This is an edited version of the subject guide, for use with extended essay candidates. Assessment details for the subject are not included: please refer to the assessment criteria in the Extended Essay guide. Notes 1. This document should be read in conjunction with the School Based Syllabus (SBS) section of the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme. 2. As a school-based syllabus (SBS) subject, World Politics and International Relations may only be offered by schools authorized to do so by the IB before the commencement of teaching. 3. An SBS may not be combined within the same Diploma with a pilot subject or another SBS. 4. Any queries arising from this document should be directed in the first instance to hexagoncoreenqs@ibo.org.
May 2009 syllabus Syllabus revised October 2009 For first examinations in May 2011
CONTENTS NATURE OF THE SUBJECT page 4 AIMS 4 OBJECTIVES 5 SYLLABUS OUTLINE 6 SYLLABUS DETAILS - Section I 7 - Section II 8 - Section III 9 - Section IV 10 - Section V 11
NATURE OF THE SUBJECT The focus of World Politics and International Relations is to familiarise students with a framework for understanding the perspectives, behaviours, and decision-making processes of governments, international organizations and other associated national and sub-national groups. The actions of organizations studied will focus on international relations and the motivation for political decisions reached. Considerable attention will be given to the definition and role of national self-interest, including the needs of subgroups and the historical development of national perspectives that predispose states, international organizations, national and sub-national groups to perceive and act in predictable ways. GROUP 3 AIMS The aims of all subjects in group 3, individuals and societies, are to: 1. encourage the systematic and critical study of: human experience and behaviour; physical, political, economic and social environments; the history and development of social and cultural institutions 2. develop in the student the capacity to identify, to analyse critically and to evaluate theories, concepts and arguments about the nature and activities of the individual and society 3. enable the student to collect, describe, analyse and interpret complex data and source material and to test hypotheses 4. develop an awareness in the student that human attitudes and beliefs are widely diverse and that the study of society requires an appreciation of such diversity 5. enable the student to recognize that the knowledge and methodologies of the subjects in group 3 are contestable and that their study requires the acceptance of uncertainty. WORLD POLITICS AIMS The aims of the world politics SL course are to: 1. provide students with a core knowledge of world political discourse and international relations theory 2. encourage students to think critically about world politics and international relations 3. promote an awareness and understanding of the history and development of world political organizations, institutions and relationships 4. promote an appreciation of the way in which what has been learned is relevant to both the culture in which the student lives and the culture of other societies 5. allow the student to become keenly aware of the interdependence and diversity of global realities 6. develop an awareness of different cultural and ideological interpretations of political events and theories.
OBJECTIVES Having followed the school-based syllabus World Politics and International Relations standard level programme, students will be expected to: 1. have knowledge and understanding of international relations, concepts and theories; 2. analyse policy decisions and information through the use of international relations, concepts and theories; 3. evaluate policy choices from different international relations theories; 4. apply international relations theory to a range of policy choices involved in the causes, consequences and possible solutions to persistent, contemporary and emerging global issues, such as world and regional integration and governance, human rights and international law, and conflict, peace and reconstruction.
SYLLABUS OUTLINE The IB recommends 150 hours of teaching contact time over two years for a standard level syllabus. The major areas to be covered and approximate course time allocations are: Section I - The underlying principles of modern world order and power (30 Hours) Section II - World and regional integration and governance (30 hours) Section III - Human rights and international law (30 hours) Section IV - Conflict, peace and reconstruction (30 hours) Section V - Selected contemporary geopolitical issues (30 hours) The five sections have been designed to require approximately the same amount of teaching time. However, teaching of section V, selected contemporary geopolitical issues, is integrated into the whole content of the course.
SYLLABUS DETAILS SECTION 1 The Underlying Principles of Modern World Order and Power a. The Historical Context of International Relations (IR) - Definitions of Democracy (Direct, Representative, Liberal, Ancient City States, Lincoln) - An Outline definition of International Relations (IR) b. The Creation of the Nation-State and the development of IR - The Treaty of Westphalia as the basis of the creation of nation-states - Imperialism and Colonial Enterprise as driving forces of IR c. Major Conflict as an element of IR - The First World War in the context of multi-polar forces causing conflict - The Second World War in the context of multi-polar failure to prevent further conflict - The Cold War in the context of bi-polarity in IR - The Post Cold War era in the context of uni-polarity in IR d. Nationalism and Sovereignty - Nations and nation-states : definitions and analysis - Analysis of Nationalism with definition and characteristics - Analysis of Sovereignty with definition and features - Definition, features and examples of Microstates - Definition, features and examples of Stateless Nations e. Principles and Theories of International Relations - Analysis of Idealism/Liberalism with definition and features - Analysis of Realism with definition and features - Analysis of Marxism and Maoism with definitions and features.
