IB GLOBAL POLITICS - CASE STUDIES (ALL UNITS) Questions and Answers

UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - KOSOVO 2008 - Answer- 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 - Answer- 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 - ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT 1948- - Answer- 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 - Answer- 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 - Answer- 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 - Answer- 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 - BOKO HARAM, NIGERIA - Answer- 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 - Answer- China needs access to Pacific Ocean and South China Sea to guarantee supply chains and trade routes Islands that make up Philippines stand in the way of this access, so China wants to control those islands/influence rulers of those islands Complication - U.S. military is security guarantor for Pacific water traffic + Philippines relies heavily on U.S. for trade and security cooperation China doesn't want direct conflict with US Key tactic - channeling large investments and other trade deals to win over Manila Not working so far - Manila has decisively sided with US for trade/security purposes Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, human rights, hard power, soft power, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state UNIT 1 POWER AND SOVEREIGNTY - SYRIA - Answer- Began with protests against President Assad's rule Islamic State began taking control of parts of Syria in 2013 Also expanded into Iraq Used it as base to launch terrorists attacks across Europe in 2015 US-led coalition has responded with air strikes Russia, Turkey have sent troops into Syria 98% of Syrian land held by IS has been taken back Last stronghold in Iraq (Mosul) re-taken in 2019 Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, human rights, hard power, soft power, terrorism, non-state actors, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - CHINA AND MUSLIM MINORITIES - Answer- China has 1.5 ethnic Uighurs in western region of Xinjiang Beijing fears rise of Islamic extremism Therefore keeping many Uighurs in re-eduction camps, prisons Feb 2020 - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China's treatment of Muslims, including Uighurs, in western China = "enormous human rights violation" Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, minorities, human rights, hard power, soft power, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN SYRIA AND IRAQ - Answer- Systematic mass murder of Christian minorities in regions of Iraq, Syria and Libya by Islamic extremist group, ISIL Persecution at its worse in ISIL takeover of parts of Northern Iraq in June 2014. Spread to Libya and Syria in 2015 Called a "genocide" by EU and US Themes: ethnicity, religion, human rights, hard power, power, IGOs, international law UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - VENEZUELA - Answer- Since 2010, collapse of Venezuela economy, repression by Maduro regime and opposition to it have lead to widespread poverty, malnutrition, hyperinflation, disease, crime, death and massive emigration 2017 - 82% of population living below poverty line/malnourished Themes: human rights, hard power, IGOs, international law UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - YEMEN - Answer- Civil war and humanitarian crisis since 2011 Yemeni government backed by Saudi Arabia/USA against jihadist rebels backed by Iran 1.8 children malnourished 7m people on verge of famine Humanitarian aid is being blocked (e.g. Doctors Without Borders) Saudi forces using illegal cluster bombs Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, human rights, hard power, terrorism, non-state actors, alliances, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - CHINA AND HONG KONG - Answer- 2018-20 saw rioting of HKers against Chinese rule Beijing has been accused of assaulting HK freedoms of rights to free expression, association and political participation HK government has disqualified pro-democracy figures from running for seats on Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo). HK and Chinese governments have harassed people for peaceful pro-independence speech - March 2018 denounced pro-democracy scholar Benny Tai September 2018 Chinese mainland law was extended to more areas of HK - Have banned pro-independence National Party and cracked down on rioters with arrests and violence Themes: human rights, hard power, soft power, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state, non-state actors UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - IRAN - Answer- Protests have been growing against Islamic government since December 2017 Jan/Dec protests 2018/19 - police arrested 4,900 people, at least 21 people were killed and as many as 1000 in later riots Protests in 2019/20 in Teheran and Isfahan came after an Iranian missile shot down a Ukranian airliner, but turned into general protests against the regime, unemployment and rising petrol prices. authorities have systematically violated the right of citizens to peaceful assembly, arbitrarily arresting thousands of protesters. Many political groups were disqualified from taking part in Feb 2020 local elections The government cut off all internet access for 5 days and has kept leaders such as Mr Mousavi and Mr Karroubi under house arrest Themes: human rights, hard power, IGOs, international law UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - CAMEROON - Answer- Cameroon has a large anglophone population in North West and South West regions A separatist movement here is fighting the government 10% of Anglophone population has been forcibly displaced, making C the sixth largest source of displaced persons in the world. More than 200 villages have been attacked and burned. Government has been accused of murder and torture UN sources say 1.3 million people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance. Noted author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie referred to it Cameroon's "carnage." Themes: ethnicity, borders, religion, human rights, hard power, IGOs, international law, sovereignty, nation state UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - WEAPONISING AND MISUSE - Answer- Human Rights Anders Breivik Breivik believed Muslims were invading Europe so he wanted to hurt the people allowing it to happen (a certain party in the Norwegian government) Breivik killed 77 people in one day 8 in a vehicle bomb used as a distraction 69 on the island of Utøya where a summer camp was being held for the children of the party he was targetting Controversial case because many believed he should be punished and not allowed his human rights Breivik eventually sued for not being granted his freedom from torture and right to correspondence He was successful in the first one and got all his legal fees paid for The court had to rule in his favor because he is still a human and therefore is allowed his human rights from the ECHR The weaponization of human rights in Greece Refugees go through Turkey to get to the rest of Europe Until 1990 these refugees were accepted into Europe because most were leaving the USSR (which was seen as a victory) Then after 1990, Europe asked Turkey to slow the borders to limit the flow of refugees In 2020, Turkey wanted European support for its fight in Syria and Libya which was failing. So they opened their borders allowing refugees to come into Europe This put pressure on other European countries as to stop the flow that was overwhelming the economy, they would need to support Turkey UNIT 2 HUMAN RIGHTS - FIFA AND SLAVE LABOUR (MMCs) - Answer- Quatar 2022 soccer World Cup Quatar constructed brand new stadium right in middle of burning desert Thousands of Nepalese migrants working on it Terrible working conditions - routinely exploited, passports confiscated, pay not enough to pay back the debt, if they end up being paid at all. Around one migrant worker is dying per day—with more than 2,000 expected to have been killed by the time of the World Cup No action from FIFA UNIT 3 DEVELOPMENT - MICRO FINANCING AND CREDIT - Answer- Bangladesh - the Grameen Bank India - SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association). Savings Give credit to start or improve tiny entrepreneurial activity from raising a goat to selling street foods to marketing fish. Bring men and women together from different social layers and castes SEWA also fights for pensions, health benefits, and childcare to these workers Subject areas: inequality, poverty, microfinancing, measuring development, contested meaning of development UNIT 3 DEVELOPMENT - HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX EXAMPLE - Answer- Brazil's HDI went up 0.001 point in 2018 in comparison to 2016 Reaching 0.759 in a scale of 0 to 1 - the closer the reading is of 1, the highest the human development. Caused by a 0.14% increase in Brazilian per capita average income Since 1990, Brazil has also had increase of over 10 years in life expectancy (75.7 years) and of 3.2 years in children's schooling time after school starts. Brazilians' income in the same period rose 28.6%. UNIT 3 DEVELOPMENT - WELL FUNCTIONING INSTITUTIONS - Answer- Example of poorly functioning institituions = Cairo - has 18 government entities and four parastatal agencies - leads to overlapping and fragmentation that affects overall efficiency and operation of Cairo's economy and transportation system Example of well functioning institutions = Lagos - government of Lagos created single agency to coordinate work of all transport-related entities Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority - awards concessions, levies transport user fees, manages major arterial roads - has improved city's transportation and economic functioning UNIT 3 DEVELOPMENT - ECONOMIC FA