An extended essay (EE) in global politics gives students an opportunity to undertake an in-depth analysis of a significant, contemporary global political issue. Students should choose a topic that will allow them to demonstrate their:
knowledge
research skills
critical thinking skills.
The outcome should be a substantial, coherent and structured essay that utilizes relevant key concepts, theoretical foundations and approaches to global politics to effectively answer a specific research question. Global politics is an interdisciplinary subject, reflecting the complex nature of many contemporary political issues. Nonetheless, it has its own theoretical and conceptual frames, terminology, methods and literature. It is essential for students undertaking an EE in global politics to have knowledge and understanding of these. Global politics is not a residual category for essays that do not fit into any other subject.
Choice of Topic
In the Diploma Programme global politics course, a political issue is defined as: “Any question that deals with how power is distributed and how it operates within social organization, and how people think about, and engage in, their communities and the wider world on matters that affect their lives.” Hence, there is a wide range of questions that are in principle suitable for an EE in global politics. Students must narrow their initial topic ideas to a concise question that can be researched effectively within the EE’s 4,000-word scope. EEs in global politics may focus on topics that invite a local to global level of analysis, or on any level in between. Sometimes, it may be interesting to investigate how the same political issue unfolds at different levels of analysis. The benefit of undertaking research that investigates issues at a global level is the availability of secondary data. Research at a local level may be more effectively investigated using primary methods. In addition to levels of analysis, different theoretical foundations or the perspectives of varying groups of people or individuals on a political issue may help students to formulate a clear and focused research question. “Contemporary” rule The topic students choose must be contemporary. Contemporary here is taken to refer to events during the student’s lifetime. References to historical events and issues can be included if they:
provide useful background context
are necessary for understanding a topic
have clear implications for the present.
However, the emphasis of the essay should be on current affairs. Similarly, students should not base their essay on future events, as in this case it will become speculative and unsupported.
Examples of Topics
Treatment of the Topic
EEs in global politics will often be interdisciplinary in terms of subject matter and research approach and may use both primary and secondary sources. Essays that rely on secondary sources only are perfectly valid, but students must engage critically with the sources of information that they use. The topic and chosen level(s) of analysis will suggest the appropriate theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches. Various approaches to the research are possible, such as:
case studies
comparative studies
analyses of discourse.
Relevant techniques for gathering and interpreting evidence include:
interviews
literature or media reviews
quantitative data analysis.
Students may use journalistic or visual material, interviews or data from popular and social media, but their essay should not be based solely on such sources. Theoretical Underpinning Students must show that they have grounding in theories and methods of global politics and are able to use these appropriately and effectively in order to develop a reasoned argument. The essay is a formal research essay that examines contemporary political issues, and may do so from an angle previously unfamiliar to the student. For example:
Students interested in a more theoretical approach to political issues can examine the key concepts of global politics in a way that is more anchored in academic debates.
Students interested in statistics that underpin decision-making and perceptions in global politics can undertake more comprehensive data analysis.
Examples of Topics, RQs, & Approaches
Note: All information on this webpage has been copied or adapted from the IB Extended Essay Guide (2018) and is used for educational purposes only.