Global Politics Course Notes

Introduction to Global Politics

Learning Objectives

  • Define "political issue."
  • Describe the outline of the Global Politics course.
  • Link the key concepts of the course to current events.

Global Politics Aims

  • Explore and evaluate power in contemporary global politics.
  • Examine how state and non-state actors operate and interact within political systems.
  • Investigate and analyze contemporary political issues and challenges from multiple perspectives.
  • Develop a lifelong commitment to active global citizenship through collaboration and agency.

Course Model

  • Political Issues are central, influenced by:
    • Environment and sustainability
    • Rights and justice
    • Power
    • Health
    • Borders
    • Legitimacy
    • Development
    • Technology
    • Sovereignty
    • Interdependence
    • Security
    • Identity
    • Peace and conflict
    • Inequality
    • Poverty

Defining Political Issues

  • A political issue is any situation dealing with the distribution and operation of power within a social organization.
  • It extends to how people think about and engage with matters affecting their lives, communities, and the wider world.
  • Political issues are researched in universities and think tanks.
  • They are addressed by politicians and policymakers.
  • They concern executives in global corporations and local social entrepreneurs.
  • They affect how people participate in and resist change.
  • They are discussed in social media, mass media, and everyday conversations.
  • They inspire oratory and art.
  • They are rooted in history and culture.
  • Political issues are an ongoing part of daily lives.

Key Concepts

Power
  • Central concept in global politics.
  • Ability to effect change.
  • An aspect of relations among people within a social organization.
  • Understanding power dynamics is crucial in global politics.
Sovereignty
  • A state's independence and control over its territory.
  • Ability to govern itself.
  • How states use their sovereign power is central to many issues.
  • Globalization's impact on sovereignty is debated (borderless communication, trade).
Legitimacy
  • Acceptability of an actor or action to a population.
  • Rationale for governance.
  • Contemporary form: democracy or constitutionalism.
  • Other sources: hereditary or traditional leadership.
  • Actions evaluated for legitimacy.
  • Other actors evaluated based on acceptance/recognition.
Interdependence
  • Mutual reliance among groups, organizations, areas, or states.
  • Reliance on access to resources.
  • Economic (trade), security (defense), and sustainability (environmental treaties) dimensions.
  • Globalization has increased interdependence.

Syllabus

Core Topic
  • Understanding Power and Global Politics
Thematic Studies
  • Rights and Justice
  • Development and Sustainability
  • Peace and Conflict
Internal Assessment
  • Engagement Project
HL Extension
  • Global Political Challenges

Global Political Challenges (HL)

  • Extended inquiries around global political challenges.
  • Emphasis on the interconnected nature of these challenges.
  • Complexities and tensions in addressing challenges.
  • Solution-oriented focus.

HL Extension Inquiries

  • Connections between challenges and core topics.
  • Connections between challenges and thematic studies.
  • Interconnectedness of challenges.
  • How challenges are perceived and addressed in different contexts.
  • Frameworks and organizations for addressing challenges.
  • Using specific cases to change perceptions of challenges.
  • Research on at least two different case studies and two different topic areas is required for HL students.

Inquiry in Global Politics

  • Involves concepts (power, sovereignty, legitimacy, interdependence), contexts (real-world examples), inquiries, and content (thematic studies, systems, actors, theories).

SL Assessment

  • External Assessment (70%)
    • Paper 1 (30%): Source-based, core topics, 4 structured questions (25 marks), 1 hour 15 minutes.
    • Paper 2 (30%): Extended response, thematic studies, 2 essays (one from section A, one from section B) (30 marks), 1 hour 45 minutes.
  • Internal Assessment (30%)- Engagement Project (25 hours) (24 marks)
    • Internally assessed, externally moderated.
    • Engagement with a political issue.
    • Written report: justification, methodology, links to course content, engagement activities, analysis, perspectives.

HL Assessment

  • External Assessment (80%)
    • Paper 1 (20%): Source-based, core topics, 4 structured questions. (25 marks), 1 hour 15 minutes.
    • Paper 2 (30%): Extended response, thematic studies, 2 essays (one from section A, one from section B). (30 marks), 1 hour 45 minutes.
    • Paper 3 (30%): Stimulus-based, HL extension syllabus, 3 questions drawing from case studies. (28 marks), 1 hour 30 minutes.
  • Internal Assessment (20%)- Engagement project (35 hours) (30 marks)
    • Internally assessed, externally moderated.
    • Engagement with a political issue.
    • Written report: justification, methodology, links to course content, engagement activities, analysis, perspectives, recommendation.

Assessment Questions

  1. Describe the Assessment
  2. What assessment objectives does the assessment align with?
  3. Is it for SL and HL, or HL only?
  4. Is it Externally or Internally Assessed?
  5. Are there any specific teaching hours allocated towards it?
  6. How many marks is it worth (SL/HL)?
  7. What percentage of your overall grade is it worth (SL/HL)?
  8. How is the assessment structured?
  9. What are the markbands for the assessment?