IB GLOBAL POLITICS - CASE STUDIES
(ALL UNITS)
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT 1948- -
ANSWERS-Israel = sovereign nation but contains occupied territories of
Palestinians (Gaza strip, west bank of the Jordan, etc.) and Golan Heights
(belonged to Syria)
UN Resolution 242 (1967) wants Israel to withdraw from these areas but Israel
refuses for security reasons
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - CHINA SOFT AND ECONOMIC POWER -
ANSWERS-China pledged $1.4 trillion in infrastructure in Africa
In return, China received favorable access to natural resources in Africa
Other soft power used by China is the spread of their culture (such as food) all
over the world
Economic power in China /muslim camps:
Despite the documented human rights violations and other countries trying to
intervene it has not been successful because of the economic leverage that China
has on the world . A letter by the European Union was signed by 22 countries that
condemned China's treatment of Uighur muslims. However, the letter was not
signed by any countries in the Balkans because of the infrastructure projects that
are reliant on Chinese investment which "probably ties those countries
economically and politically," which is an example of economic threats for
countries in close relations with
,UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - US HARD POWER IN IRAQ - ANSWERS-Hard
power USA - IRAQ intervention:
For instance, in 2014 the US military intervention in Iraq against ISIL is an example
of hard power. At first they supplied the Iraqi Kurds with weapons to fight back.
They also contributed in the humanitarian aspect by giving aid (food, water, and
medicine) to civilians escaping this massacre which is a use of soft power. But
when needing to make real prominent change the United States fired airstrikes
aimed at ISIL. Which were followed in coalition by nine other countries. The use of
soft or smart power was not an option because ISIL would not cooperate.In 2015
ISIL had lost 25% of their territory that they had taken in Iraq and by 2017 they
had none left
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - JAMMU AND KASHMIR - ANSWERS-J and K
are provinces bordering India and Pakistan
India and Pakistan have disputed ownership since Partition of two nations in 1947
They share these areas but mostly-Muslim area of Kashmir is controlled by India.
Have fought 3 wars over provinces since then
India gave Kashmir great autonomy under Article 370 but after suicide attacks
against Indian troops in area, India prime minister Modi brought Kashmir under
the direct control of Delhi.
Pakistan has reacted angrily to this situation.
Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, human rights, hard power, soft power, IGOs,
international law, sovereignty, nation state
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - KOSOVO 2008 - ANSWERS-Kosovo was a
province of Serbia
, Muslim Albanians are 90% of population
Wanted to separate from Serbia - claimed persecution by Serbia Unilaterally
declared independence
International Court of Justice upheld their decision
Themes: hard power, human rights, ethnicity, terrorism, IGOs, international law,
nation state, sovereignty
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - CRIMEA, UKRAINE 2014 - ANSWERS-Crimea
originally belonged to Russia until 1950s
Given to Ukraine
Putin's Russia annexed it in 2014 - 60% of Crimeans of Russian descent agreed
Themes: sovereignty, hard power, nation state, IGOs, international laws, ethnicity
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - BOKO HARAM, NIGERIA - ANSWERS-BH =
extreme islamic terrorist group which has disputed Lagos's central authority and
western influence since 2002
2014 BH kidnapped 274 school girls and control some areas of northern Nigeria
with Sharia Law.
Active in terrorist attacks on the Nigerian army.
Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, human rights, hard power, terrorism, non-
state actors, gender, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state
UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - CHINA AND THE PHILIPPINES - ANSWERS-
China needs access to Pacific Ocean and South China Sea to guarantee supply
chains and trade routes