IB Global Politics: The Week Ahead, 7-11 April

afternoon all,

The next week will mark the 20th anniversary of the start of the Rwandan genocide. If you get the chance, please read an extraordinary interview with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Foreign Affairs as well as a great read in The Atlantic, "How Rwandans Cope with the Horror of 1994." We're also a whole 7 weeks away from the first IB Glopo exams (whoo hoo!).  Be sure to go out and support your colleagues in The Crucible this weekend; cast, break a leg! Here's our schedule for next week.

Glopo HL1

• Monday: Complete the following:
• Conflict preparation worksheet
• Negotiation strategy preparation worksheet
• (for folks absent last Thursday): watch last segment of Ghosts of Rwanda
• Tuesday: Simulation. One Village, Six People: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide in Post-Colonial Africa. 
• Thursday: Career Day
• Friday: Introducing your political engagement activity (IB Internal Assessment)

Glopo HL2

• Monday: Current events review: Council on Foreign Relations-The World Next Week.  
• Tuesday: Write Mock Paper 1 in class
• Thursday: Career Day
• Friday: Mark Mock Paper 1 in class

IB Global Politics: the week ahead, 31 March through 4 April

HL1: The Politics of Peace and Conflict, the Rwandan Genocide

• Monday: Read and discuss, Stanton, G. H. (2013). 10 stages of genocide. Retrieved from http://genocidewatch.net/genocide-2/8-stages-of-genocide/ 
• Monday-Thursday: Watch, discuss, and debrief, Barker, G. (Director). (2004). Ghosts of Rwanda [Motion picture on DVD]. United States: PBS.
• Friday: Plan for simulation, One Village, Six People. 

 HL2: Revise for IB Global Politics examination

• Monday: Current events: intellectual dodgeball
• Develop two (2) questions for each of the article below that connect the concepts of power, sovereignty, legitimacy, and interdependence to examples in the stories. 
• The Economist. (2014, March 08). Bring up the bodies. Retrieved fromhttp://www.economist.com/news/asia/21598715-creeping-towards-international-inquiry-war-crimes-bring-up-bodies
• The Economist. (2014, March 22). As bad as it gets. Retrieved fromhttp://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21599406-election-draws-near-rifts-between-iraqs-three-main-communities-are
• The Economist. (2014, March 22). Responding to Mr Putin. Retrieved fromhttp://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21599413-russia-wants-divided-ukraine-and-despite-promise-revolution-it-may-well-get
• The Economist. (2014, March 22). Inside the barrios. Retrieved fromhttp://www.economist.com/news/americas/21599382-support-among-poor-government-nicol-s-maduro-conditional-inside-barrios
• Tuesday: Mock Paper 1 (Sovereignty)
• Thursday: Debrief and mark Mock Paper 1
• Friday: Current events: 4Cs (Legitimacy)
• As bad as it gets. (2014, March 29). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21599406-election-draws-near-rifts-between-iraqs-three-main-communities-are 
• Of judges and generals. (2014, March 29). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21599769-will-abdel-fattah-al-sisi-soon-be-president-be-harsh-his-judges 
• The battle for Turkey’s future. (2014, March 29). The Economist. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21599819-increasingly-autocratic-prime-minister-losing-touch-voters-and-damaging-his-country

IB Global Politics: the week ahead, 24-28 March

'afternoon folks,

Here's the brief outline for next week-have a restful weekend.

Higher Level 2
HL2 folks; if you're going to make final edits to your IAs before submission and marking, please do so this weekend. Your IA scores will be uploaded to IBIS no later than Tuesday. Those IAs which are headed out for external review will be mailed out by Friday the 28th. Finally, I have the study groups listed as follows: (Devon, Jessie, Coby, Evan); (Zach); (Ilana, Jonathan, Lauren); (Max, ATD, Daniel, Jack); (Michael); (Ryan, Nathalia, Camilo). Please be sure you are making adequate progress towards completing your study guide. Your first Mock Paper 2 on the Power, Sovereignty, and International Relations unit will be on Tuesday, 1 April 2014.

