Based on Edexcel A-Level Global Politics. Detailed Essay Plans for the State and Globalisation, Global Governance (Economic, Human Rights and Environment), Power and Developments, regionalism and the EU and Comparative Theories (Realism and Liberalism).
Masterclass – Jal Patel
● 45 minutes
● The question stem will always be Evaluate the view…
● Both sides of the debate – give a fair balance however you must favour one side.
STRUCTURE
Introduction:
● Define key terms
● Give political context – why are they asking this question?
● Outline the main points you may cover
● Give a clear judgement
○ Don’t say “to an extent…” and sit on the fence.
Main body paragraphs:
● Point 1 – A significant point in favour of your argument, counterpoint and an interim
conclusion.
● Point 2 – A point in favour of your argument, counterpoint and an interim conclusion.
● Point 3 – Another point (maybe less significant) in favour of your argument, counterpoint
and an interim conclusion.
● Embedded judgements
○ The most important reason why…
○ A weaker argument that is often argued…
○ Giving priorities to some arguments over others.
● Analysis – significance, consequences, weaknesses, strengths, changes over time, or to
deconstruct your point, to show its impact and to link it to concepts and ideas.
○ Think about why examples are significant.
,Conclusion:
● Restate your clear judgement – give your main reason behind judgement
HOW TO WRITE AN A* ESSAY:
1. A strong introduction – give political context, define any key terms, set out the main
points of the debate, give a clear judgement.
2. Your judgement is sustained – start with your judgement, echo your judgement
throughout.
3. Use key terms
4. An intertwined debate – respond to your main point with the other side of the debate.
5. Deep analysis – significance of your point/examples?, strengths and weaknesses, links
6. A strong conclusion – restate your central argument, give main points behind your
judgement.
HOW TO GET TOP MARKS IN AO1:
● Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of political institutions, processes,
concepts, theories and issues.
● The key is having lots of good examples and explaining, not just using political terms
and concepts.
● Understanding is a key part of AO1 – define/explain political terms when you use them.
● The more specific and well-selected examples you have the higher your AO1 mark will
be.
HOW TO GET TOP MARKS IN AO2:
● Analyse aspects of politics and political information, including in relation to parallels,
connections, similarities and differences.
● AO2 is about your ability to compare points to counter-points, one type of an ideology
with another…
● Analysis – scrutiny and probing
● Candidates should form analytical views which support and reject the view presented by
the question.
○ They should look at different perspectives that arise from the view presented by
the question and show how these lay the foundations for a judgement.
HOW TO GET TOP MARKS IN AO3:
● Evaluate aspects of politics and political information, including to construct arguments,
make substantiated judgements and draw conclusions.
● It’s essential you run an argument through your whole essay going from the introduction
through to your conclusion.
● Make sure there is some nuance to your argument/judgement.
● Introduction – define the key terms in the question, set out the argument (the points and
counterpoints you are going to look at)
● Mini conclusions – each paragraph should have a mini conclusion.
, ● Which side of the debate wins?
● Why does it win?
● Rank in importance the analytical points (AO2) for
● Rank in importance the analytical points (AO2) against
● Think holistically and reason through the conclusion.
● Form and come to a judgement, based on evidence not a mere opinion.
● Discuss possible alternative constructive comments on reform/change to the
issue/debate. What is the likelihood of such change, and would it be
effective/successful?
HOW TO: 12 MARK ESSAYS
● You get a choice of two 12 mark questions on one of the 5 topics, excluding comparative
theories and a second compulsory 12-mark question on comparative theories.
○ Non-comparative theories 12 mark – will always ask you about 2 ideas,
institutions, issues or examples.
■ The question stem will start with ‘examine’
○ Comparative theories 12 mark – how realism and liberalism compare in their core
ideas OR how they link to issues arising out of the other 5 topics in global
politics.
■ The question stem will start with ‘analyse’
● Both questions are assessed with 6 marks for AO1 and 6 marks for AO2.
● You should aim to complete the questions in 15 minutes – 30 minutes for both.
