IBDP Global Issues

Here’s a complete and detailed explanation of Global Issues in IBDP English A, including all official categories, sample topics, and examples from literature and language texts. This guide applies to both the Language & Literature and Literature courses and is essential for Individual Oral (IO) and useful in Paper 2.

What Are Global Issues in IBDP English?

A Global Issue is a significant topic of concern that:

1. Has global significance – affects people across cultures and nations.
2. Relates to the human experience – involves values, relationships, identity, or power.
3. Is explored through texts – shown in novels, plays, poems, speeches, ads, or articles.
4. Can be discussed in depth – allows you to examine literary and stylistic choices made by authors or creators.

Global Issue Categories 

Each category has subtopics, which you can use to frame your Individual Oral and essay arguments.

1. Culture, Identity and Community

This category explores how people form identities, the role of culture, and how communities shape individuals. Possible Global Issues are:

• Cultural identity and alienation
• Gender roles and identity
• Race, ethnicity, and belonging
• Immigration and displacement
• Language and cultural dominance
• Intergenerational conflict
• Tradition vs. modernity
• LGBTQ+ identity and representation
• Stereotypes and prejudice
• Loss of culture due to globalization

Example Text Connections:

• Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi – Cultural identity, gender, and tradition in post-revolution Iran
• Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe – Clash between Igbo culture and colonial forces
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini – Women’s roles, identity, and community in Afghan society
• Non-literary: Advertisements or Instagram posts showing gender roles or stereotypes

2. Beliefs, Values and Education

This category explores the systems of belief—religious, philosophical, social—and how education shapes individuals and societies.

Possible Global Issues:

• Freedom of thought and expression
• Dogma, fundamentalism, and indoctrination
• Morality and ethics
• Role of religion in society
• Secularism vs. tradition
• Education as empowerment
• Access to education and inequality
• Generational transmission of values
• Propaganda in education
• The role of family in shaping values

Example Text Connections:

• The Crucible by Arthur Miller – Religious extremism and moral panic
• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – Indoctrination and education under a theocratic regime
• Educated by Tara Westover (non-fiction) – Access to formal education and belief systems
• Non-literary: Speeches (e.g., Malala Yousafzai on girls’ education), news articles on school systems

3. Politics, Power and Justice

This category addresses how authority, governance, justice, and resistance work in various societies.

Possible Global Issues:

• Censorship and freedom of speech
• War, conflict, and post-war trauma
• Political oppression and state violence
• Corruption and abuse of power
• Social justice and activism
• Human rights violations
• Surveillance and privacy
• Patriarchy and systemic inequality
• Legal injustice and marginalization
• The role of media in shaping power

Example Text Connections:

• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – Political upheaval and ethnic oppression
• The Crucible – Witch hunts as political tools; justice and scapegoating
• Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell – Surveillance and control by totalitarian regimes
• Non-literary: Editorial cartoons, political speeches (e.g., MLK’s “I Have a Dream”), propaganda posters

Choosing a Strong Global Issue: A Step-by-Step Guide

• Start with a category (Culture, Beliefs, or Politics).
• Narrow it down to a specific subtopic.
• Phrase your issue as a clear focus (see below).
• Link it to both your literary and non-literary text.

20 Examples of Well-Worded Global Issues

• The oppression of women through cultural norms.
• Racial discrimination and systemic injustice.
• The impact of war on children and identity.
• Censorship and freedom of expression.
• Cultural displacement due to migration.
• Gender roles in patriarchal societies.
• Indoctrination through education.
• Education as a tool for resistance.
• Power and surveillance in modern society.
• The consequences of religious extremism.
• Youth activism and social justice.
• Class inequality and social hierarchy.
• The erasure of indigenous culture.
• Post-war trauma and recovery.
• Media manipulation and political control.
• Intergenerational conflict over values.
• LGBTQ+ identity and societal marginalization.
• Religious hypocrisy and moral judgment.
• Nationalism and cultural dominance.
• Power imbalance in romantic relationships.

Where You Use Global Issues in the IB

• Individual Oral (IO) Required – You must explore one global issue across one literary and one non-literary text.
• Paper 2 Essay Not required, but often helpful – You can frame your essay around a global theme, even if it’s not named as such.

Final Tips

1. Choose a global issue that is relevant, rich, and researchable.
2. Make sure the issue is reflected clearly in both texts through literary/stylistic choices.
3. Avoid general or vague topics like “love,” “suffering,” or “death” unless tied to a global concern like gendered violence or war trauma.