Weekly News Updates
Current Issues Resources
This page is designed to provide teachers and students with weekly links to helpful articles, podcasts, and videos related to current issues in Global Politics and some updates to the site. We have made a conscious effort to limit the number of resources in each area. Quality over quantity is the aim.
Not all articles may be accessible; consult your school librarian for login access or access via school library databases.
November 2024: Week 2
Note that there will be no "weekly news" update next week.
With the United States election in the books, this article from the New York Times explores several reasons why his message may have resonated with Americans.
Key Curriculum Links
Sources of state legitimacy, including government legitimacy
Sadly, another impending famine could be used as a case. Here is a link to the Guardian article explaining the impact conflict is having on food insecurity in Myanmar.
Key Curriculum Links
- GPC of Poverty
- Contested meanings: poverty
- Marginalized, vulnerable and most affected groups and individuals
On The Frontlines of Sudan's Civil War, a 'Catastrophic Situation'
A powerful documentary on the situation in Sudan.
Key Curriculum Links
- Marginalized, vulnerable and most affected groups and individuals
- Conflict, including latent and overt
- Violent and non-violent state and non-state actors
This week, I added a second student sample for the Paper 1 on Power. It includes comments and suggested marks on what a top end response might look like.
November 2024: Week 1
This week, we have the United States election. With one of the world's largest economies and militaries, US leadership matters to the rest of the world. In the lead-up to Tuesday's election, you may want to review this quick primer on the American Electoral College and share it with your students.
Key Curriculum Links
Sources of state legitimacy, including government legitimacy
Liberalism can be one of the most difficult topics for students to understand (and perhaps for us to teach). In this video, Emily Chamlee-Wright provides a nice overview of classical liberalism that students might find beneficial.
Key Curriculum Links
- Theories, models and analytical frameworks in global politics
This week, I added a student sample for the Paper 1 on Power. It includes comments and suggested marks on what a mid-range response might look like.
October 2024: Week 4
This week, we saw a sharp escalation in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Here is a good article from Foreign Policy Magazine on why it matters.
Key Curriculum Links
- Parties to conflict
- Violent and non-violent state and non-state actors
- Justifications of violence in conflict
- Parties to conflict
- Violent and non-violent state and non-state actors
Why Turkey seeks to become first NATO member in BRICS
Key Curriculum Links
- Participation of IGOs and non-state actors in global governance
- Cooperation and competition between political actors
- Treaties, collective security, strategic alliances, economic cooperation
- Global interactions and networks
This week, I added a markscheme for Paper 1 on Power. As with all markschemes they can be rather general but they do highlight some broad things to look for. I have also included some general tips related to each question. For a thorough list of "how to" items, check out my Paper 1 advice.
October 2024: Week 3
Sovereignty: Has the sovereignty question of the Chagos Islands been resolved, or did it just get more complicated? Check out this article from The Economist for a perspective on this question: Britain has agreed to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Is Regional Upheaval Disrupting the International Order? This is Fareed Zakaria's take on the question.
This overview of articles from the Council on Foreign Relations is related to the old guide, but many are relevant to the new guide. The CFR is one of the best sources for our course, and this webpage collates all of the articles they have written that might be relevant to the topics covered in IB Global Politics.
October 2024: Week 2