STRUCTURE
● No introduction needed and you do not need to define terms.
● You need a ‘range of points’ – Jal Patel, you should have 3 paragraphs with one
crossover point (5 minutes paragraph)
○ ‘Examine the challenges faced by the EU and AU…
■ A challenge faced by the European Union is…
■ A challenge faced by the African Union is…
■ A challenge both organisations face are…
● Students have to reference both liberalism and realism in answering these questions.
○ Students have to make a connection to theorists in Component 1 Core Political
Ideas – otherwise your answer be capped at 9.
■ Typically will mean a reference to Hobbes and Locke.
AO1 – Knowledge and understanding
● 6 marks for AO1 – you have to incorporate ‘specific detail’.
○ The greater your detail, the higher the mark you are likely to receive.
○ It can also be important to be contemporary in your knowledge.
AO2 – Analysis
● 6 marks for AO2 – Analysis is significance.
● Analysis is showing significance, consequences, limitations, strengths, motivations,
making observations of changes over time, or to make links to concepts and ideas.
,C3.1 The state and globalisation
12 MARKERS:
1. Examine the ways in which the sovereignty of the nation-state has been challenged by
economic/political/cultural globalisation. (12) ✅
Economic globalisation Political globalisation Cultural globalisation
● States lose economic sovereignty ● Political globalisation involves the ● The internet makes it harder for
– increasing interconnectedness of participation of non-state actors in states to control the information
economies means that states can’t decisions affecting the nation- that citizens receive.
fully control their economies. state. ○ Facebook and Al-Jazeera
○ Government’s do not exert ○ The state is no longer played an important role in
control over the macro- autonomous in decision- provoking the Arab Spring
economic (large scale making. (2011).
economic factors) that they ● IGOs have weakened states ability ■ Undermined states
make. to operate as self-governing units. ability to control the
○ Globalisation of markets – ● Global problems operate beyond flow of information
1997 Asian financial crisis, borders, and cannot be resolved to their people.
2007-8 Global financial alone with just the state.
crisis. ○ Climate change, terrorism,
● States lose sovereignty to diseases.
economic IGOs – Bretton Woods
institutions.
○ Advance global free
markets and free trade.
○ SAPs implemented by the
IMF/WB – economic
growth is maximised by
free-market reforms and
free trade.
● Economic globalisation has
created a neoliberal consensus
that free trade creates greater
wealth and so all states should
engage with this economic model
, to achieve prosperity.
2. Examine the differences between cultural/political/economic and economic/political and cultural globalisation.
(12) ✅
Economic globalisation Political globalisation Cultural globalisation
● Economic globalisation is the ● Refers to the amount of political ● Refers to the sharing of ideas and
process by which the world’s cooperation that exists between information between and through
economy becomes more closely different countries. different countries.
connected. ● Since states still value domestic ● Cultural globalisation has the
○ Greater flow of goods, political hegemony – political potential to provide us with greater
services and capital. globalisation has not penetrated choice.
● Greater global commitment to free as deeply as economic
trade and free markets has globalisation.
encouraged this connectivity. ● IGOs have weakened states ability
○ Principles of the to operate as self-governing units.
Washington Consensus ● Global problems operate beyond
(1989) advanced by the borders, and cannot be resolved
Bretton Woods institutions. alone with just the state.
● Refers to the interconnectedness ○ Climate change, terrorism,
of economies through trade and diseases.
the exchange of resources.
3. Examine the difference between hyperglobalizers and globalisation sceptics. (12) ✅
* 2020 Paper – https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A-Level/Politics/2017/Exam-materials/
9PL0_3B_msc_20201217.pdf
Hyperglobalizers Globalisation sceptics
● Hyperglobalizers believe globalisation is new, real and ● Globalisation sceptics believe we are seeing regionalism
everywhere. rather than globalisation.
● Belief that globalisation drives an integrated economy ● Don’t believe that we are moving to global capitalism for
with the prospect of prosperity for all. the benefit of all.
○ Since 1989, the collapse of communism and the ○ Arguably, the benefits of globalisation are only
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