International Human Rights Law

This pathfinder provides international law students with a guide to primary and secondary sources necessary for conducting research in international human rights at FSU Libraries and on the Internet.

Table of Contents


Secondary Sources

Research Guides


Treatises, Practice Guides and Nutshells

    Aids for finding Treatises, Practice Guides and Nutshells
    • Using the Online Catalog for locating books and other materials in the Library is a good place to start research.
    • WorldCat is an online catalog of books and other materials in libraries worldwide. Use this database to identify materials held in libraries besides FSU Libraries.
    • IndexMaster is an electronic collection of indices and tables of contents from thousands of legal treatises. Use IndexMaster to identify a secondary legal titles on specific subjects. IndexMaster will not give you access to the full-text of books but rather the index and table of contents. By scanning the index or table of contents of a particular book, you may be able to determine if the book contains information useful for your paper.
    • To physically browse books on human rights on the shelves, you may wish to consult the following call number areas on the third floor of the library JC 571 – JC 628 and on the first floor K3236 – K3268.

    Recommended Treatises, Practice Guides, and Nutshells
      Philip Alston and James Crawford. The future of UN human rights treaty monitoring. (2000) K3240.4 F88 2000

      Anne F. Bayefsky. The UN human rights treaty system in the 21st century (2000) K3240.U55 2000.

      Thomas Buergenthal. International Human Rights in a Nutshell. 3rd Ed. (2002) K3240.4.B84 2002

      Thomas Buergenthal. Public International Law in a Nutshell. 3rd Ed. (2002) KZ3092.B84 2002

      Hurst Hannum. Guide to international human rights practice. (2004) K3240.4 G94 2004.

      Michael O'Flaherty. Human rights and the United Nations: practice before the treaty bodies. (2002) K3241.O34 2002

      OHCHR Complaint Procedures
      This Fact Sheet explains the procedures open to individuals and groups who want the United Nations to take action on a human rights situation of concern to them. Updated June 2004.

      Wouter Vandenhole. The procedures before the UN human rights treaty bodies: divergence or convergence? (2004) K3241 .V36 2004

    Periodical Indexes Periodical indexes are tools for finding articles on a particular subject. Some periodical indexes provide full-text articles. Many provide a bibliographic citation with an abstract and others may provide only a citation. Use the following periodical indexes to locate articles on international human rights law.

    AccessUN
    An index to United Nations documents and publications from 1946 to the present. Articles appearing in U.N. periodicals are individually indexed.

    Chicano Database
    An index providing access to all types of materials on Mexican-Americans, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and Central American immigrants, the Chicano Database covers materials from 1960s to the present with selective coverage dating back to the early 1900s.

    Columbia International Affairs Online
    Provides access to theory and research in international affairs. Scholarship coverage from 1991 to present includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, proceedings from conferences, books, journals, and policy briefs.

    Digital National Security Archive
    Access primary documents central to US foreign and military policy since 1945.

    Ethnic Newswatch
    This database includes full text newspaper, magazine, and journal articles related to ethnic and minority issues.

    Gender Watch
    This database includes full text newspaper, magazine and journal articles, reports, and conference proceedings dedicated to gender and women’s issues. Coverage begins with 1971.

    Global Legal Information Network
    The Law Library of Congress offers this database of laws, regulations and other complementary legal sources. Full text documents are available in the official language of the country of origin, while abstracts are in English.

    Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals
    Provides access to legal articles from 1985 to the present on international law, comparative law, and municipal laws of countries other than the United States, United Kingdom, and the British Islands.

    LaborDoc
    Provides international coverage of print and electronic sources on labor and employment topics. Includes information on sustainable livelihoods, economic and social development, and human rights.

    PAIS International
    Provides access to public affairs materials (1972-current). This is not a full-text database.

    Social Science Citation Index (on campus access)
    Social Science Citation Index (off campus access)
    Includes access to social sciences journal materials. It indexes journals from more than 50 disciplines, including scientific and technical journals.

