“Consider the Source” A Resource Guide to Liberal, Conservative and Nonpartisan Periodicals
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ver heard the saying “consider the source” in response to something that was questioned? Well, the same advice applies to what you read – consider the source. When conducting research, bear in mind that periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers) may have varying points-of-view, biases, and/or E political leanings. Here are some questions to ask when considering using a periodical source:
Is there a bias in the publication or is it non-partisan? Who is the sponsor (publisher or benefactor) of the publication? What is the agenda of the sponsor – to simply share information or to influence social or political change?
Some publications have specific political perspectives and outright state what they are, as in Dissent Magazine (self-described as “a magazine of the left”) or National Review’s boost of, “we give you the right view and back it up.” Still, there are other publications that do not clearly state their political leanings; but over time have been deemed as left- or right-leaning based on such factors as the points- of-view of their opinion columnists, the make-up of their editorial staff, and/or their endorsements of politicians. Many newspapers fall into this rather opaque category.
A good rule of thumb to use in determining whether a publication is liberal or conservative has been provided by Media Research Center’s L. Brent Bozell III: “if the paper never met a conservative cause it didn’t like, it’s conservative, and if it never met a liberal cause it didn’t like, it’s liberal.”
Outlined in the following pages is an annotated listing of publications that have been categorized as conservative, liberal, non-partisan and religious. Some of the terms used to describe these publications will contain the following:
Magazine – a periodical for general reading containing articles, photographs and stories on a variety of subjects.
Peer Reviewed – this descriptor indicates that manuscripts submitted to a magazine or articles submitted to a journal publication are examined by the editor and one or more specialists (peers) in the specific field before approval is given to publish the information. The term “refereed” is used interchangeably with “peer reviewed.”
Scholarly Journal – a periodical (usually academic) containing articles or research information written by scholars and/or experts in a particular subject field.
As always, if you have questions or need assistance with your research projects, please ask a librarian.
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JOURNALS Left Right Non-Partisan Religious (Liberal) (Conservative) Perspective Economy and Society Cato Journal Foreign Affairs Al-Tawhid A scholarly, peer-reviewed journal This libertarian-leaning journal A refereed scholarly journal (Islamic) focused on progressive political, covers public policy issues on Social published by the Council on A quarterly journal of Islamic economic, and social issues in Security, monetary, natural Foreign Relations (a nonprofit, thought and culture published by Europe, North America, Australia resources, and military spending. nonpartisan organization) The Foundation of Islamic and the Pacific. http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/ provides serious discussion of Thought. American foreign policy and http://www.al-islam.org/al- international affairs. tawhid/ New Politics A 200-page semi-annual that is an The National Interest (TNI) Public Opinion Quarterly independent socialist forum for This journal contains strong A peer-reviewed academic dialogue and debate on the left, conservative and libertarian journal that is among the most which “insists on the centrality of writings on American foreign policy frequently cited journals of its Commonweal democracy to socialism and on the and politics. kind. Most beneficial to (Catholic) need to rely on mass movements http://www.nationalinterest.org/ academicians and all social Self-described as, “the oldest from below for progressive social science researchers, it provides independent lay Catholic journal transformation.” articles analyzing trends and of opinion in the United States,” Commonweal covers issues on www.newpolitics.mayfirst.org Policy Review problems in public opinion research. religion, politics, public affairs, This journal presents articles of literature, the arts, and social and serious thinking on the American cultural issues. Politics and Society condition, the workings of The Washington Quarterly Through a Marxist/ post-Marxist (TWQ) http://www.commonwealmagazi government, and political and ne.org/ perspective, this journal focuses on Worldwide contributors to this economic systems. issues of state, class analysis, journal reflect diverse political, http://www.hoover.org/publication politics of gender, and the future of regional, and professional s/policyreview capitalism and socialism. perspectives on topics of the U.S. http://pas.sagepub.com/ role in the world, reducing
terrorism, emerging great powers
