Here you can find Model UN research sources which are placed by different criteria: from official UN resources, to academic publications, to other regionally and thematically distributed knowledge. Also, take a look at our page MUN Research: 3 Basic Components for links about committee, country and topic research.
This page is a work in progress, and we are going to update it constantly. Feel free to contribute links and other sources to this list by adding comments below.
I OFFICIAL UNITED NATIONS SOURCES
Official United Nations portal - the gate to the UN world.
Charter of the United Nations - the founding treaty of the Organization.
UN Systems - an “address book” for everything in the UN: from organizations to publications to statistics
The UN in Brief - a page which contains links and concise information about the Organization, told in plain language.
United Nations Research Guides - developed by the UN library Dag Hammerskjold, here you can find UN resources classified by alphabetical order, organizations and themes, as well as statistics, library catalogues and terminology databases.
UN Data - More than 60 million records from the United Nations, with databases covering the area from crime to trade.
United Nations System - Chief Executives Board for Coordination (UNSCEB) - the highest level of coordination in the United Nations system. This portal offers rich information on the various aspects of the UN system.
United Nations System
- Principal Organs
- Funds and Programs - autonomous subsidiary organs of the United Nations, from UNICEF to UN Women.
- UN Specialized Agencies - the list of legally independent organizations linked to the UN by special agreements, from FAO to UNWTO.
- UN Related Organizations - organizations whose cooperation agreement with the United Nations has many points in common with that of Specialized Agencies, but does not refer to Article 57 and 63 of the United Nations Charter - from IAEA to WTO.
- DIRECTORY of United Nations System Organizations
- Delegates' Handbook - 71st Session of the UN General Assembly
Research resources and information
The Yearbook of the United Nations - the authoritative reference work on the activities and concerns of the UN. Based on official UN documents, the Yearbook provides comprehensive coverage of political and security matters, human rights issues, economic and social questions, legal issues, and institutional, administrative and budgetary matters.
- Official Document System of the United Nations [search engine]
Repertoire of the practice of the Security Council - a source of information regarding the evolution of the practice of the Security Council (1945-2011).
II OTHER SOURCES
General search and various statistics
Wikipedia - the world's most popular online encyclopedia, an obvious first step in your online research.
- The World Factbook - "provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities."
MUNPlanet eBook: "Becoming a Model UN Delegate - An Essential Guide Through the MUN World"
Center for UN Reform Education - an independent research organization established in 1978.
FRIDE - A European Think Tank for Global Action - FRIDE is a European think thank based in Madrid. Research areas - EU foreign policy, Europe and reshaped global order, changing approaches to security and the new Middle East
Global Policy Forum - an independent policy watchdog that monitors the work of the United Nations and scrutinizes global policymaking
Security Council Report - an independent not-for-profit organisation which provided information about the
activities of the UN Security Council and its subordinate bodies.
books (catalogue) - UNSC annotated bibliography
The Avalon Project, by Yale Law School - documents in law, history and diplomacy
Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies (at City University of New York)
Future United Nations Development System (FUNDS) project - briefings, reports and surveys on various aspects of the UN system written by top UN scholars, experts and practitioners.
United Nations Intellectual History Project - "The project traced the origins and the evolution of key ideas about international economic and social development, with some inroads into peace and security, nurtured under UN auspices," and as an outcome produced 17 books about the UN in the period between 1999 and 2010.
News and information on the United Nations
The UN Chronicle - a quarterly journal published by the Department of Public Information since 1946, covers information and debate on activities of the United Nations system.
PassBlue- a web publication offering original reporting on the United Nations. Regular coverage on the most important and recent developments within the UN system and in world politics.
"Our World" - a web magazine established by the United Nations University in 2008 brings expert views, research and commentary on contemporary affairs of relevance to the mandate of the United Nations.
Selected Books and publications on the UN:
Thomas G. Weiss, David P. Forsythe, Roger A. Coate, and Kelly-Kate Pease. 2016. The United Nations and Changing World Politics, 8th edition.
Jussi M. Hanhimäki. 2015. The United Nations: A Very Short Introduction, 2nd edition.
Pomerand. 2009. The A to Z of the United Nations
Zirring, Rigs and Plano. 2004. The United Nations: International Organization and World Politics
Cronin, Bruce and Ian Hurd, eds. 2008. The UN Security Council and the Politics of International Authority
Thakur, Ramesh, and Albrecht Schnabel, eds. 2001. United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Ad Hoc Missions, Permanent Engagement
Weiss, Thomas and Ramesh Thakur. 2010. Global Governance and the UN: An Unfinished Journey
Emmerij, Louis, Richard Jolly, and Thomas Weiss. 2001. Ahead of the Curve? UN Ideas and Global Challenges
Sir Richard Jolly - UN Ideas that Changed the World (Slideshare presentation)
Smith, Courtney. 2006. Politics and Processes at the United Nations: The Global Dance