SYLLABUS DETAILS (continued) SECTION II World and Regional Integration and Governance a. Levels of Analysis - Systems Level Analysis - State Level Analysis - Individual Level Analysis b. Power and the Exercise of Power - Analysis of the definitions of power - Analysis of Authority and Legitimacy - The Concept of Universal Authority versus an Emerging World System c. The Balance of Power - Multipolarity - Bipolarity - Unipolarity d. Globalisation and Interdependence - Analysis of the development and scale of globalisation - The effects of globalisation - The growth and effects of technology - Analysis of the growth of economic interdependence e. Evolving World Governance - Analysis of the growth of Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) - Analysis of the development and role of The United Nations - Analysis of the growth of Regional IGOs : Choose ANY ONE out of the EU, ASEAN, NAFTA and Mercosur - Analysis of the development of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) using any appropriate examples.
SYLLABUS DETAILS (continued) SECTION III Human Rights and International Law a. Human Rights Development - Analysis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) - Definition and discussion of the meaning of The Rule Of Law - Analysis of the concepts of Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities b. Ideology and Human Rights - Analysis of differing definitions and perspectives of Human Rights - Analysis of the differing cultural and ideological perceptions of the meaning of Human Rights - The effect of ideology and context on Human Rights : Choose ANY ONE of African, Asian or Islamic perceptions of Human Rights with appropriate examples c. Crimes Against Humanity - Definition and analysis of War Crimes, focusing in depth on any two examples such as The Balkans and Rwanda - Definition and analysis of Genocide, focusing in depth on any two examples such as The Balkans and Rwanda d. International Law - Analysis of the origins and definition of International Law - Analysis of the strengths and limitations of the International Court of Justice - Analysis of the strengths and limitations of the International Criminal Court e. IGO involvement in International Law - Analysis of the strengths and limitations of the International Tribunals in The Hague and Arusha - Analysis of the strengths and limitations of the UN Security Council.
SYLLABUS DETAILS (continued) SECTION IV Conflict, Peace and Reconstruction a. The development of war - Analysis of the System, State and Individual Causes for War - Analysis of the effectiveness of force. b. The strategy and weaponry of warfare - Analysis of the technological development of weaponry - Definition and analysis of Weapons of Mass Destruction - The strengths and limitations of the concept of Nuclear Deterrence. c. National and International Security - Analysis of the Security Dilemma of States - The strengths and limitations of alliances and unilateral actions - Analysis of the doctrine of pre-emptive strike. d. Terrorism, Non-State Actors and Civil War - Analysis of Terrorism, the question of its definition and the difficulties of combating it - Analysis of the role and prevalence of non-state actors in conflicts, focusing in depth on any two examples such as the Middle East and Al Qaeda - The causes and effects of Civil War, focusing in depth on any two examples such as the conflicts in Rwanda and The Congo. e. Peace and Reconstruction - The strengths and limitations of nuclear arms control, in both its historical and contemporary context - Analysis of peace treaties and enforcement, focusing in depth on any two examples such as the Arab-Israeli conflicts, UN peacekeeping, or any example from Africa - Analysis of the transition to democracy, focusing in depth on any two examples, such as South Africa and Iraq.
SYLLABUS DETAILS (continued) SECTION V selected contemporary geopolitical issues Section V, the study of selected contemporary geopolitical issues, is an integral part of the curriculum and threads through the other sections, building on what has been learned in the core sections I and II. In section V, students can apply the concepts and theories learned in sections I and II to contemporary examples of the topic areas listed in section III: Human rights and international law, and section IV: Conflict, peace and resolution. This area of the syllabus is covered by the completion of a portfolio of three commentaries, and is internally assessed. Each of the three portfolio commentaries must be based on a topic area from either section III or section IV of the syllabus. At least one topic area must be selected from section III and one from section IV. The topic areas from sections III and IV are: Section III: Human Rights and International Law Human rights development Ideology and human rights Crimes against humanity International law IGO involvement in international law. Section IV: Conflict, Peace and Resolution The development of war The strategy and weaponry of warfare National and international security Terrorism, non-state actors and civil war Peace and reconstruction. The emphasis here is on the political developments connected with these issues and their impact on international relations, rather than on a historical outline.