National Security Law Resources
The purpose of this guide is to identify resources on national security law and related interdisciplinary topics.
Access Icon Key
| These linked icons indicate your access to the resources discussed in this guide. | |
 |
Library Collection |
 |
Website |
 |
Subscription Database (Law School Only) |
 |
Subscription Database (University-wide) |
 |
Bloomberg Law (Password Required) |
 |
Lexis (Password Required) |
 |
Westlaw (Password Required) |
Working Papers
Search for working papers on your topic:
Articles Databases
Search the following databases for scholarly articles and reports:
(For a list of all databases available to GW Law faculty and students, see http://law.gwu.libguides.com/electronicresources/databases)
- Academic Search Complete
This link opens in a new window
This academic multi-disciplinary database provides than 8,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. Coverage spans virtually every area of academic study and offers information dating as far back as 1887. - AULIMP
This link opens in a new window
Air University Library Index to Military Periodicals. Covers significant articles, news items, and editorials appearing in English-language military and aeronautical periodicals. - U.S. Declassified Documents Online
- This link opens in a new window
Provides access to declassified U.S. government documents drawn from Presidential libraries. - Digital Commons (BePress)
- This link opens in a new window
The Digital Commons Network brings together free, full-text scholarly articles from hundreds of universities and colleges worldwide. - Google Scholar
This link opens in a new window- This link opens in a new window
Indexes and links to articles available in various articles databases at GW. - HeinOnline
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Contains historical and current collections of legal documents including a retrospective Law Journal Library. - International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center
- This link opens in a new window
Full-text periodicals, news, reports, books, and proprietary background information summaries relating to terrorism and security. - JSTOR: Security Studies
- This link opens in a new window
Search for book chapters and articles on many security studies topics, from arms control to Westphalian sovereignty - Legal Source
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Full-text database for law journals. Includes all of the content from Index to Legal Periodicals plus additional titles. - LegalTrac
- This link opens in a new window
Index of articles in law reviews, law journals, and legal newspapers (1980 to date). Covers U.S., British Commonwealth, and E.U. law-related topics. - Lexis+: Law Reviews & Journals
This link opens in a new window
- Military & Government Collection
- This link opens in a new window
Provides indexing and selected full-text coverage for hundreds of journals and periodicals that offer news and analysis regarding the U.S. military. - National Security Archive
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Declassified documents regarding critical U.S. foreign policy decisions organized into 24 thematic collections. - Nexis Uni
- This link opens in a new window
Note: Off-campus access only for GW Law patrons. - Privacy and Data Security Practice Center
This link opens in a new window
Incorporates all the content contained in Privacy & Security Law Report plus a number of new features, including full text of cases, and state and federal privacy statutes and regulations. - ProQuest Advanced Technologies and Aerospace Database
- This link opens in a new window
includes the renowned Aerospace Database and provides full-text titles from around the world, including scholarly journals, trade and industry journals, magazines, technical reports, conference proceedings, and government publications. - ProQuest Research Library Plus
- This link opens in a new window
Covers a wide range of subject matter in both popular and scholarly periodicals - SSRN
- This link opens in a new window
Social Science Research Network (SSRN) provides abstracts and some full-text working papers or accepted papers. One eLibrary is the National Security & Foreign Relations Law eJournal. - Westlaw: Law Reviews, Texts & Bar Journals
This link opens in a new window
Search specialized journals directly
- Guide to Homeland Security
- This link opens in a new window
- Harvard National Security Journal
- This link opens in a new window
- Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International
- This link opens in a new window
- Journal of National Security Law & Policy
- This link opens in a new window
- University of Miami National Security and Armed Conflict Law Review
- This link opens in a new window
- RAIL: The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law
- This link opens in a new window
Go to Browse > Commentary > Law Journals and Reviews > Full Court Press to access journal.
CRS Reports
Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports provide more information about national security topics. While not all CRS Reports are released publicly, you may find many in the databases below.
For example:
- A Shift in the International Security Environment: Potential Implications for Defense, Dec. 3, 2020
- Intelligence Community Spending: Trends and Issues, updated November 6, 2019
The CRS also publishes a series of brief "Defense Primers" covering both defense and intelligence-related topics.
- Bloomberg Law
- This link opens in a new window
Reports are displayed in reverse chronological order. - Congress.gov
- This link opens in a new window
In 2018, Congress passed a law directing the creation of this site and ending the legal requirement prohibiting CRS from providing its products to the public. - Federation of American Scientists (general topics)
- This link opens in a new window
Provides open access to CRS reports on general national security topics. - Federation of American Scientists (intelligence)
- This link opens in a new window
Provides open access to CRS reports on Intelligence and related topics. - HeinOnline's CRS Reports
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
Reports are listed alphabetically by title. - ProQuest Congressional
- This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
CRS reports from 1916- .
Government Reports & Gray Literature
Reports on security-related matters are produced by various government agencies as well as think tanks and other research organizations. Gray literature refers to recent publications not readily available via conventional searches.
- National Journal Central
- This link opens in a new window
- PAIS International
- This link opens in a new window
- PolicyFile
- This link opens in a new window
- Law Library of Congress: Legal Reports
- This link opens in a new window