IBPoliticsDPGlobal PoliticsHLRevision Notes5. Global Political Challenges (HL Only)5.4 Researching Case StudiesConnecting Cases to Topic Areas

Connecting Cases to Topic Areas (DP IB Global Politics: HL): Revision Note

Written by: Jane Hirons

Reviewed by: Lisa Eades

Updated on 1 May 2026

Why connections matter

The most powerful Paper 3 case studies connect to multiple topic areas
This increases your flexibility - the same case study can anchor different essays depending on the question set
Demonstrating cross-topic connections is also a marker of the analytical depth the examiner is looking for in question 3

How to identify connections

Starting from your primary topic area, ask the following questions about your case study

Infographic linking guiding questions about borders, security, environment, health, poverty, equality, technology and identity to their respective issue labels.

Mapping your case studies: a worked example

The Rohingya crisis (Myanmar, from 2017)

Topic area	Connection
Identity	Denial of citizenship based on ethnic and religious identity Statelessness used as a tool of persecution
Borders	Mass displacement across the Myanmar-Bangladesh border 700,000+ stateless people unable to return
Security	Military campaign raises questions about R2P and the limits of collective security ASEAN non-interference
Equality	Systematic discrimination based on ethnicity and religion Women and children disproportionately affected
Health	Acute public health crisis at Cox's Bazar Disease, malnutrition and limited access to medical care
Poverty	Pre-existing economic marginalisation Displacement has deepened long-term deprivation

This case study could effectively anchor a question 3 essay on Identity, Borders, Security or Equality, making it one of the most versatile options available

Building a balanced portfolio

Aim for a portfolio of case studies that
- Covers at least 2–3 different primary topic areas
- Includes at least one case with a strong economic dimension (poverty, development)
- Includes at least one case with a strong human rights dimension (equality, identity)
- Includes at least one case with an international security dimension
- Draws on different regions - not all case studies from the same continent

A example of a simple portfolio framework

Case study	Primary topic area	Secondary connections
Case study 1	Security	Borders Technology Identity
Case study 2	Environment	Poverty Health Borders
Case study 3	Equality	Identity Poverty Technology

Connections and question 3 essays

In question 3, demonstrating cross-topic connections earns marks for analysis and evaluation
A strong essay does not just describe the case - it uses specific evidence to argue a point, and then shows how that point connects to broader global political challenges
When planning a question 3 essay, ask your self two key questions
- Which other topic areas does my evidence connect to?
- How do those connections strengthen my argument?

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Stating that "the Rohingya crisis connects to security" is description - it does not earn marks on its own. Arguing that "the crisis demonstrates how identity-based persecution generates security crises, because stateless populations become a source of regional instability" is analysis. The connection only earns marks when you explain it and support it with specific evidence from your case study.

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