Part 5 – HL Extension: Global Political Challenges
An Academy adaptation for planning and mastery.
LAYER 1: CONTENT OVERVIEW (Academy Study Breakdown)
The IB Global Politics guide sets out guiding questions for the HL extension that structure students’ extended inquiries. The Academy has organised these inquiries into smaller study areas and study checkpoints to make them easier to learn, practise and track.
IB HL EXTENSION GUIDANCE – ACADEMY ORGANISATION
The following study areas are an Academy-created organisation of the HL extension guiding questions and related skills. They are not an official IB syllabus structure.
| Academy Study Area | HL |
|---|---|
| The Eight Global Political Challenges | ✓ |
| Guiding Inquiry Questions | ✓ |
| Researching Case Studies | ✓ |
| Connecting Cases to Course Content | ✓ |
| Paper 3 Preparation | ✓ |
| The Self-Guided Inquiry Process | ✓ |
The Academy has organised the HL extension guiding questions and related assessment skills into 6 study areas and 30 trackable Academy study checkpoints for Part 5. These checkpoints are an Academy-created study organisation, not official IB syllabus requirements.
Key ideas explored in this extension:
- Global Political Challenges
- Self-Guided Inquiry
- Case Study Research
- Interconnectedness
LAYER 2: RECOMMENDED SEQUENCE
Purpose: A suggested order for working through the HL extension. This is not an IB-required sequence.
| Academy Study Area | Sequence | Why we suggest it |
|---|---|---|
| The Eight Global Political Challenges | 1st | Introduces the topic areas |
| Guiding Inquiry Questions | 2nd | Structures the research process |
| Researching Case Studies | 3rd | Develops research skills |
| Connecting Cases to Course Content | 4th | Links research to concepts |
| Paper 3 Preparation | 5th | Prepares for assessment |
| The Self-Guided Inquiry Process | 6th | Consolidates learning |
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: HL EXTENSION (2026 Syllabus – 30 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 EXPLAIN checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the mechanism/process?
☐ Can I give an example?
🔹 For DESCRIBE checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition accurately?
☐ Can I describe the main features?
🔹 For APPLY checkpoints:
☐ Can I recall the definition?
☐ Can I explain the concept?
☐ Can I give an example from a contemporary case study?
🔹 For ANALYSE checkpoints:
☐ Can I break down the issue into its component parts?
☐ Can I identify relationships, patterns and connections?
☐ Can I show how different elements interrelate?
🔹 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
HL EXTENSION – PROGRESS OVERVIEW
🚨 WEAK SPOTS (Checkpoints that failed the Mastery Gate):
⬆ UPCOMING SPACED REVIEWS:
📊 PROGRESS: 0%
LAYER 6: THE EIGHT GLOBAL POLITICAL CHALLENGES (REFERENCE)
The Eight Global Political Challenges
| Challenge | Academy Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Borders | Migration, territorial disputes, boundary politics |
| Environment | Climate action, biodiversity, environmental governance |
| Equality | Gender, race, socioeconomic disparities |
| Health | Global health systems, pandemic response |
| Identity | Nationalism, ethnicity, cultural politics |
| Poverty | Economic inequality, development gaps |
| Security | Threats, defence, international security |
| Technology | Digital governance, AI, cyber politics |
Case Study Requirements
- Students must conduct research on at least two different case studies and across at least two different topic areas.
- Each selected case study should provide a focused way to investigate one or more relevant Global Political Challenges.
- The selected case studies should allow students to explore the links between global political challenges and the wider course.
- Case studies must incorporate themes, topics, concepts and ideas from the course content.
- Case studies should focus primarily on contemporary issues and contexts, while relevant historical cases may also be used when they help explain the present.
Academy Examples of Case Study Combinations
The following are Academy-selected examples. They are not fixed IB mappings and not a required case study list.
| Combination | Example |
|---|---|
| Health + Equality | Access to healthcare in Shanghai, China (2014-2024) |
| Environment + Security | Hydroelectric dams and biodiversity in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| Technology + Identity | Digital and legal recognition of gender identity in Europe |
| Borders + Security | Greece’s use of pushbacks (2019-2022) |
Paper 3 – HL
Paper 3 uses stimulus material to assess students’ understanding and application of the HL Global Political Challenges. Stimulus material may take different forms, including written or visual information.
Paper 3 is 1 hour 30 minutes, worth 28 marks, and contributes 30% of the final assessment at HL.
Paper 3 structure:
| Question | Marks | Academy Description |
|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | 3 marks | Short analytical question linked to the stimulus |
| Question 2 (a) | 4 marks | Analysis of an identified political issue |
| Question 2 (b) | 6 marks | Recommendation addressing the political issue |
| Question 3 | 15 marks | Uses researched case studies and Global Political Challenges to build and evaluate an argument |
The Paper 3 mark structure above reflects the assessment weightings used in the current course. Explanations of the questions and mark bands are written here in Academy language.
Paper 3 is therefore not a separate topic. It is an HL assessment component focused on the HL extension global political challenges and connected to the wider course.
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) | GPC Connection | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rohingya refugee crisis | 2017–present | Borders, Equality, Security | Displacement, statelessness, human rights |
| COVID-19 pandemic response | 2020–present | Health, Equality, Technology | Global health governance, vaccine equity |
| Climate change and small island states | Ongoing | Environment, Borders, Security | Climate migration, environmental governance |
| Black Lives Matter | 2013–present | Equality, Identity, Security | Racial justice, systemic inequality |
| Russia–Ukraine conflict | 2014–present* | Security, Borders, Identity | Territorial disputes, sovereignty, sanctions |
| China’s Belt and Road Initiative | 2013–present | Poverty, Technology, Security | Infrastructure, debt, development |
| Digital and legal gender recognition in Europe | Ongoing | Identity, Equality, Technology | Digital governance, recognition |
| Syrian civil war | 2011–present | Borders, Security, Health | Humanitarian crisis, intervention |
*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 HL Extension 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.
📞 Need Help with the HL Extension?
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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 5 HL Extension · Independently developed using the IB Global Politics syllabus as a reference.