Overview: The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to various non state actors (NSAs) and this case study, Uruguay vs. PMI, provides an excellent opportunity to see many different NSAs interacting and builds upon foundational concepts from previous units.
Download the linked files here in one folder.
Notes: The work listed below was created during remote instruction so all the work is on Google Docs. There are also videos I made to help students work asynchronously. Listed out in terms of “days” but many can be consolidated depending on the class format. The boxes/fields in the docs are meant for students to fill in their own responses. Some may already have text in them from working through the questions with my students after the fact.
Key concepts focused on in this unit: Interdependence, Sovereignty, Legitimacy, Power
Global Political Challenges: Health, Borders
Other global politics terms: Nonstate Actors (NSAs), Multinational Corporations (MNCs), Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)
Unit Question:
Final Assessment: 2,000 word essay that covers all of Core 1 based on a Paper 2 essay task.
Daily Work
Day 1: Introduction to MNCs
Quick summary of different global political actors, introduction to MNCs
The lesson above was done right after the riots in the US capitol. There were interesting debates on the role of big tech MNCs on free speech and I had students reflect on that as an intro to the concept of MNCs.
In the past, I have also had students, in class, choose an MNC and do a quick share out with their group on their chosen MNC.
Day 2: Power of MNCs
Article criticizing the power MNCs exert
Days 3 and 4: Intro to Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)
Classwork introducing NGOs, jigsaw work reading short articles about NGOs
Wrap up work on the power of NGOs
Day 5: Intro to Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)
Intro to Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)
In the past, I have also had students assigned to different IGOs and do quick research and report back to their groups about them. In this sequence, we jumped right into the WHO because that was the main IGO in this case study.
Day 6: Intro to Uruguay vs. PMI case study
Students watch John Oliver video as a quick intro and track notes about the different actors
Day 7: The WHO and Smoking
Readings and graphs on the dangers of smoking and the role of the WHO in combating tobacco use
Day 8: Uruguay vs. PMI Worksheet (maybe should have given out earlier in the unit)
Sample Completed Uruguay vs. PMI Worksheet
Sample of Uruguay vs. PMI Worksheet 2
Uruguay vs. PMI Worksheet with notes
Day 9: Intro to Uruguay
Some summary and then quick profile on Uruguay
Day 10: The International Center for Settlements of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
Brief intro and article critical of the IGO that allows countries to be sued by MNCs
Day 11: Summary of the overall Uruguay vs. PMI case
This may seem repetitive but after all the focused work on the actors, it’s useful to take a look at the big picture again.
Final Task
This is an adaption of a paper 2 task that is meant to wrap up all the work we have done in semester 1.
My video talking through the task and outline (17 minutes)
Seminar and Essay Brainstorming Work
Other NonState Actors
This is other work that I did in this unit to introduce other actors.
Seminar work on protest movements
Realism and Liberalism
Realism Classwork and Homework
Applying Realism and Liberalism
Simulation Class Activity (based on North Korean nuclear development
This is a review of the concepts we’ve covered so far.
01 Realism vs Liberalism Simulation
I put kids into groups of two to represent each country and then into groups of ten as one simulation group. I’ve had classes 30 students or more so I’ll have 3 simulations running concurrently. I found a random imaginary world map that I took the names from. I post the map of the imaginary world to explain the situation. I’ve done this a few different ways but initially kids work with groups to identify their strategies and then announce their initial demands to the other countries, then they have time to conduct secret negotiations, some more deliberations out loud, some more secret negotiations and then announce their actions and reactions.
I give out secondary goals to the kids to accomplish and those are meant to be kept secret.
An IB Global Politics Site 