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Unit 4: Global challenges

9 dot points across 9 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What causes armed conflict and terrorism as global crises, and how do global actors respond to them?

the global crisis of armed conflict and terrorism, its causes and consequences, and the responses of global actors to managing and resolving it
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on armed conflict and terrorism as a global crisis. Explains causes and consequences, the role of state and non-state actors, and the responses of global actors, with current examples such as Ukraine, the United Nations and counter-terrorism coalitions.
6 min answer →

Why is arms control a global ethical issue, what principled positions do actors take on it, and how effective are the responses?

the global ethical issue of arms control, the competing principles at stake, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of responses to controlling weapons
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on arms control as a global ethical issue. Explains the security versus disarmament debate, the principles at stake, the role of treaties and the IAEA, and evaluates the effectiveness of responses, with current examples such as nuclear non-proliferation and Iran.
6 min answer →

Why are global crises so difficult to resolve, what obstacles block effective responses, and how do these challenges shape any judgement of effectiveness?

the challenges to achieving effective resolution of global crises, including state sovereignty, great-power rivalry, the limits of international law and collective action problems
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on the challenges to resolving global crises. Explains why sovereignty, great-power rivalry, weak international law, collective action problems and the nature of the crises themselves obstruct effective responses, with current examples and a transferable framework.
6 min answer →

What is development, why is the best path to it contested, and how effective are global responses to the challenge of underdevelopment?

the global ethical issue of development, the debate over how it should be measured and pursued, and the effectiveness of responses by global actors
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on development as a global ethical issue. Explains how development is measured, the debate over aid versus trade and self-determination, and assesses the effectiveness of responses by states, the United Nations and global actors, with current examples.
6 min answer →

How can a single global crisis case study be analysed for its causes, consequences and the effectiveness of global actors' responses?

a case study of one contemporary global crisis, analysing its causes and consequences and evaluating the effectiveness of responses by global actors
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer modelling how to analyse a contemporary global crisis case study using Russia's invasion of Ukraine: its causes, consequences and the effectiveness of responses by states, the United Nations and other global actors, with a transferable structure.
6 min answer →

What are human rights, why is their universality debated, and how effectively does the international community protect them?

the global ethical issue of human rights, the debate over universality versus cultural relativism and state sovereignty, and the effectiveness of responses
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on human rights as a global ethical issue. Explains the universality versus cultural relativism debate, the tension with state sovereignty, and assesses the effectiveness of international responses, with current examples such as China, the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.
6 min answer →

Why is the mass movement of people a global ethical issue, and how do obligations to refugees collide with state sovereignty and border control?

the global ethical issue of the movement of people, the debate between humanitarian obligation and state sovereignty, and the effectiveness of responses
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on the mass movement of people as a global ethical issue. Explains the debate between humanitarian obligation and state sovereignty over borders, the Refugee Convention, and the effectiveness of responses, with current examples such as Australia, the European Union and the UNHCR.
6 min answer →

What are the realist and cosmopolitan perspectives, how do they shape positions on global ethical issues, and why does the contrast matter for evaluating responses?

the realist and cosmopolitan perspectives that underpin debates over global ethical issues, and how they shape the positions actors take and the responses they support
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on realism and cosmopolitanism. Explains the two ethical perspectives that underpin debates over human rights, development, people movement and arms control, how each shapes the positions actors take, and how to apply them to evaluate responses, with examples.
6 min answer →

What makes terrorism a distinct global crisis, why is it so hard to resolve, and how effective are counter-terrorism responses?

the global crisis of terrorism, its causes and consequences, the challenges of asymmetric warfare, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of counter-terrorism responses
A VCE Politics Unit 4 answer on terrorism as a global crisis. Explains its causes and consequences, why asymmetric warfare and integration with civilians make it hard to defeat, and evaluates counter-terrorism responses, with current examples such as Islamic State and counter-terrorism coalitions.
6 min answer →