IB Global Politics IA: The Complete Guide for IB Students

This is the complete guide to IB Global Politics IA, which is an area that gives you an opportunity to delve into real-life political issues.

Your focus has to extend beyond just the assignment. You’ll have to immerse yourself into the subject to explore, understand, and engage to political issues around you. During the course, you’ll investigate a political issue that fascinates you, and this can be at a local, national, or international level.

The Global Politics IA focuses heavily on Engagement Activity. You have to complete three stages to end up with a comprehensive paper. You must demonstrate engagement, conduct complementary research, and write a report.

How to Choose a Topic for Global Politics Engagement Activity

Choose a topic, an idea, or a political issue that genuinely interests you and enables active involvement. Also, ensure that the question aligns with key concepts studied in the course.

For instance, exploring the influence of media on political campaigns is a suitable topic. That’s because it promotes engagement with primary sources, such as interviews and attending political rallies.

20+ Best IB Global Politics IA Topics and Ideas

Brainstorming for topic randomly can take from an entire afternoon to perhaps a full day. However, you can spend even less time on ideation by starting with the following topics and ideas:

  1. Examine the interplay between political ideologies and educational policy formation.
  2. Assess the nexus between immigration policies and national security dynamics.
  3. Investigate the nexus between political ideologies and economic progress.
  4. Analyze the role of political rhetoric in molding public opinion formation.
  5. Evaluate the impact of international trade accords on domestic economies.
  6. Scrutinize the role of political institutions in facilitating economic advancement.
  7. Explore the impacts of political scandals on public trust and confidence.
  8. You can focus on the effects of political violence on societal cohesion and stability.
  9. Unpack the influence of international organizations in addressing global health challenges.
  10. Assess the role of political activism in catalyzing social transformations.
  11. Investigate the influence of political education on voter turnout and participation.
  12. Analyze the impacts of national elections on foreign policy formulation.
  13. Assess women’s participation in politics and their influence on policy formulation.
  14. Evaluate the role of political parties in writing and implementing public policies.
  15. Examine the influence of cultural diplomacy on the dynamics of international relations.
  16. Analyze the impact of political culture on national identity formation.
  17. Investigate the ramifications of political corruption on democratic processes.
  18. Evaluate the impact of policies addressing climate change on global relations.
  19. Assess the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in safeguarding women’s rights within conflict zones.
  20. Examine political leadership’s role in crisis management and resolution.
  21. Challenge the influence of political propaganda on electoral outcomes.
  22. Analyze the role of social media in shaping public perception of political issues.
  23. Assess the influence of the United Nations in resolving international conflicts.
  24. You might even investigate the impact of nuclear proliferation on global security dynamics.
  25. Evaluate the role of political lobbying in the formulation of policies.
  26. Analyze the impacts of political alliances on international relations.
  27. Assess the implications of political instability on economic growth.
  28. You can examine the role of international law in resolving territorial disputes.
  29. Do an evaluation on the impact of cultural norms on human rights discourse.
  30. You can investigate the implications of political censorship on freedom of expression.
  31. Do an analysis of the effects of political reforms on social equity and inclusion.
  32. Analyze the influence of political systems on human rights dynamics.
  33. Examine the role of non-state actors in shaping the landscape of global politics.

Engagement Activity in Global Politics

The Engagement Activity phase demands hands-on involvement. So you’ll have to things such as conducting interviews, joining events, or initiating mini-campaigns.

For instance, exploring media influence on political campaigns might entail interviewing local journalists, attending rallies, and analyzing media coverage.

Besides active engagement, you should supplement your findings with secondary research, which may include academic articles, data scrutiny, and literature review.

Writing Your Global Politics IA Report

After completing your Engagement Activity and gathering research, the next step is writing a 2000-word report central to your assessment.

The report should summarize your discoveries from engagement, such as insights from interviews, event observations, or collected data. You should articulate these findings clearly and explain their contribution to your understanding of the issue.

Use your research to explore various angles to analyzing the problem. Focus on perspectives, root causes, and potential implications.

Lastly, evaluate the issue based on your research, making informed judgments, assessing existing policies’ effectiveness, or proposing solutions.

Structure your report the same way you would outline a story. It should have an introduction, an analysis, and a conclusion. Using this approach should not only organize your thoughts but also enhance engagement.

What Assessment Criteria Does IB Use for Global Politics IA?

Understanding the criteria for the Global Politics IA is vital for doing well in the subject.

IB grades the report out of 20 according to the specified criteria that evaluates comprehension, analysis, evaluation, and report quality on the issue.

These criteria cover various aspects: understanding and engagement with the issue, depth and breadth of research, clarity in analysis, and quality of evaluation. Additionally, they consider the report’s structure and presentation, writing clarity, idea organization, and referencing.

Get familiar with these criteria before working on your Engagement Activity and report ensures, so you can do your work based on IB’s expectations.

You should strive to meet the criteria, and it’s even better if you exceed IB’s expectations. Aim for depth and complexity in understanding and analysis, thorough research, and clear, coherent writing.

Final Thoughts

Note that the stages involved in the assignment have an interconnection. However, they may not be in a linear progression, so it’s fine if you find yourself bouncing back and forth from one stage to another as you investigate your topic of interest.  

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