The Global Politics course is a dynamic and contemporary syllabus that weaves around certain fundamental political concepts such as power, sovereignty, equality, globalisation, conflict, human rights and sustainability. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity, as well as allowing them the opportunity to explore political issues affecting their own lives. The levels of analysis are from local to global and the idea is for students to make connections between them and to understand the interconnectivity of today’s society.
Developing international mindedness and an awareness of multiple perspectives is at the heart of this course. It encourages dialogue and debate, nurturing the capacity to interpret competing and contestable claims. The engagement activity encourages students to actively participate in some form of political issue and the assessment is a mixture of sourcework, essays and videos created by the students on case studies of their choice. The flexibility of the course and the relevance to students’ own lives and communities makes this a highly relevant and interesting opportunity for students to understand the complex world we live in.
Paper 1 – 1 hr 15 mins Source-based examination (SL/HL) based on one of the four core units (see below).
Paper 2 – 1 hr 45 mins SL and 2 hrs 45 mins HL. Essay based questions based on the 4 core units.
Internal Assessment – Engagement activity. A written report (2,000-word maximum) on a political issue explored through engagement and research (SL/HL)
Core Units – 1. Power, sovereignty and international relations 2. Human rights 3. Development 4. Peace and conflict
HL extension – Global political challenges. Two video recorded oral presentations of two case studies chosen from two different HL extension topics (1. Environment 2. Poverty 3. Health 4. Identity 5. Borders 6. Security).
