IB DP Global Politics HL Extension: The Case Study

There are a wide variety of sources you can consult with information for your IB Global Politics HL extension. The IB Global Politics Guide could be a good place to start since it includes the specific requirements, the evaluation components, and some questions to get your research started. Many websites and videos could provide you tips on how to structure your IB presentation. I think you can find very useful information out there, but before even choosing a topic you need to make sure you understand the IB assessment criteria.

THE TASK:

A CASE STUDY?

            Case studies are used in many fields of research within the human and natural sciences. They are used to explore a particular issue or topic by gathering relevant data and performing in-depth analysis in order to respond more complex questions such as How? and Why? You will have to explore a case study on a specific political issue within one of the six Global Political Challenges (GPC): Borders, Identity, Health, Security, Poverty, and Environment. You will present your case study in a 10-minute oral presentation.

            Selecting and framing your case study will be the first challenge you will encounter. This part is crucial since failing to make a good selection could bring future problems.

You could consider the following points for your selection:

• Go through the evaluation criteria and requirements- The case study should be specific and placed in a real-life context, not hypothetical. It should be contemporary, not historical, but you should also avoid choosing case studies that are too recent since the issue will keep evolving and you won’t be able to reach a conclusion.

• Interest/Curiosity– Choose a case study on a political issue you are really interested in. You will be working for weeks on this task, so take the time to really go through different options until you come up with a short list of possibilities. Also, in this step, take the time to reflect: Why would this case study be significant?

• Information– Narrow your list, you need to make sure there is sufficient data and information. You can always start with the basic questions: Who, What, Where, How, and Why. This is what we call conducting preliminary research, it allows you to do a quick evaluation if there will be enough information available. Do not only consider the quantity, but also de quality of the information.

• Time- You have 10 minutes to present the case study, therefore, you must select a topic that is complex enough to analyze from different viewpoints and using different global politics concepts.

THE CASE STUDY IN THE IB RUBRIC:

A very common mistake performed by IB DP students is that they treat their case in isolation, failing to make a connection between the chosen case study and the global political landscape. Keep in mind, throughout your presentation, the BIG picture and establish effective connections with your chosen Global Political Challenge.

Level 5 (Excellent) – “The student analyses the case study within the wider context of global politics, illustrating effectively the significance of the case”. (IB Global Politics Rubric)

Although you are focusing on a particular case study, you should make evident that this issue could also be present in other countries or regions, or a manifestation of global processes at the national or local levels.