    United Nations Bibliographic Information System (UNBISnet)
    Online catalog to the United Nations libraries in New York and Geneva with links to recent full text U.N. documents. UNBISnet includes official documents, resolutions, speeches and voting records from 1979 to the present.
Periodicals and Journals Free Online Journals E-journals available via MetaLib and SFX E-journal Collections Print Journals
    Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law.
    From 2000 to the present (JRNL A877)

    Australian Journal of Human Rights.
    From 1994 to 2002 (JRNL A978)

    The Buffalo Human Rights Law Review.
    From 1998 to 2004 (JRNL B693)

    Civil Rights Journal.
    From 1995 to the present (JRNL C487)

    Columbia Human Rights Law Review.
    From 1972 to the present (JRNL C549)

    East African Journal of Peace & Human Rights.
    From 1993 to the present (JRNL E149)

    European Human Rights Law Review.
    From 1995 to the present (JRNL E853)

    Health and Human Rights
    From 1994 to the present (JRNL H569)

    Harvard Human Rights Journal.
    From 1990 to the present (JRNL H195)

    Harvard Human Rights Yearbook.
    From 1988 to 1989 (JRNL H195)

    Human Rights Law Journal: HRLJ
    From 1980 to the present (JRNL H845)

    Human Rights Review.
    From 2000 to the present (JRNL H895)

    The International Journal of Human Rights.
    From 1997 to the present (JRNL I598)

    International Journal on Group Rights.
    From 1993 to the present (JRNL I673)

    New York Law School Human Rights Annual
    From 1983 to 1987 (JRNL N469)

    New York Law School Journal of Human Rights.
    From 1987 to the present (JRNL N469)

    South African Journal on Human Rights.
    From 1985 to the present (JRNL S468)

    UMOJA Law Journal.
    From 1996 to the present (JRNL U246)

    U.C. Davis Journal of International Law and Policy
    From 1995 to the present (JRNL U123)

    Yale Human Rights & Development Law Journal.
    From 1998 to the present (JRNL Y295)

    Yale Journal of Law and Liberation.
    From 1989 to 1992 (JRNL Y309)

Country Reports

General Background Country Information Sources

Country Reports on Human Rights Issues

Human Rights Documents
    Human Rights Documents is a unique collection of documents produced by non-governmental human rights organizations throughout the world. Reproduced in microfiche format, this collection is located in the Micromaterials Room of the Law Library (call number Mif 936).

    The worldwide organizations whose material is included in this collection are concerned with a broad range of human rights issues including:
    • Rights of indigenous peoples refugees, women, and children
    • Freedom of expression, association, assembly, conscience
    • Abolition of torture, political killings, disappearances, and slavery
    • Rule of law and due process
    • Political participation and self-determination

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
    Bouchet-Saulnier, Françoise. Practical guide to Humanitarian Law. Littlefield, 2002. Call No.: LAW KZ6471.B6813 2002.

    Condé, H. Victor. Handbook of International Human Rights Terminology. Univ. of Nebraska Press, 2004. Call Number: LAW K3239.6.C66 2004

    Cartwright, Rita. Human Rights in the United States: A Dictionary and Documents. ABC_CLIO, 2000. Call Number: LAW KF4745.5.C37 2000

    Encyclopedia of Public International Law. North-Holland, 1992. Call Number: JX1226.E5 1992

    Fox, James. Dictionary of International and Comparative Law. 3rd Ed. Oceana, 2003. Call Number: Ref KZ1161.F69 2003

    Gibson, John. Dictionary of International Human Rights Law. Scarecrow Press, 1996. Call Number: K3239.3.G53 1996

    Gorman, Robert. Historical Dictionary of Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations. Scarecrow Press, 1997. Call Number: Strozier JC571.G655 1997

    Langley, Winston. Encyclopedia of Human Rights Issues since 1945. Call Number: Strozier Ref JC571.L2747 1999.

    Lawrence, James T. Human Rights in the Americas. Nova Scotia, 2004. Call Number: LAW JC599.A45 H85

    Maddex, Robert. International Encyclopedia of Human Rights. CQ Press, 2000. Call Number: JC571.M3243 2000

    Osmanczyk, Edmund Jan. Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Relations. 2nd Ed. Taylor and Francis, 1990. Call Number: Ref JX1977.O8213 1990

    Robertson, David. Dictionary of Human Rights. Europa Publications, 1997 Call Number: Ref K3239.3.R63 1997


Current Awareness
    ASIL’s In Brief
    Published once or twice monthly by the American Society of International Law, this free e-mail newsletter covers developments in international law.

