Our course
"The twenty-first century is characterized by rapid change and increasing interconnectedness, impacting people in unprecedented ways and creating complex global political challenges. The study of global politics enables students to critically engage with new perspectives and approaches to politics, in order to better make sense of this changing world and their role in it as active citizens. Global politics is an exciting dynamic subject which draws on a variety of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, reflecting the complex nature of many political issues.
The Diploma Program global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, rights, liberty and equality, in a range of contexts and at a variety of levels. 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 course helps students to understand abstract political concepts by grounding them in real world examples and case studies. It also invites comparison between such examples and case studies to ensure a transnational perspective.
The core units of the course together make up a central unifying theme of “people, power and politics.” The emphasis on people reflects the fact that the course explores politics not only at a state level but also explores the function and impact of non-state actors, communities and individuals. The concept of power is also emphasized as being particularly crucial to understanding the dynamics and tensions of global politics. Throughout the course issues such as conflict or migration are explored through an explicitly political lens; politics providing a uniquely rich context in which to explore how people and power interact." (IBO 2012)