• Monday: Print all IAs. Complete IA paperwork for the IB
• Tuesday: Mock Paper 1
• Be sure to bring several pens to class
• Wednesday (12-1pm): Academic Conference call-"Update on the Congo"
• Please reply to this blog post to confirm your attendance. 
• Thursday: Debrief and mark Mock Paper 1
• Friday: Current events: intellectual dodgeball
• The Economist. (2014, March 08). Bring up the bodies. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21598715-creeping-towards-international-inquiry-war-crimes-bring-up-bodies
• The Economist. (2014, March 22). As bad as it gets. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21599406-election-draws-near-rifts-between-iraqs-three-main-communities-are
• The Economist. (2014, March 22). Responding to Mr Putin. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21599413-russia-wants-divided-ukraine-and-despite-promise-revolution-it-may-well-get
• The Economist. (2014, March 22). Inside the barrios. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21599382-support-among-poor-government-nicol-s-maduro-conditional-inside-barrios

Higher Level 1
Just a reminder that Tuesday's post-simualtion survey will serve as the data collection for my dissertation. Also, I'll be sending you and your parents a permission slip for our day-long simulation, One Village, Six People for Tuesday the 8th of April. We'll use this as the engagement activity for your IB Internal Assessment; more information on this will be explained in class later this week. 

• Monday: Play 4Cs with Brown (1997).  Plan for simulation
• Tuesday: Simulation: Tulia and Ibad. Complete post-simulation survey
• Wednesday (12-1pm): Academic Conference call-"Update on the Congo"
• Please reply to this blog post to confirm your attendance. 
• Thursday: Debrief on Tulia and Ibad. Read Snyder and Jervis (1999) in class
• Friday: Play Forbidden Words with Snyder and Jervis (1999)

IB Global Politics: The Week Ahead, 3-7 March

Kupchan, C. A. (Director). (2014, March 1). Ukraine's road ahead: Three things to know [Video]. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/rWlojH 

 'afternoon folks,

Well, the last 24 hours in world politics have been interesting to say the least. Be sure that you're checking in with the usual suspects (CFR, Foreign Policy, The Economist, BBC News, NPR, UN News Centre, and more) for news and analysis on what's transpiring in Ukraine. Alternatively, you can also follow events live from the following (I'll add more regularly)

• BBC World News Live Coverage: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26400597
• @BBCWorldNews Twitter List: https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/lists/bbc-ukraine-2014
• @CarngieEndowment Twitter List: https://twitter.com/CarnegieEndow/lists/carnegie-ukraine 

Higher Level 1

Essential Question
To what extent is the proliferation of nuclear energy, weapons, and related technologies a geopolitical challenge?

Key Concepts
Power, Sovereignty, Legitimacy, Interdependence, Peace, Conflict, Violence, Nonviolence

Theoretical Foundations
Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism

Learning Outcomes and Prescribed Content

• The distribution, recognition and contesting of power at various levels of global politics
• Definitions of power; Theories of power; Types of power
• The operation and legitimization of state power in global politics
• States and statehood; The role of institutional contexts for operation and legitimization of state power
• The function and impact of international organizations and non-state actors in global politics
• Definition of civil society; International organizations, including the United Nations (UN); Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multinational corporations (MNCs) and trade unions; Social movements, resistance movements and violent protest movements
• The nature and extent of interactions in global politics
• Global governance; Cooperation: treaties, collective security, strategic alliances, informal cooperation; Conflict: interstate war, intrastate war, terrorism, strikes, demonstrations

For the Week

• Monday: Finish exploring Iran Crisis Guide, specifically Iran's Nuclear Program and Analyzing the Options. Poll on Policy Options. 
• Tuesday: Discuss Kahl (2012, 2014) and Kroenig (2012, 2014). Complete I used to think…but now I think. Plan for Simulation Tell Me How This Ends on Thursday.
• Thursday: Simulation: Tell Me How This Ends. Complete Post-Simulation Survey
• Friday: Complete End of Term Survey

Higher Level 2
Monday through Friday: This is your final week to research, outline, perform, and/or submit your HL Extension Tasks. Please note that the last day to submit HL Extension Tasks is Friday 7 March. Third term is reserved entirely for revising towards the inaugural IB Global Politics exam as well as tying up any loose ends in the course, the IB Program, and your high school career. 