    ASIL Insights
    This publication by the American Society of International Law offers in-depth articles on current international legal topics complete with footnotes and relevant cites. Free e-mail subscription or RSS feed available.

    ASIL International Judicial Monitor
    This free e-mail subscription or RSS feed is a monthly electronic publication offering news, information on important current cases, commentary and analysis intended for the international justice-sector professional and rule of law community.

    Diplomacy Monitor
    A database, set up by St. Thomas University School of Law, monitors the global output of communiqués, official statements, press briefings, position papers, interview transcripts and news releases from hundreds of diplomacy-related websites in near real-time. This is an excellent source for up-to-the-minute resources on human rights issues.

    Human Rights Brief
    This student-run publication reports on developments in international human rights and humanitarian law, providing concise legal analysis of cutting edge human rights issues. Each issues offers insightful articles with updates on the UN, regional human rights systems, NGO’s, and the ICC. Available through Westlaw, 1994 to present (file:HUMRTB)

    Jurist: Legal News and Research
    Web-based legal news service offered by students and volunteers at the University of Pittsburgh Law School.

    International Law Update
    This monthly newsletter reports on the “most significant domestic and foreign legal developments in the fields of public and private international law.” Also includes reports on “recent international opinions of U.S. and leading foreign and international courts, on leading cases from the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, and the World Trade Organization rulings.” Available through Westlaw, 1995 to present, (file:INLLUP) and Lexis, 1995 to present, (INTLAW; ILAWUP).

    International Lawyer
    This quarterly publication summarizes major international legal developments in public and private international law and foreign law. Summer issue is a year-in-review issue. Available: in print, 1966 to present, JRNL I719; Hein Online, 1966-2004; Lexis, 1981 to present (NEWS;INTLAW); and Westlaw, 1984 to present (INTLLAW)


Primary Sources

Treaties and Conventions

International Treaties: Finding Tools

    Multilateral Treaties: Index and Current Status
    The base volume and annual supplements offers status information, parties to each treaty, whether or not the treaty is in force, summary of the treaty, and multiple sources of the text. It is arranged chronologically. The fourth supplement is current through 1994. JX151.B6 1984

    Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary General 1981-present
    Use this annual publication to locate the text of multilateral treaties published in U.N.T.S. and to determine status information of treaties deposited with the Secretary General. It also provides full-text declarations, reservation, and objections.

    PRINT: Strozier Library UNST LEG Ser.E.
    SUBSCRIPTION: United Nations Treaty Collection

    Multilaterals Project.
    The vast majority of treaties included in the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy web site date from the second half of the 20th century, but the collection also includes historical texts, from the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia to the Covenant of the League of Nations.

    University of Minnesota Human Rights Library. 1945-present
    This user-friendly site offers a comprehensive list of human rights treaty texts along with a citation to print sources, status and ratification information, and when it entered into force. Users can search by keyword or view treaties by topic.

    World Treaty Index
    This five-volume set indexes treaties published in L.N.T.S. and U.N.T.S.

    PRINT: KZ173.R63 1983a, from 1920 to 1980
    INTERNET: World Treaty Index
    • Test database suitable for electronic searching of 20th century treaties.
    • Database is not yet complete (as of 2006)

International Treaties: Locating the Text

    Consolidated Treaty Series (C.T.S) 1648-1918
    Arranged chronologically, this collection (JX120 .P35) publishes full-text of older treaties and ties into the League of Nations Treaty Series. The Index Guide to Treaties (JX120 .P352) offers access to the treaties listed here. Entries include date of the treaty and supplemental notes.

    Council of Europe Treaty Series (CETS)
    This series continues the European Treaty Series. It is the official reporter for Council of Europe treaties.

    PRINT: KJC8780.A42005 C68 2005, from 2005 to present
    INTERNET: Council of Europe Treaties, from 2004 to present

    European Conventions and Agreements. 1941-1970
    This publication reproduces the texts found in the official European Treaty Series and offers additional commentary. KJC39.C682 1993

    Inter-American Treaties 1948-present
    The Organization of American States offers Internet access to treaties entered into by member states. The site allows searching for the text of treaties and for signatories and ratification information by year, subject, and alphabetically.

