Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library (4 vols)

This four-volume work brings together scholarship found in such classic Macmillan titles as the "Encyclopedia of Sociology, the "Encyclopedia of the American Constitution; the "Encyclopedia of Bioethics and "Civil Rights in the United States, to create an accessible cross-curricular resource on contemporary topics of study and debate. Topics include: capital punishment; child abuse; ethnic conflict; family planning; gender issues; national security; popular culture; women's rights; and more.

Here is a set that will be useful for student debates and research on controversial topics. Some 265 entries treat subjects ranging from Abortion and Academic freedom to Women's rights and Work. Entries are arranged alphabetically, with plenty of see and see also references.

Articles range from two pages (Acid rain, Quality of life) to seven or more (AIDS, Mental health), with most about three pages. Information is clearly presented, usually providing an overview, historical background, constitutional or legal principles, ethical or social aspects, and several different points of view. Often there are sidebars with vocabulary defined, quotes from the text, charts, and photos. Usually these add to the text, but the article on Poverty has a photo of a girl in Manila even though the article only discusses U.S. poverty.

Entries are unsigned but have been reviewed by the editorial board, which consists of university scholars. Many topics have been adapted from other Macmillan titles, such as Encyclopedia of Bioethics (rev. ed., 1995), Civil Rights in the United States (2000), Encyclopedia of Sociology (2d ed., 2000), and Encyclopedia of the American Constitution (2d ed., 2000). Additional articles created specifically for this set include Taxation and War. Information is current through 2001.

Each volume includes a cumulative table of contents, glossary, cumulative index, and a list of additional sources grouped by general topic ("Bioethics," "Civil Rights," etc.). There are a few minor problems with access. For example, School choice cannot be found in the index, even though several paragraphs are devoted to it in the article on Public schools. Students looking for information on chemical and biological warfare won't find it without turning to the index, because the entry that provides it has the odd and somewhat retro heading Germ warfare.

High-school, college, and public libraries that don't already own the other Macmillan titles or subscribe to CQ Researcher or SIRS may want to add this set for its concise introduction to many issues. RBB
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