and the implications of global Modern Judaism The Public Interest (PI) political change. Science and Society http://www.twq.com/ (Jewish) A self-described neoconservative Published by Oxford University The longest continuously published journal that spotlights articles on Marxist scholarly journal in the Press, topics pertinent to the domestic policy regarding understanding of Jewish life world, Science and Society focuses education, welfare, housing, on social and political theory, Wilson Quarterly (WQ) today are discussed through poverty, politics and culture. distinctive, interdisciplinary economics, philosophy, and the Though self-described as a Publication ceased in April, 2005, forums. serious analysis of con-temporary magazine, this publication has however, it’s complete archives are http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/mo societies. the tone and characteristics of a available online via this website: dern_judaism/ http://www.nationalaffairs.com/arc journal that provides a non- hive /public_interest/default.asp partisan, non-ideological focus on Telos: A Quarterly Journal of issues in politics and policy, Critical Thoughts culture, religion, science, and A journal of international other fields that impact public discussions on political, social, life. academic, religious and cultural http://www.wilsoncenter.org/ind change in Europe and the U. S., and ex.cfm?fuseaction=wq.welcome the state of US-European relations. http://journal.telospress.com/
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MAGAZINES Left Right Non-Partisan Religious (Liberal) (Conservative) News & Opinion Perspective The American Prospect The American Conservative (TAC) Business Week America A magazine for the general reader, This monthly right-wing opinion Considered a market leader, this (Catholic) that presents a moderate left-wing magazine, founded in part by news magazine focuses on A weekly magazine intended “for view on liberal philosophy, politics Patrick J. Buchanan, represents a industries, companies, political thinking Catholics and those who and public life. paleoconservative (traditionalist, issues, legal issues, information want to know what Catholics are www.prospect.org anti-federalism, religious) and at technology and international thinking,” covers religious, times libertarian voice on domestic business. political, ethical and social issues and international political issues. www.businessweek.com from the Jesuit Catholic http://www.amconmag.com/ perspective. www.americamagazine.org
Dissent A quarterly magazine of the left that The Economist (British) Christianity Today covers politics and culture, Dissent An easy-to-read, British (Christian) contains well-written articles of left- The American Spectator perspective weekly news-paper A monthly magazine that liberal and social-democratic This libertarian-conservative (that looks like a magazine), The provides insight and analysis from opinions. It is a magazine of magazine provides articles on Economist contains well- a Christian perspective, on independent minds and strong current issues regarding politics, the respected and authoritative relevant news, trends, and events opinions. government, the economy and information on 16 news of the day. www.dissentmagazine.org military activities. categories, including world www.christianitytoday.com www.spectator.org politics, global business, finance and economics, science and technology, and the arts. www.economist.com The Humanist (Non-Theistic) A bimonthly magazine published Monthly Review Chronicles: A Magazine of by the American Humanist This scholarly, independent socialist American Culture Association, The Humanist takes magazine covers issues against U.S. This monthly, ultra-conservative Maclean’s (Canadian) a non-theistic, secular and imperialism, including workers and opinion magazine makes defending Proclaiming itself, “Canada’s only naturalistic approach to topics on labor organizers against class Western Christian civilization, local national weekly current affairs the environment, civil liberties, exploitation and racial and sexual sovereignty and political, cultural, magazine,” Maclean’s provides human rights, international oppressions. and economic autonomy its central investigative reporting on relations and other contemporary www.monthlyreview.org themes. international and social issues, social concerns. www.chroniclesmagazine.org national politics, business, and www.thehumanist.org culture. http://www2.macleans.ca
Tikkun (Jewish) Mother Jones National Review New Republic (TNR) A bimonthly magazine focused on An independent nonprofit In addition to pointedly right-wing A nonpartisan, inside-the-Beltway social theory, religion/spirituality, progressive publication focused on editorials, this bi-monthly publication that provides even- social change, contemporary coverage of social justice, anti- conservative magazine features handed coverage of current American and global politics and corporate and environmental short articles on current interest issues regarding U. S. politics, economics, ecology, culture, issues. issues, a longer feature article, and foreign policy and culture. psychology, and Israel/ Palestine. www.motherjones.com reviews of the arts. www.tnr.com www.tikkun.org www.nationalreview.com
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Magazines Continued:
(Left / Liberal) (Right / Conservative) (Non-Partisan)
The Nation The New American Newsweek An openly left-wing publication that Self-described as, “an essential One of three major newsweeklies covers a wide range of current news source for freedom-loving in the United States (Newsweek, issues via concise articles and Americans,” this bi-monthly John Time, and U.S. News & World multiple short editorials. Birch Society publication presents Report), this magazine covers www.thenation.com news and commentary from a current events and issues in the decidedly right-wing, U. S. and world. fundamentalist Christian www.newsweek.com perspective. Its primary goal is to New Statesman (British) expose the behind-the-scenes A weekly magazine focused activities shaping American politics primarily on news and politics of and culture. Time greatest interest in the United www.thenewamerican.com One of the standard news- Kingdom, where the content is weeklies in the United States, this roughly divided 60% news and 40% magazine covers current events politics. and issues in the U.S. and world. www.newstatesman.com The Weekly Standard www.time.com This weekly magazine provides right-wing articles on Washington, D.C. politics and government topics The Progressive in America and around the world. U. S. News & World Report This monthly magazine is www.weeklystandard.com One of the three major considered a journalistic voice for newsweeklies in the United peace, social and economic justice, States (and considered a bit more civil rights and liberties, human conservative than Time and rights and the environment. Newsweek), this magazine www.progressive.org provides serious reporting on current events and issues in the U.S. and the world. www.usnews.com
