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Human rights and Social justice



Starting point for Human rights and Social justice

Starting point contains definitions, facts, figures and overviews

Key online dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks

Encyclopaedic Australian Legal Dictionary This reference work contains over 25,000 definitions. Terms are presented in an Australiancontext and are supported by Australian legislative and judicial authority.The definitions cover every subject area of law
Dictionary of Human RightsCovers one of the most important issues in the world today, providing clear definitions combined with up-to-date information on the arena of human rights.

Key print dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks

Use the catalogue to search for more dictionaries, encyclopedias and handbooks


Catalogue searching

You can search the Library Catalogue to find books, DVDs, journals and other materials

If you know the exact title in the New catalogue

If you are searching for a topic in the New catalogue

Truncation is generally not needed as entering any version of a word will retrieve many variations.

More information


Databases and journal articles for Human rights and Social justice

Use databases to search for journal articles, book chapters, conference papers or research reports

Key databases for Human rights and Social justice

Databases Notes Help
MAIS multicultural Australia and immigration studiesSubject coverage includes immigration, emigration, multiculturalism, ethnicity, racism, migrant health, social access and equity, social services, refugees, population studies, and aboriginal studies. A subset on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is available through ATSIROM. Online help available from search page
Informit Indigenous databases A suite of databases containing selected bibliographic records relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peopleOnline help available from search screen.
APAFT Australian public affairs full textCovers current affairs, economics, humanities, law, literature, politics and social sciences and is produced by the National Library of Australia Help available from search screen.
Family & society plusSubject coverage includes child development, adolescence, marriage and divorce, adoption, foster care, child abuse, domestic violence, family law, housing, health policy and services, population studies, social and community services, child care, family economics, employmentIndexed help available from database home page and search screen
Social services abstracts CSA Social Services Abstracts provides bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community developmentComprehensive help and online tutorials available from search screen

Complete list of Social policy databases. Also check the multidisciplinary databases as they cover a wide range of academic topics. You can select other subjects from the database subject list


Full text not available?

When the full text is not available, search for the journal title in the Library catalogue to discover if print or online copies are available

Database search tips

For help with searching databases see Connecting and Combining Search Terms or Truncation/Wildcards/Phrase searching: Basic or Online training or Ask the Library


Key internet sites for Human rights and Social justice

It is important to critically evaluate all information you find particularly information found on the web.

This is a starting list of internet sites. You may want to do your own searches using search engines

Useful starters

International Organisations and Associations

  • Amnesty International An international organisation who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all.
  • Centre for social justice The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) conducts research, education and advocacy on issues of equality and democracy, both in Canada and around the world.
  • Human rights watch Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.
  • Global justice Global Justice acts as the umbrella organization for a growing number of student advocacy campaigns aimed at promoting a more responsible and engaged US foreign policy.
  • European Court of Human Rights An international court to ensure the rights and guarantees set out in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Australian Organisations, Associations and Government

  • AusAid The Australian Government's overseas aid program is a federally funded program that aims to reduce poverty in developing countries.
  • The Human Rights Council of Australia The Human Rights Council of Australia Inc is a private non-government organization which promotes understanding of and respect for human rights for all persons without discrimination through adherence to the International Bill of Rights, and other human rights instruments, internationally and within Australia
  • Human rights act for Australia A website that advocates the establishment of an Australian Human Rights act and discusses its implications for Australians.
  • Justice Action Justice Action is a community-based organisation comprising criminal justice and prison reform activists.
  • Civil and human rights Parliamentary library resoures and documents in the area of federal civil and human rights law, as well as providing links to other guides and directories which contain material on State and Territory and overseas law.


For further information about any of these resources please contact the Ask the Library service or ask at the library desk

Coordinated by: EASS Academic Library Services Team