IB Global Politics HL/SL
Comprehensive IB Global Politics guide covering power & sovereignty, human rights, development, and peace & conflict. Includes the Engagement Activity framework, structured paper technique, and HL extension support.
Topics Covered
What you get
1. Framing Global Politics — Actors, Systems & Power
THE BIG PICTURE. Global politics begins with a simple but contested question: who has the ability to influence outcomes, and how? The new course (first assessment 2026) is organised around four key concepts — POWER, SOVEREIGNTY, LEGITIMACY, and INTERDEPENDENCE — that weave through every topic. Topic 1 sets up the analytical toolkit: the actors and stakeholders that shape political outcomes, the systems and institutions in which they operate, and the many ways scholars classify power. Mastering this topic gives you vocabulary and frameworks you'll re-use across rights, development, peace, and the HL extension.
Sample Flashcards
Distinguish hard, soft, and smart power with contemporary examples.
HARD POWER — coercion via military force, economic sanctions, threats. • Examples: Western sanctions on Russia (2022 onwards); US military strikes on Iran-backed militias; Chinese economic coercion of Australia (2020). SOFT POWER (Nye) — attraction through culture, values, foreign policy. • Examples: South Kor…
What is the difference between an actor and a stakeholder, and why does it matter?
An ACTOR has the agency and means to act on a political issue. A STAKEHOLDER is affected by it but may lack the capacity to act. Why it matters: • Limiting analysis to actors privileges the powerful and overlooks who bears costs and benefits. • Many political issues affect groups (subsistence farmers, disp…
Sample Key Terms
Actor vs. Stakeholder
An ACTOR has the agency and means to act on a political issue; a STAKEHOLDER is affected by it but may lack the capacity to act. Both must be considered in good analysis.
IGO (Intergovernmental Organisation)
Body established by treaty among states (UN, WTO, IMF, AU, ASEAN, NATO, EU). Operates within mandates set by member states; effectiveness depends on member compliance.
NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation)
Non-profit organisation independent of government, often operating across borders (Amnesty, Greenpeace, MSF, Human Rights Watch). Influences agenda-setting and norm-building rather than commanding force.
What's Covered
- 1. Framing Global Politics — Actors, Systems & Power
- 2. Sovereignty in Global Politics
- 3. Legitimacy in Global Politics
- 4. Interdependence — Global Governance, the UN & International Cooperation
- 5. Theoretical Perspectives — Realism, Liberalism & Critical Theories
- 6. Rights & Justice (Thematic Study)
- 7. Development & Sustainability (Thematic Study)
- 8. Peace & Conflict (Thematic Study)
- 9. HL Extension — Global Political Challenges
9 topics · 72+ flashcards · quizzes & matching games included
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