Research Data Services
After you've located your datasets or statistics, you may want to consult one of the specialists in our Research Data Services unit for further assistance with services ranging from data visualization to text mining. The links below lead to Guides with information about staff, key resources, and services.
Interdisciplinary Datasets
- ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research) This link opens in a new windowICPSR is a membership based, non-profit data archive located at the University of Michigan; it is one of the world's largest social science archives. Access to datasets and related studies on a wide variety of topics. Members of the NU community may set up a myData account to download datasets and supporting documentation.
- Data Citation Index (1900 - current) (Clarivate) This link opens in a new windowCitations and abstracts to quality research data from sources around the world in the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities.
- Data.govOpen data portal of the U.S. government.
- Harvard DataverseOpen access data repository. Though based at Harvard, it is open to all researchers across the disciplines.
- EU Open Data PortalThe EU Open Data Portal is a Pan European data portal, providing access to open, freely reusable datasets from local, regional and national public bodies across Europe
Selected links to resilience, security, terrorism, and crime sites (alphabetical order)
- 40 Terrorism Databases and Data Sets: A New InventoryFourth in a series of articles by Neil G. Bowie. Each article identifies and describes databases in the field. The previous articles are noted in the introduction to this latest piece in the series.
- Beginners's Guide to FBI Crime StatisticsFrom Big Local News, a project of Stanford's Journalism and Democracy Initiative.
- Community Resilience Estimates (Census Bureau)Tracks U.S. neighborhoods in terms of their resilience to COVID-19 and other local risk factors. Includes datasets and interactive data tools.
- Crime Data Explorer (with a focus on NIBRS)Description of Crime Data Explorer - contents and crime categories.
- Crime Data Explorer: Documents and DownloadsIncludes a variety of materials, including documents/datasets from NIBRS and the Uniform Crime Reports,. Includes materials on hate crimes, law enforcement officers killed, cargo theft, human trafficking,etc.
- dataUNODC (UN Office on Drugs and Crime)Covers a broad range of crimes including corruption and economic crime, human trafficking, wildlife trafficking, and drug cultivation and trafficking.
- Global Terrorism DatabaseFrom the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (University of Maryland) - Terrorist incidents 1970 through 2019 with annual updates planned.
- National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (ICPSR)Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) data and related codebooks, etc. are archived here
- Paul Hensel's International Conflict and Cooperation Data PageFrom the University of North Texas.
- Paul Hensel's International Relations Data SiteFrom the University of North Texas.
- SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)See especially the SIPRI databases and the SIPRI Yearbook (NU provides access to the 2020 and 2021 yearbooks). Earlier yearbooks are available to download as individual chapters (2001-2019) or as single PDFs (1968-2000).
- START (University of Maryland, National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism)In addition to the Global Terrorism Database, START provides a variety of datasets on its website. One of the most recent is the QAnon Crime Maps. REFERENCE TEVUS AND RADICALIZATION.
Selected Statistical Resources
- Statista This link opens in a new windowCovers a broad range of topics and, as such, is an excellent first place to look for statistics. Provides infographics, charts, and statistical reports. International in scope. Charts and data exports available. Also contains country reports.
- Statistical Abstract of the U.S. (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowUnited States statistical handbook, published annually. Available 2013 to the present. For earlier dates, see Bureau of the Census (free site)
Statistical sources can help you find useful datasets. Most tables and charts are accompanied by source notes about the datasets used to extract the statistics.
Data Mapping Resources
- SimplyAnalytics This link opens in a new windowA mapping and data visualization application including demographic data from the US Census dating back to 1980, the American Community Survey (ACS), consumer spending data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX), CDC PLACES health data, and D&B's Points-of-Interest business directory. Additionally, users have access to the MRI-SimmonsLOCAL consumer behavior dataset, which includes data on over 8,000 brands, 450 categories and detailed lifestyle data. This resource is limited to 2 users at a time. Registration is required to save work between sessions.
- Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowGeographic resource that brings together a vast and growing amount of quantitative data with an intuitive visual interface to make demographic research, the analysis of social trends, and comparison of neighborhoods, communities, counties, and other areas accessible and interactive. Access is limited to 5 users at a time.
- PolicyMap This link opens in a new windowPolicyMap is a mapping tool for accessing data on demographics, real estate, health, jobs, and more. Supports research about communities across the U.S.
Polling/Public Opinion
- Roper Center Public Opinion Archives (with iPOLL) This link opens in a new windowSearch opinion polls from all over the world, using this database from Cornell University. Poll results from news organizations, governments, private foundations, academic institutions, and more. The scope of topics spans politics, culture, workplaces, and social life. 1930s to the present.
- Eurobarometer (European Commission)Issues polling 1973 to present.
International interdisciplinary datasets
- UN DataThis site provides access to 35 UN databases, covering a broad range of data from crime to industry to demographics. Offers links to statistical portals of the world's nations.
- UNESCO Data CentreOffers tools to create tables, graphs, and maps.
Need more help?
Please e-mail Roxanne Palmatier, library contact for Political Science, Resilience Studies, Security and Intelligence Studies, International Affairs, and the Policy School.