Skip to content

Learn Practice Listen TOK

The next page is loading.

A complete learning system for IB students.

Study

Learn
Practice
Listen
TOK

Also on StudyIB

Guide
Resources
Tutor Sam

StudyIB

About
Contact
Privacy
Terms

© 2026 StudyIB. All rights reserved.

StudyIB is an independent learning platform and is not affiliated with, approved or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

YouTube ↗Join the StudyIB community ↗

Privacy Terms Contact YouTube ↗

The next page is loading.

Subjects03 Individuals and societies

IB diploma course · Higher level

Global Politics HL.

The whole course, unit by unit. Open each lesson for explanations, practice, review and exam-ready resources.

Next lesson

Paper 1 strategy: source-based questions

Paper 1 strategy: source-based questions

Continue this lesson →

68 lessons left

Course progress

0%

0 of 68 lessons complete

Assessment

Skills and inquiry in global politics

HL.1 The HL extension: global political challenges

HL.4 The eight global political challenges

HL.5 HL assessment

1. Core: understanding power and global politics

2. Thematic study: rights and justice

3. Thematic study: development and sustainability

4. Thematic study: peace and conflict

Search lessons

68/68

01

Assessment

5 lessons5 units

Unit 01

Paper 1 strategy: source-based questions

0/1

Paper 1 strategy: source-based questionsLesson

Unit 02

Paper 2 strategy: thematic and integrating essays

0/1

Paper 2 strategy: thematic and integrating essaysLesson

Unit 03

The engagement project: planning and engaging

0/1

The engagement project: planning and engagingLesson

Unit 04

The engagement project: the report and its criteria

0/1

The engagement project: the report and its criteriaLesson

Unit 05

Command terms and assessment objectives

0/1

Command terms and assessment objectivesLesson

02

Skills and inquiry in global politics

4 lessons4 units

Unit 01

Building and using case studies

0/1

Building and using case studiesLesson

Unit 02

How the course fits together: concepts, content, contexts and inquiry

0/1

How the course fits together: concepts, content, contexts and inquiryLesson

Unit 03

Working with sources: origin, purpose, value and limitations

0/1

Working with sources: origin, purpose, value and limitationsLesson

Unit 04

Working with the four key concepts

0/1

Working with the four key conceptsLesson

03

HL.1 The HL extension: global political challenges

3 lessons3 units

Unit 01

HL.1 Nature and purpose of the HL extension

0/1

HL.1 Nature and purpose of the HL extensionLesson

Unit 02

HL.2 Researching and selecting your case studies

0/1

HL.2 Researching and selecting your case studiesLesson

Unit 03

HL.3 Making interconnections between challenges

0/1

HL.3 Making interconnections between challengesLesson

04

HL.4 The eight global political challenges

8 lessons8 units

Unit 01

HL.4.1 Borders

0/1

HL.4.1 BordersLesson

Unit 02

HL.4.2 Environment

0/1

HL.4.2 EnvironmentLesson

Unit 03

HL.4.3 Equality

0/1

HL.4.3 EqualityLesson

Unit 04

HL.4.4 Health

0/1

HL.4.4 HealthLesson

Unit 05

HL.4.5 Identity

0/1

HL.4.5 IdentityLesson

Unit 06

HL.4.6 Poverty

0/1

HL.4.6 PovertyLesson

Unit 07

HL.4.7 Security

0/1

HL.4.7 SecurityLesson

Unit 08

HL.4.8 Technology

0/1

HL.4.8 TechnologyLesson

05

HL.5 HL assessment

3 lessons3 units

Unit 01

HL.5.1 Paper 3: format, marks and question types

0/1

HL.5.1 Paper 3: format, marks and question typesLesson

Unit 02

HL.5.2 Paper 3 strategy: using your own case studies

0/1

HL.5.2 Paper 3 strategy: using your own case studiesLesson

Unit 03

HL.5.3 The HL recommendation in the engagement project

0/1

HL.5.3 The HL recommendation in the engagement projectLesson

06

1. Core: understanding power and global politics

18 lessons18 units

Unit 01

1.1a Framing global politics: what makes an issue political

0/1

1.1a Framing global politics: what makes an issue politicalLesson

Unit 02

1.1b Actors, stakeholders and levels of analysis

0/1

1.1b Actors, stakeholders and levels of analysisLesson

Unit 03

1.1c Political systems and how authority is organized

0/1

1.1c Political systems and how authority is organizedLesson

Unit 04

1.2a What is power? Faces, forms and measurement

0/1

1.2a What is power? Faces, forms and measurementLesson

Unit 05

1.2b Hard, soft, smart and structural power

0/1

1.2b Hard, soft, smart and structural powerLesson

Unit 06

1.2c Polarity, hegemony and shifting global power

0/1

1.2c Polarity, hegemony and shifting global powerLesson

Unit 07

1.2d The power of non-state actors

0/1

1.2d The power of non-state actorsLesson

Unit 08

1.3a Sovereignty: origins, recognition and the Westphalian model

0/1

1.3a Sovereignty: origins, recognition and the Westphalian modelLesson

Unit 09

1.3b Contesting sovereignty: intervention, R2P and supranational bodies

0/1

1.3b Contesting sovereignty: intervention, R2P and supranational bodiesLesson

Unit 10

1.3c Self-determination, statehood and contested states

0/1

1.3c Self-determination, statehood and contested statesLesson

Unit 11

1.4a Legitimacy, authority and consent

0/1

1.4a Legitimacy, authority and consentLesson

Unit 12

1.4b Legitimacy of political systems: democracy, authoritarianism and hybrid regimes

