3 - Global Politics SL

Course summary

Why study Global Politics? Global Politics is the study of the interaction of “global actors”- that is states, politicians, NGOs and IGOs. It gives you an understanding of the global pressures that affect all of us- such as the globalised nature of the economy and the increased interconnectivity that all citizens of the planet have to cope with (for better or worse). It gives you a genuine global perspective on issues, encouraging a student to approach problems from multiple viewpoints rather than merely a western liberal perspective. Global Politics links to a variety of professions that value the analytical skills that it demands of its students and the more open, global perspective it encourages. Examples of these include law, the civil service and work with IGOs and NGOs. The skills developed would also link strongly to courses at university including, most obviously, Politics and International Relations courses. At standard level, students study four key units. These are then assessed in the two examinations listed below. • Power and International Relations o Examining the nature of power, the state and other global actors • Human rights o The nature of human rights, its enforcement and the debate between universalism and communitarianism • Development o Different interpretations of development, different routes to development and the different ways it is measured • Peace and conflict o Different levels of conflict and the causes thereof. Whether peace-making is possible or even desirable