response simulation created by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) that is intended to simulate a real-life natural disaster scenario. Players in the simulation act as a city-planner as they try to protect their city from various natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and earthquakes. The simulation also includes teacher resources about each natural disaster topic with other significant information, and the simulation can easily be assigned as either a homework or class assignment.
BBC Climate Change is a simulation game that deals with the politics of solving a transnational problem. The game focuses more on the policy decision-making effects that go into climate change, rather than the actual global effects of climate change. Faculty can incorporate this interactive game in the classroom with their students or assign it as a homework assignment.
“Syrian Journey: Choose Your Own Escape Route” is a BBC online text game where students choose their own adventure by making decisions as a Syrian refugee. The choices that are made during the simulation determine whether you are captured by authorities, separated from your family, or if you make it to your final destination. The website also has a section to “Get Involved” with hashtags to spread awareness about the Syrian refugee crisis, along with a gallery of items that refugees brought along with them during their migration.
The ICONS project creates simulations and scenario-exercises intended to increase and expand people’s knowledge of international problems. In particular, the project contains a simulation catalog for “Education” which includes online role-play simulations for courses along with a “Simulation Selection Guide” if needed. Although the ICONS project contains a page for education, they also have expertise in the areas of scenario development, wargaming, crisis management, research, and training.
Active Learning in Political Science has created a simulation and game index with a list of simulations, games, class exercises, and educational activities. The simulations and activities are divided into categories of theory, general, economics, american government, comparative/international/global, game design, methods, and online games. Some of the most relevant simulations and games are already listed above; however, faculty can look through the list and find many other useful simulations that are only posted on the Active Learning in Political Science website.

Other Projects, Databases, and Websites

  • The Fogarty International Center website has compiled a collection of links to organizations that offer free, global health research e-learning resources. These organizations are categorized into NIH and NIH-supported e-learning resources, e-learning resource networks, global health e-learning courses and programs, other global health e-learning courses, and programs related to health, medicine, research, and science. Some examples of these resources include webinars, courses, videos, training opportunities, and other resources.
  • The Global Health Training Centre offers three different areas related to global health development: online training, webinars, and professional development. Online training includes free eLearning courses in global health developed by the Global Health Training Centre and other global partners such as the WHO. The webinars have online workshops and seminars that aim to advance research for global health. And finally, the professional development area can be used if one would like to improve their professional profile for future global health careers.
  • The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) contains an entire page dedicated to offering resources for educators. The resources are situated for college-level courses that are designed to provide thoughtful analysis on global issues. There are a variety of classroom resources such as interactive web features, podcasts, videos, and publications along with professional development workshops, speaker bureaus, the CSIS global educators network, and more.
  • The Correlates of War (COW) project is a project that seeks to facilitate the collection, dissemination, and use of data in international relations. The website is free for public access, and it features various tabs on data sets, history of the project, data hosting, news, and FAQs. The website also contains a tab for external links to other professional organizations, other major data projects, related data, COW book series, and useful documents.
  • The Global Terrorism Database (GTD), created by the National Consurtium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), is the world’s most comprehensive declassified database of terrorist attacks. This open-source database lists more than 200,000 events of terrorist attacks with information regarding each event since 1970. Faculty can have the opportunity to access and download the GTD for free if they select to use it for “individual use,” which would include scholarly, educational, or research purposes.

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Coordinator: Dr. Kelly Duke Bryant
E-mail: duke-bryant@rowan.edu
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