0/1

1.4b Legitimacy of political systems: democracy, authoritarianism and hybrid regimesLesson

Unit 13

1.4c Legitimacy in global governance and international law

0/1

1.4c Legitimacy in global governance and international lawLesson

Unit 14

1.5a Interdependence, globalization and complex interdependence

0/1

1.5a Interdependence, globalization and complex interdependenceLesson

Unit 15

1.5b Global governance, collective action and the uneven effects of interdependence

0/1

1.5b Global governance, collective action and the uneven effects of interdependenceLesson

Unit 16

1.6a Mainstream theoretical perspectives: realism and liberalism

0/1

1.6a Mainstream theoretical perspectives: realism and liberalismLesson

Unit 17

1.6b Critical perspectives: Marxism, feminism, postcolonialism, constructivism and green theory

0/1

1.6b Critical perspectives: Marxism, feminism, postcolonialism, constructivism and green theoryLesson

Unit 18

1.6c Applying theories and models: usefulness, bias and limitations

0/1

1.6c Applying theories and models: usefulness, bias and limitationsLesson

07

2. Thematic study: rights and justice

9 lessons9 units

Unit 01

2.1a Rights: contested meanings and foundations

0/1

2.1a Rights: contested meanings and foundationsLesson

Unit 02

2.1b Codifying rights: the UDHR, covenants and generations of rights

0/1

2.1b Codifying rights: the UDHR, covenants and generations of rightsLesson

Unit 03

2.1c Protecting, monitoring and enforcing rights

0/1

2.1c Protecting, monitoring and enforcing rightsLesson

Unit 04

2.2 Debating rights: universality, cultural relativism and violence against women

0/1

2.2 Debating rights: universality, cultural relativism and violence against womenLesson

Unit 05

2.3a Justice: distributive, retributive and restorative

0/1

2.3a Justice: distributive, retributive and restorativeLesson

Unit 06

2.3b Equality, discrimination and struggles for social justice

0/1

2.3b Equality, discrimination and struggles for social justiceLesson

Unit 07

2.3c International criminal justice and transitional justice

0/1

2.3c International criminal justice and transitional justiceLesson

Unit 08

2.4 Case study skills: investigating human rights violations

0/1

2.4 Case study skills: investigating human rights violationsLesson

Unit 09

2.5 The future of rights and justice

0/1

2.5 The future of rights and justiceLesson

08

3. Thematic study: development and sustainability

9 lessons9 units

Unit 01

3.1a Contested concepts: development, poverty and inequality

0/1

3.1a Contested concepts: development, poverty and inequalityLesson

Unit 02

3.1b Measuring development and wellbeing

0/1

3.1b Measuring development and wellbeingLesson

Unit 03

3.1c Sustainability, planetary limits and the SDGs

0/1

3.1c Sustainability, planetary limits and the SDGsLesson

Unit 04

3.2a Globalization: economic, political and cultural dimensions

0/1

3.2a Globalization: economic, political and cultural dimensionsLesson

Unit 05

3.2b Global economic governance: trade, debt and finance

0/1

3.2b Global economic governance: trade, debt and financeLesson

Unit 06

3.3a Pathways: aid, investment, industrial policy and technology

0/1

3.3a Pathways: aid, investment, industrial policy and technologyLesson

Unit 07

3.3b Barriers: governance, conflict, debt distress and climate vulnerability

0/1

3.3b Barriers: governance, conflict, debt distress and climate vulnerabilityLesson

Unit 08

3.3c Sustainable pathways: climate governance and just transitions

0/1

3.3c Sustainable pathways: climate governance and just transitionsLesson

Unit 09

3.4 Our global future: contested visions of development and sustainability

0/1

3.4 Our global future: contested visions of development and sustainabilityLesson

09

4. Thematic study: peace and conflict

9 lessons9 units

Unit 01

4.1a Violence: direct, structural and cultural

0/1

4.1a Violence: direct, structural and culturalLesson

Unit 02

4.1b Contested forms of violence: terrorism, state violence and armed groups

0/1

4.1b Contested forms of violence: terrorism, state violence and armed groupsLesson

Unit 03

4.2a Causes and dynamics of conflict

0/1

4.2a Causes and dynamics of conflictLesson

Unit 04

4.2b Analysing conflict: parties, stages and tools

0/1

4.2b Analysing conflict: parties, stages and toolsLesson

Unit 05

4.2c Responding to conflict: sanctions, peacekeeping and intervention

0/1

4.2c Responding to conflict: sanctions, peacekeeping and interventionLesson

Unit 06

4.3a Conceptions of peace: negative, positive and quality peace

0/1

4.3a Conceptions of peace: negative, positive and quality peaceLesson

Unit 07

4.3b Peacemaking, peacebuilding and reconciliation

0/1

4.3b Peacemaking, peacebuilding and reconciliationLesson

Unit 08

4.4 Non-violence and civil resistance

0/1

4.4 Non-violence and civil resistanceLesson

Unit 09

4.5 The future of peace and conflict

0/1

4.5 The future of peace and conflictLesson

NEXTTurn the syllabus into a daily plan

68 lessons.
Start with one.

Every lesson opens with a teaching video and an audio episode, both free and public, and the notes, flashcards and exam-style questions sit underneath them. Nothing to set up first.

Open the first lesson →