Global issues - hopefully helpful

The global issue chosen for consideration should be significant on a wide scale, be transnational in nature, and be an issue that has an impact felt in everyday local contexts. The issue should be clearly evidenced in the extracts or texts chosen. 

See also this (especially what you could do in your portfolio to prepare for your IO): https://www.sevanoland.com/global-issues.html

These lists might be a starting point for thinking about more global issues: https://simplicable.com/en/global-issues
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_global_issues

GI question from a Jennifer on www: Some students want to use “mental health” as their global issue. How can I explain to them that this is not enough?

Suggested answers:

* Mike: That's really more of a topic. Something like "the way society values mental health less than physical health" is a GI. I'd ask them "what do your texts say about mental health?" to guide them towards something more specific.

* Alison: I try to explain it the way that I explain theme. If you just have one or two words, it's a topic. To make it a global issue, put it into a sentence.

* Melissa: What ABOUT mental health? They need to consider a more full statement.

* Kate: I ask them “what about topic”, i.e. “what about mental health” and then rattle off some narrowing factors, such as societal prejudice vs growing acceptance, treatment and support for etc.

* Keone: This is from the EE guide in psychology, it may help: Topics such as eating disorders, dysfunctional behaviours (eg schizophrenia or depression) and forensic

psychology are popular with students. However, they pose a challenge unless students focus their

research question very tightly. These topics are extremely ambitious, requiring far more time and

experience than students generally have at their disposal.

* Tayyaba: Global issue is an umbrella term. They’re required to explore how/ to what extent that GI IS portrayed by authors; meaning they have to prove a point in the commentary (eg…to what extent/ how ignorance/ poverty/male dominance affect/ or control result in ….)

(All the people cited are IB DP teachers.)

Borrowing from PhilpotEducation:

A global issue has three qualities: 

• transnational
• significant
• relevant to local contexts

Many issues meet these three criteria, from 'coming of age' to 'climate change'. The IB has outlined 5 'fields of inquiry' under which global issues should fall. These are broad areas of study and rather abstract in nature.

5 Fields of inquiry

• Culture, identity and community

• Beliefs, values and education

• Politics, power and justice

• Art, creativity and the imagination

• Science, technology and the natural world

Examples of global issues

• The lack of social and economic mobility for the middle class

• The challenges of raising children in a digital age 

• The unrealistic representation of young women by global fashion brands

• The rise of nationalism and xenophobia in an age of globalisation

It helps to think of global issues as themes that appear somewhere on a ladder of abstraction. A 'ladder of abstraction' is a representation of how real-life people and situations connect to abstract ideas. Below is an example of a ladder of abstraction that includes racism. Notice how the words in the list below go from the concrete and specific to the abstract and general. What issue can you realistically explore in a 10-minute oral? 

Ladder of abstraction

CONCRETE > Michael Brown > Ferguson > racial profiling > #blacklivesmatter > racial profiling > racism > discrimination > injustice > ABSTRACT