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NEWSPAPERS (Editorial Stance) Left Right Non-Partisan Religious (Liberal) (Conservative) Perspective The Boston Globe Human Events Christian Science Monitor Islam Online Provides global coverage focused on “The bible of the right,” is how the For over a century, this multiple (Islamic) news and events of the Greater Wall Street Journal describes this award-winning weekly, with eight Based in Dubai, IslamOnline is the Boston area. This award winning Washington, D.C.-based weekly that U.S. offices and eight foreign original Internet portal and daily offers in-depth coverage of has a strong partisan focus on bureaus, has provided non- leading source for Islamic content news, business, sports, arts & national and international political partisan, in-depth coverage of in the Islamic world. With a entertainment, and provocative and legislative news. news and feature stories from stated objective, “of portraying a columns. www.humanevents.com every corner of the globe. positive and accurate picture of www.BostonGlobe.com www.csmonitor.com Islam to the world and to provide support for Muslims,” its coverage includes news reports Los Angeles Times New York Post Chronicle of Higher Education on political, financial and The largest metropolitan daily News Corporation owns the Wall This Washington, D.C.-based economic events as they affect newspaper in the U.S., the LA Times Street Journal, the New York Post weekly is the number one source Muslims of the Middle East and covers news and events of Southern and Fox Broadcasting. Best known of news, information, and jobs America. California, global news and for its comprehensive sports section for college and university faculty www.islamonline.com extensive coverage of the arts and and gossip columns, this daily also members and administrators. The entertainment and how they affect provides global coverage of world Chronicle has more than 70 full- society. news and events. time writers and editors, as well www.latimes.com www.nypost.com as 17 foreign correspondents around the world. Although intended for academe, its content is relevant for New York Times Wall Street Journal researchers, students, legislators Jewish Telegraphic Agency The New York Times Company owns Owned by media magnate Rupert and government policy makers. (Jewish) The New York Times, the Inter- Murdoch, the Wall Street Journal is www.chronicle.com Headquartered in New York City, national Herald Tribune, The Boston written primarily for people who and with correspondents around Globe, 15 other daily newspapers follow the money and investment the globe, JTA is able to provide and more than 50 websites. This markets. With a pro-business news in-depth coverage of political, Pulitzer-Prize winning daily reports bent, it covers global events from economic and social on national and world events, major finance to general news. developments affecting Jews in political speeches, current events, www.online.wsj.com North and South America, Israel, arts reviews and lifestyle matters. Europe, Africa and Australia.
Regular opinion columnists include www.jta.org Maureen Dowd, Bob Herbert, Paul Krugman and David Brooks. www.nytimes.com
Washington Post Washington Times The Washington Post Company, Published by The Washington Times owns the Washington Post. This LLC, the Washington Times award-winning newspaper provides newspaper is a full-service, general global news, reports, and analysis interest daily headquartered in the on federal politics at the national nation's capital, that provides and international levels. Regular thorough coverage of politics and opinion columnists include Eugene policy. Regular opinion columnists Robinson, Jonathan Capehart, and include Cal Thomas, Michelle E. J. Dionne Malkin, and Tony Blankley. www.washingtonpost.com www.washingtontimes.com
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Both Sides of the Story. University of North Florida. UNF Thomas G. Carpenter Library, Mar. 2008. Web. 03 Nov. 2009.
Conservative Links. Politics1.com. Ron Gunzburger, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2009.
Guide to Progressive Publications for Democratic Socialists. Young Democratic Socialists USA. Young Democratic Socialists, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2009.
Hagin, Mr. “Political Links and Debate Resources.” Kennesaw State University. English 1101, 2001. Web. 18 Nov. 2009.
Johnson, Carolyn. Point of View in Periodicals. Northwest Missouri State University. Northwest B. D. Owens Library, 13 Feb. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
Liberal Links. Politics1.com. Ron Gunzburger, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2009.
Vroman, Ashley K. “Slandering the News: How Labelers Cleverly Undermine the Reliability and Validity of Newspapers.” University of Wisconsin Parkside. Dear Habermas, 05 May 1999. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
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