    European Treaty Series (E.T.S.)
    This is the official reporter for Council of Europe treaties. Treaties published here are also indexed in Multilateral Treaties.

    PRINT: KJC39.C683, 1949 - 2003
    INTERNET: Council of Europe Treaties, from 1949 to present

    International Instruments of the United Nations: A Compilation of: Agreements, Charters, Conventions, Declarations, Principles, Proclamations, Protocols, Treaties, 1945-1995.
    This publication organizes treaties and agreements in broad subject order. Also listed in the Appendices are U.N. special observances, where to find information about the U.N., and diagrams on the U.N. and human rights systems.
    KZ5006.2.U55 1997

    International Legal Materials 1962-present
    Use this source to update your treaty research. This bimonthly publication of the American Society of International Law is an excellent source for locating recent treaties that have not yet appeared in official collections. For the print version, there are annual indexes as well as three cumulative indexes: 1962-1969, 1970-1979 and 1980-1989.

    PRINT: KZ64 .I58
    SUBSCRIPTION: Hein Online, Treaties and Agreements Library
    Lexis INTLAW;ILM
    Westlaw ILM file

    League of Nations Treaty Series (L.N.T.S.)
    Printed in both French and English, this Series publishes full-text treaties that were registered with League of Nation’s Secretariat. In the print version, it contains a nine-volume general index as well as an index for every volume. This series is continued by United Nations Treaty Series.

    PRINT: JX170.L4, 1920- 946
    SUBSCRIPTION: United Nations Treaty Collection, 1920- 1946

    United Nations Treaty Series (U.N.T.S.)
    Continuing from the League of Nations Treaty Series, this publication is available in the library in two formats.

    PRINT: JX170.U35, from 1971
    MICROFILM: Film 165 (V.1-800), for treaties, 1946-1971.
    SUBSCRIPTION: United Nations Treaty Collection, from 1946 to present

    United States Treaties: Finding Tools

    Chronological Index to Multilateral Treaties in Force for the United States (as on January 1, 1972).

    PRINT: JX236.5.S67 1972

    Current Treaty Index
    Published twice annually, treaties are indexed by subject, date, geography, and number. Use Current Treaty Index to locate recent treaties published in T.I.A.S.

    PRINT: JX231.A35 Index
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, from 1982-1999

    Guide to the United States Treaties in Force, Kavass and Sprudzs

    PRINT: KZ235.G85
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, from 1982-2005

    Treaties in Force (T.I.F.)
    This is an important annual index to United States agreements and treaties currently in force as of January 1st of each year. It is arranged by country and by subject for bilateral agreements and by subject for multilateral agreements. Citation to the text source is to U.S.T. and T.I.A.S.

    PRINT: Treaties in Force JX231.A36, from 1955 to present
    INTERNET: Treaties in Force, U. S. Department of State, most recent edition
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, from 1929-2005
    Lexis: INTLAW;USTIF
    Westlaw: USTIF file

    Senate Treaty Documents, U.S. Senate
    Since this is usually the first place a treaty is published, use this source to locate recent U.S. treaties that have been ratified by the U.S. Senate.

    INTERNET: Thomas website, from 1995 and 104th Congress to present
    • Does not contain the actual text of the treaty itself. Use this site to search by number, keyword, congress, or subject.
    • Links are provided at the bottom of the Treaties page to GPO Access.
    • GPO Access, from 104th Congress, 1995 onward.
    • Contains the text of a treaty as it is submitted to the U.S. Senate for ratification by the President of the United States.
    • Selected treaty documents (T.Doc.) Available in text or PDF format
    SUBSCRIPTION: LexisNexis Congressional, from 1817 to present
    • Use the database to search for treaty documents by number, keywords, congress or year. Use microfiche to locate the text of the treaty.


      • United States Treaty Index

      PRINT: KZ235.U58 1991, 1776-1990

United States Treaties: Locating the Text

    Treaties and other International Acts Series (T.I.A.S.)
    Treaties here are officially published in “slip” or pamphlet form by the U.S. Department of State (JX231.A35). Use Current Treaty Index to locate recent treaties published in T.I.A.S.