IB Global Politics: The Week Ahead, 10-14 February

Things start to diverge a bit next week. HL2 folks; you'll be working to wrap up your first HL Extension Task while HL1 folks will begin our inquiry into the Politics of Nuclear Proliferation.

HL2
Monday-Friday: Work on HL Extension Task Presentations
Please note that presentations needs to be uploaded to your @mynbps YouTube account (set to private) and shared with me (cgleek@mynbps.org) no later than Friday 14 February. 
I will start marking these over the weekend.

HL1

• Monday
• Play Classical Realism
• Tuesday
• Read Kegley, C. W., & Raymond, G. A. (2012). Foreign policy decision making. In The global future: A brief introduction to world politics (5th ed., pp. 55-79). Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. (link)
• You may want to start this this weekend, especially if you're finished with your Paper 1
• Play Glossary as a review/debrief on the readings
• Thursday
• Nuclear Energy Guide
• Watch introductory video
• Explore the world view
• Friday
• Nonproliferation Guide
  • Watch introductory video
  • Develop informal presentations on Conventions and Treaties, Organizations and Institutions, Initiatives, and Security Council Resolutions. 
  • Presentations should not just highlight key actors, organizations, and rules but also address the so what? question
  • Review the map of nuclear states

For everyone

1. Please sign up for next week's Academic Conference Call by replying to this post. 
2. Also, please indicate if you're going to participate in our first IB Glopo/OMUN Debate/Pizza Party on Wednesday the 26th by replying here. 
3. Finally, be sure that you're completing your Student Teacher Survey as soon as possible, thanks. 

The Week Ahead, IB Global Politics

KAL via The Economist

IB Global Politics HL2

• Monday: Finish Part 1 of Half the Sky
• Tuesday: Start Part 2 of Half the Sky
• Thursday: Finish Part 2 of Half the Sky
• Friday: In class writing. As always, I will provide feedback to everyone who shares their work with me; this includes all revisions and additions to your original work. Please share your documents using Google Drive
• (from last week): What information about gender-based violence resonated most with you during the screening? What was most surprising?
• (for Friday the 28th) Choose one of the following: 
• Nicholas Kristof says that one of the “global paradoxes is that countries with the most conservative sexual mores tend to have the most prostitution.” Why do you think that is? What value do women have in these societies? What examples from the film illustrate this?
• Do wealthy countries have a responsibility to help poor countries improve access to and quality of education for girls? Why or why not? What more could or should the United States do? What do you think is the best way for you and the members of your community to help?
• There is an international debate raging around the subject of prostitution and whether women will be better protected if it is legalized. What do you think? What impact do you think legalizing prostitution would have on the global sex trafficking crisis?
• In the film, Nicholas Kristof explains that microfinance programs have not been as successful in Africa as they have in Southeast Asia. Why do you think that is? What challenges do women in African countries face that are unique to their regions?

IB Global Politics HL1

• Monday: Meet in Learning Commons, read Mingst & Karns, Chapters 1-3.
• Complete the remainder on time outside of class. 
• Tuesday: 
• Watch Selections from Boyer, J. (2011). GEOG 1014: World Regions. Lectures presented in Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Retrieved July 6, 2012, from http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/geog-1014-world-regions/id481684171 
• 3.3.1 Sovereignty-What is it? How do you get it?
• 5.2 The changing nature of cooperation
• 5.4.1.1 UN: Mission and structure
• Plan game, Is there a most important concept related to the United Nations position in world politics?
• Thursday: Continue game, Is there a most important concept related to the United Nations position in world politics?
• Friday: Complete game, Is there a most important concept related to the United Nations position in world politics?
• Outstanding prompts. As always, I will provide feedback to everyone who shares their work with me; this includes all revisions and additions to your original work. Please share your documents using Google Drive
• Describe your chosen news article through each of the lenses in Waltz's Levels of Analysis. 
• How do Constructivism (Idealism), Liberalism, and Realism each view states’ role in global affairs?
• Based on what you now know, how do you view the role of IR theory as it relates to your study of world politics?
• To what extent can we use intellectual constructs and analytical tools to make sense of (and predict?) complex social phenomena?