Case Study Specifics
Summarize the Rohingya crisis (2017 onward) in one sentence including the primary legal body that accepted a genocide case.
Myanmar's 2017 campaign drove 700,000+ Rohingya into Bangladesh; the ICJ accepted a genocide case brought by The Gambia.
What does "Realism" predict about state behavior; give one case study that fits the prediction.
Realism predicts states prioritize power/security and act in self-interest; case: China’s island-building and rejection of the PCA ruling in the South China Sea. (2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling in Philippines v. China invalidated China's "nine-dash line" claim to historic rights in the South China Sea, finding no legal basis for it under UNCLOS.)
Define "Sovereignty" as used in the course and give one case study example.
Sovereignty = supreme authority within a state's territory free from external interference; example: China citing sovereignty to reject the PCA ruling on the South China Sea.
List three reasons why international human rights treaties may be symbolic rather than effective. (you get the points for each of the three you get! )
Monitoring bodies lack enforcement power; reservations and selective ratification permit opt-outs; major powers often do not ratify key treaties or ignore obligations; and ratification can substitute for domestic reform (signaling without implementation).
The only actors in international relations with their own sovereignty; all other actors derive their abilities to act from them in some way. This sovereignty allows them to set the rules that structure how their citizens interact on the international stage
Who are state actors?
Identify three HL topic connections (from the guide) for the South China Sea dispute.
Security (security dilemma, island-building vs FONOPs), Environment (ecological damage from dredging/island construction), Borders (nine-dash line vs EEZs; PCA 2016 ruling)
Define "Constructivism" and name one norm from the materials that fits a constructivist explanation
Constructivism emphasizes that ideas, norms, and identities shape state behavior; example norm: the evolving international norm against child labor (ILO/NGO influence shifting MNC behavior in India mining practices)
Define "Resource curse" and list two consequences the linked to the DRC case study.
Resource curse: countries rich in resources often have weaker development outcomes; DRC consequences: very low HDI (poverty despite cobalt wealth) and conflict/corruption fueling armed groups and exploitation.
Define "Positive peace" and give one program or policy from a case study that aims to achieve it.
Positive peace is the absence of structural violence and the presence of social justice, equality, and cooperative relationships; example: Canada’s TRC and its 94 Calls to Action aimed at rebuilding relationships and addressing structural causes (positive peace).
These profit-seeking entities operate across borders and can undermine state authority.
TNCs/MNCs
Balance of Power means states act to prevent dominance by one power; example action: US Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) to counter perceived Chinese regional dominance. This is seen in which case study?
South China Sea conflict
Explain "Dependency Theory" and use the DRC cobalt case to show two mechanisms by which dependency operates.
Dependency Theory argues wealthy (core) states extract value keeping periphery underdeveloped. DRC cobalt example: (1) raw materials exported while value-added processing occurs abroad (value capture elsewhere); (2) weak institutions and colonial extraction patterns leave local communities impoverished despite resource wealth.
Explain "Collective security" and give one real example from the case studies where collective security mechanisms were invoked.
BONUS- give one additonal example
Collective security: agreement that an attack on one is an attack on all, enabling collective response; example: UNSC Resolution 1973 (2011) authorized NATO action in Libya under collective security/R2P framework.
Restrictions on media freedom, judicial independence, or electoral manipulation are signs of this.
Democratic Backsliding
Who are the primary non-state humanitarian actors named in the Rohingya case study?
MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) aka Doctors without Borders
Which infrastructure initiative launched in 2013 is often critiqued for 'debt-trap diplomacy' and strategic port acquisitions (name the initiative and one country example)?
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); example: Hambantota Port, Sri Lanka.
These are Max Weber's types of legitimacy. (Must name two of the three)
What are traditional, charismatic, or legal-rational legitimacy?
What is "Non-refoulement" and how did it apply to the Rohingya situation?
Non-refoulement = principle prohibiting returning refugees to places where they face persecution; Bangladesh hosts Rohingya in camps and Myanmar’s refusal to guarantee safety prevents safe returns, highlighting non-refoulement issues.
List two HL topic connections for BRI from the guide and explain one briefl
HL connections: Poverty (infrastructure for development vs dependency) and Environment (projects with poor environmental standards). Brief explanation: BRI projects can reduce infrastructure gaps supporting poverty reduction, but weak environmental safeguards have led to deforestation and coal financing, undermining sustainability.
What is the difference between and NGO and an IGO, and which represents a non state actor?
IGOs consist of sovereign states, while NGOs consist of private individuals or groups. NGOs are the primary non-state actors, functioning independently of government control. IGOs are formed via treaties (e.g., UN), whereas NGOs focus on advocacy and services (e.g., Amnesty Internationa
Name two key features of Canada's TRC process that make it a model of restorative justice.
Survivor testimony and structural reform through the 94 Calls to Action (acknowledgement plus processes to rebuild relationships / positive peace).
Describe "Just War Theory" jus ad bellum criteria and apply two of them to evaluate Libya 2011 as in the guide.
Jus ad bellum includes just cause, right authority, right intention, last resort, and probability of success. Libya 2011 had just cause (protect civilians) and UNSC authorization (right authority), but mission creep undermined proportionality and probability of a stable positive outcome.
Define "Structural violence" and analyze how it applies to either India mica mining or DRC cobalt with two supporting details from the cases. (development/HR integration)
Structural violence: harm caused by social structures (poverty, discrimination) preventing basic needs. India mica: (1) poverty and lack of alternatives drive child labor in illegal mines; (2) caste/tribal marginalization (Dalit/Adivasi) concentrate vulnerability and poor enforcement leading to silicosis and health harms. (Alternatively, DRC cobalt: child miners, environmental contamination, weak institutions.)
hat is a "Proxy war" and which contemporary case in the guide exemplifies this?
A proxy war is a conflict where major powers support opposing sides without fighting directly; example: Russia-Ukraine involves major-power support (US/NATO arms for Ukraine) while avoiding direct US-Russia combat.
What role do NGOs (non-governmental organizations) play in international accountability, and give one example from the case studies.
NGOs document abuses, advocate norm change, provide services, and pressure states/MNCs through naming-and-shaming; example: Amnesty International exposed child labor in DRC cobalt supply chains, pressuring tech firms toward due‑diligence.