    PRINT: T.I.A.S., JX231.A35, from 1985
    INTERNET: GPOAccess from 1985
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, from 1982-1996
    Lexis: INTLAW;USTRTY from 1776 (includes the slip documents, T.I.A.S. from 1985, and U.S.T from 1949)
    Westlaw: USTREATIES file

    United States Treaties and other International Agreements (U.S.T.)
    This bound publication is the official compilation of U.S. tre    aties. There is a twenty-year time lag in publication. Use the U.S. Treaty Index to locate treaties published in U.S.T. Subject, country, and date indexes are included..

    PRINT: United States Treaties, KZ235.3 U55, from 1950-1984
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, from 1982-1996
    Lexis: INTLAW;USTRTY from 1776 (includes the slip documents, T.I.A.S. from 1985, and U.S.T from 1949)
    Westlaw: USTREATIES file, from 1984

    Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States.
    This 13-volume set is a complete retrospective compilation of U.S. treaties and agreements between 1776 and 1946.

    PRINT: JX231 .A33 1949, 1776-1949
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, 1776-1949

    Senate Treaty Documents, U.S. Senate
    Use this source to locate recent U.S. treaties that have been ratified by the U.S. Senate.

    INTERNET: GPOAccess, from 1995 to present
    MICROFICHE: CIS Congressional from 1825 to present
    WESTLAW: USTREATIES file, from 1993 to present

    United States Department of State Dispatch 1990 – present.
    This weekly publication covers treaty developments in a monthly section entitled “Treaty Actions.” Use this source to update treaty information found in Treaties in Force.

    PRINT: Dispatch, JRNL U974, from
    INTERNET: Dispatch Magazine, from 1990-1999
    Lexis GENFED;DSTATE or INTLAW;DSTATE
    Westlaw USDPTSTDIS file

    United States Statutes at Large
    Up until 1950, treaties to which the U.S. was a party appeared in the Statutes. Volume 8 contains the text of treaties between 1778 and 1845. Volume 64, Part 3 contains a cumulative list of treaties published in the Statutes. After 1950, U.S. treaties were published in T.I.A.S.

    PRINT: U.S. Statutes at Large, KF50 .U5
    INTERNET: Library of Congress American Memory, from 1789-1875
    GPOAccess, from 1995 to present
    SUBSCRIPTION: HeinOnline, from 1789 to 2002
    Lexis: GENFED;PUBLAW, from 1988
    Westlaw: USTREATIES file, Vols. 8-64, from 1778-1949

    Avalon Project
    Excellent source for selected full-text primary source materials dating from 122 B.C to the present. Many early international as well as U.S. bilateral and multilateral treaties can be easily accessed. Most documents are cited to a print source.

    Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL)
    Provided by the American Society of International Law, this site offers links to the most authentic version of an online treaty along with its legal citation.

Finding Human Rights Instruments in Treaty Collections

    Brownlie, Ian, et al. Basic Documents on Human Rights, 5th ed. 2006
    K3238.A1 B76 2006

    Collection of Treaties    —Migration: Summaries and texts of treaties. 2002.
    KJC6048.A35 C65 2002

    European Convention on Human Rights     : collected texts. 1994
    KJC5132.A35 E97 1994

    Henkin, et al. Human Rights Documentary Supplement. 2001
    K3240.4 H832 1999 Doc. Sup.

    Hoog, Gunter, et al. International Conventions on Protection of Humanity and Environment. 1993.
    K3238.I532 1993

    Lillich, Richard B. International Human Rights Instruments: A Compilation of Treaties, Agreements, and Declarations of Special Interest to the United States.
    K3238.I536 1990

    United Nations. Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments. 2002.
    K3238.H85 2002

    United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNHCHR), International Human Rights Instruments


International Court Decisions United Nations Documents
    United Nations documents, including General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions, committee decisions, and reports can be located using three important databases.

    Access UN
    This database indexes all types of U.N. documents from 1948 to date. It is not full text but indicates if FSU owns a particular item.

    Official Document System of the U.N. (ODS)
    This Web-based system is the official online repository of U.N. documents. Contains official documents from 1993 and resolutions from 1946 in PDF format.

    United Nations Bibliographic Information System (UNBisnet)
    This is an online catalog of materials owned at the U.N. Libraries in New York and Geneva. Coverage includes from 1979 to present. Good source for voting records. Links to recent full text documents.