Humanities: Unit 4: Global Challenges

Ethical issues and debates Do we have a responsibility to uphold human rights everywhere? What is the best way to address people movement? In what ways should development occur? Can the world be rid of weapons and, if so, will it be safer? In this area of study students examine debates about TWO global ethical issues. They use the concepts of realism and cosmopolitanism as a framework for analysing these issues and debates. These debates are considered in the context of case studies that transcend specific states, regions and continents. International law encompasses a wide range of rules that might be seen to govern the actions of states in international relations such as treaties, declarations, bilateral and multilateral agreements and even decisions made by bodies such as the UN Security Council. Students consider the international law that relates to these issues. They examine and analyse the effectiveness of the responses by global actors and the extent to which these responses reflect the obligations outlined in the relevant international law. Students develop the understanding that global actors’ responses may be guided by the particular ethical perspective they bring to these issues. Similarly, a global actor’s perspective may determine its view of how justice can be achieved in relation to these ethical issues. Students come to understand that the cosmopolitan perspective is not accepted universally. For this area of study, students study TWO of the following ethical issues: human rights, people movement, development, arms control. Students learn that human rights are rights inherent to all human beings and have been expressed in the form of treaties, customary international law and general principles. Human rights can result in conflict where rights claimed by one individual or group are at a variance with the rights claimed by other individuals or groups. Moreover, human rights are continually being challenged by those who deny the universality of their application based on cultural and economic grounds. People movement, both domestic and international, whether as a result of globalisation, conflict, economic interest, natural disaster or human-made disaster, is an ongoing ethical issue. Students consider debates about people movement and arguments about the moral obligation to help foreigners over a state’s national interests, which are often presented in the form of the need for border security. Students learn about development issues, global poverty and inequality. They consider debates about the range of solutions presented to alleviate poverty and the often controversial nature of what constitutes development, which at times prioritises the acquisition of wealth over political liberties, human rights and the environment. Arms control is a process by which states seek to construct a more stable and peaceful international arena by reducing the threat to the security of the state posed by other states and non-state actors such as terrorist groups. Students explore the ability of arms control to achieve a more secure world. 

Global crises What crises does the world face today? What are the causes of particular global crises? How have global actors responded to these crises and how effective are their responses? What challenges do global actors face in achieving resolutions to these crises? In this area of study students investigate the causes of TWO global crises. They also investigate the effectiveness of the responses from relevant global actors and the main challenges to effective resolution. Students discover that the causes of these crises may be cyclical and the responses can at times exacerbate the original crisis. Students also engage with the key aspects of each crisis or ideas that relate to each crisis. TWO global crises are selected from the following: climate change, armed conflict, terrorism, and economic instability. Climate change presents policy makers with significant difficulties, some of which stem from responses requiring global cooperation by states at an unprecedented level. Students consider whether national interests prevail over global climate challenges, and how other economic priorities and political factors play a role. Students learn that armed conflict remains an instrument of state power, challenging the idea that it will ever become obsolete. They consider whether mechanisms of global governance can respond to conflict and whether the notion of sovereignty presents an insurmountable challenge to responding effectively to conflict. Terrorism is a widespread feature of contemporary global politics. Students come to understand that terrorism has become more significant due to the perceived effectiveness of asymmetrical warfare in achieving outcomes and the process of globalisation facilitating global reach. They consider whether terrorism is effective in achieving its aims and the reasons why some groups resort to violence to achieve their objectives. Students consider key aspects of terrorism, including non-state terrorism and terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Students explore how the increased interconnectedness of the world economy has brought with it innumerable benefits, but has also increased the capacity for global economic instability. Organisations for global economic governance face challenges in coordinating global economic stability, due to capitalism’s inherent boom-bust cycle and the increasing tendency for economic conditions in one state to have an impact on economic conditions elsewhere. Students consider whether economic instability is a feature of the increasing interdependence within the global economy