Part 4 – Thematic Study: Peace and Conflict
An Academy adaptation for planning and mastery.
LAYER 1: CONTENT OVERVIEW (Academy Study Breakdown)
The IB Global Politics guide identifies prescribed content for the Peace and Conflict thematic study. The Academy has organised this prescribed content into smaller study areas and study checkpoints to make it easier to learn, practise and track.
IB PRESCRIBED CONTENT – ACADEMY ORGANISATION
The following 6 study areas are Academy-created organisation of the prescribed content. They are not the official IB prescribed-topic structure.
| Academy Study Area | SL | HL |
|---|---|---|
| Contested Meanings of Peace, Conflict and Violence | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interactions of Political Stakeholders and Actors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nature, Practice and Study of Peace and Conflict | ✓ | ✓ |
| Debates on Peace and Conflict | ✓ | ✓ |
| Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding and Reconstruction | ✓ | ✓ |
| Security and the Future of Peace | ✓ | ✓ |
The Academy has organised the prescribed Peace and Conflict content into 6 study areas and 35 trackable Academy study checkpoints for Part 4. These checkpoints are an Academy-created study organisation, not official IB syllabus requirements.
Key ideas explored in this thematic study:
- Peace
- Conflict
- Violence
- Security
LAYER 2: RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE
Purpose: A suggested order for learning the thematic study. This is not an IB-required sequence.
| Academy Study Area | Sequence | Why we suggest it |
|---|---|---|
| Contested Meanings | 1st | Establishes the foundational concepts |
| Political Stakeholders and Actors | 2nd | Examines who is involved in peace and conflict |
| Nature, Practice and Study | 3rd | Explores how peace and conflict are studied and practised |
| Debates on Peace and Conflict | 4th | Analyses the key tensions |
| Resolution, Peacebuilding and Reconstruction | 5th | Examines pathways to peace |
| Security and the Future | 6th | Connects to wider course |
STUDENT ACTION: “This is a suggested Academy sequence. You may adapt it to your own learning style, teacher’s sequence and classroom work.”
LAYER 3: SYLLABUS ITEMS WITH MASTERY TRACKING
SECTION: PEACE AND CONFLICT (2026 Syllabus – 35 Checkpoints)
Instructions:
– Use the status buttons to mark a checkpoint Not Started, Revising, or Practising.
– Use Test Mastery when you are ready to check whether you can mark the checkpoint Mastered.
– You must pass the Mastery Gate for the status to become Mastered.
– If you cannot pass, choose I Couldn’t Pass. The checkpoint will be marked Revising and added to your Weak Spots.
LAYER 4: MASTERY GATE
Purpose: Test your understanding of the selected checkpoint.
Answer the questions that match the learning objective type:
🔹 For DEFINE / DESCRIBE checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition accurately?
☐ Can I explain it in my own words?
🔹 For EXPLAIN checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the mechanism/process?
☐ Can I give an example?
🔹 For APPLY checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the concept?
☐ Can I give an example from a contemporary case study?
🔹 For DISCUSS / EVALUATE checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the concept?
☐ Can I give an example/case study?
☐ Can I evaluate it (strengths AND limitations)?
PASS?
YES → 🟢 MASTERED
The checkpoint moves to Mastered.
Academy Spaced Review: 1 Day → 3 Days → 7 Days → 30 Days
NO → 🔴 REVISING
The checkpoint remains in Revising and is added to your Academy Weak Spots.
LAYER 5: DASHBOARD
PEACE AND CONFLICT – PROGRESS OVERVIEW
🚨 WEAK SPOTS (Checkpoints that failed the Mastery Gate):
⬆ UPCOMING SPACED REVIEWS:
📊 PROGRESS: 0%
LAYER 6: HL EXTENSIONS AND GLOBAL POLITICAL CHALLENGES
HL students: The higher level extension is not composed of additional prescribed content, but of guiding questions that structure students’ research.
HL students conduct extended inquiries around eight Global Political Challenges:
- Borders
- Environment
- Equality
- Health
- Identity
- Poverty
- Security
- Technology
These challenges are explored through the guiding questions of the HL extension, drawing on concepts, topics and ideas from the wider course.
Evidence Analysis and Interpretation
Evidence analysis and interpretation skills are developed through the course and are relevant to Paper 3. These skills should be developed alongside the course rather than treated as a separate topic to study only at the end.
Academy Examples of HL Connections
| HL Challenge | Possible Peace and Conflict Connections |
|---|---|
| Borders | Territorial disputes, border conflicts, migration and displacement |
| Environment | Resource conflicts, climate-related conflict, environmental peacebuilding |
| Equality | Structural violence, inequality as a driver of conflict |
| Health | Health crises in conflict zones, humanitarian access |
| Identity | Ethnic and religious conflict, identity-based violence |
| Poverty | Economic drivers of conflict, conflict traps |
| Security | State and human security, peacekeeping, arms control |
| Technology | Cyber conflict, surveillance, digital dimensions of warfare |
Paper 3 – HL
Paper 3 is a stimulus-based paper focused on the HL extension global political challenges. The stimulus may include text, data, diagrams and infographics.
Paper 3 is 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 28 marks, and contributes 30% of the final assessment at HL.
LAYER 7: KEY CASE STUDIES REFERENCE
Purpose: These are Academy-selected example case studies. They are examples – not a required list.
| Case Study | Year(s) | Focus | Useful for… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia–Ukraine conflict | 2014–present* | Inter-state conflict, sovereignty, sanctions | Contested Meanings, Actors, Debates |
| Syrian civil war | 2011–present | Intrastate conflict, humanitarian crisis, intervention | Causes, Actors, Resolution |
| Rwandan genocide | 1994 | Identity-based violence, post-conflict justice | Violence, Reconstruction |
| Colombian peace process | 2012–2016 | Conflict resolution, peace agreements, transitional justice | Resolution, Peacebuilding |
| UN peacekeeping in Mali | 2013–2023 | Peacekeeping, stabilisation, state fragility | Actors, Resolution, Security |
| South Sudan conflict | 2013–present | Intrastate conflict, ethnic dimensions, humanitarian access | Causes, Actors, Health |
| Northern Ireland peace process | 1998–present | Peace agreements, power-sharing, reconciliation | Resolution, Debates |
| Nuclear non-proliferation | Ongoing | Security, arms control, deterrence | Security, Debates |
*Dates refer to the wider conflict beginning in 2014; the full-scale Russian invasion began in 2022.
For each case study, try to know: Context → Actors → Concepts → Evidence → Strengths → Limitations → Relevance.
⚡ ACADEMY RECOMMENDATION – FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
Aim for strong mastery of the Peace and Conflict thematic study while continuing to build research skills and Core application alongside it. The 80% mastery target is an Academy planning guideline only. It is not an IB requirement and does not predict an IB grade.
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This work has been developed independently from and is not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization. International Baccalaureate, Baccalauréat International and Bachillerato Internacional are registered trademarks owned by the International Baccalaureate Organization.
For definitive syllabus requirements, always refer to the official IB Global Politics guide.
🔗 Official IB Global Politics subject brief
IB Global Politics Academy · Part 4 Peace and Conflict · Independently developed using the IB Global Politics syllabus as a reference.