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global issues essay introduction

How to Write the Political and Global Issues College Essay

global issues essay introduction

Essays are one of the best parts of the college application process. With your grades in, your test scores decided, and your extracurriculars developed over your years in high school, your essays are the last piece of your college application that you have immediate control over. With them, you get to add a voice to your other stats, a “face” to the name, so to speak. They’re an opportunity to reveal what’s important to you and what sets you apart from other applicants and tell the admissions committee why you’d be an excellent addition to their incoming student class.

Throughout your college applications process, there are many different types of essays you’ll be asked to write. Some of the most popular essay questions you’ll see might include writing about an extracurricular, why you want to matriculate at a school, and what you want to study.

Increasingly, you might also see a supplemental college essay asking you to discuss a political or global issue that you’re passionate about. Asking this type of question helps colleges understand what you care about outside of your personal life and how you will be an active global citizen.

Some examples from the 2019-2020 cycle include:

Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service : Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it.

Yeshiva University Honors Programs : What is one issue about which you are passionate?

Pitzer College : Pitzer College is known for our students’ intellectual and creative activism. If you could work on a cause that is meaningful to you through a project, artistic, academic, or otherwise, what would you do?

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global issues essay introduction

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Tips for Writing the Political and Global Issues College Essay

Pick an issue close to your life.

When you first see a political and global issues prompt, your gut reaction might be to go with a big-picture topic that’s all over the news, like poverty or racism. The problem with these topics is that you usually have a page or less to talk about the issue and why it matters to you. Students also might not have a direct personal connection to such a broad topic. The goal of this essay is to reveal your critical thinking skills, but the higher-level goal of every college essay is to learn more about who you are.

Rather than go with a broad issue that you’re not personally connected to, see if there’s just one facet of it that you  can  contend with. This is especially important if the prompt simply asks for “an issue,” and not necessarily a “global issue.” While some essay prompts will specifically ask that you address a  global  issue (like Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service), there are still ways to approach it from a more focused perspective.

For example, if you were to talk about world hunger, you could start with the hunger you see in your community, which is a food desert. For your solution, you can discuss your plan to build a community garden, so the town is able to access fresh produce. Food deserts, of course, aren’t the only reason world hunger exists; so, you should also explore some other reasons, and other solutions. Maybe there is a better way to prevent and recuperate produce currently being wasted, for instance. If the prompt doesn’t specifically ask for a global issue, however, you could simply focus on food deserts.

For another example, maybe you want to talk about climate change. A more personal and focused approach would deal with happenings in your community, or a community you’ve had contact with. For instance, perhaps your local river was polluted because of textile industry waste; in this case, it would be fitting to address fast fashion specifically (which is still a global issue).

Remember your audience

As you’re approaching this essay, take care to understand the political ramifications of what you’re suggesting and how the school you’re addressing might react to it. Make sure you understand the school’s political viewpoints, and keep in mind that schools are hoping to see how you might fit on their campus based on your response.

So, if you’re applying to a school known for being progressive, like Oberlin or Amherst, you might not want to write an essay arguing that religious freedom is under threat in America. Or, if you’re applying to Liberty University, you should probably avoid writing an essay with a strong pro-LGBTQ stance. You don’t have to take the opposite position, but try picking a different issue that won’t raise the same concerns.

If you have no political alignment, choose economics

If you find yourself applying to a school with which you share no political viewpoints, you might want to consider if the school would even be a good fit for you. Why do you really want to go there? Are those reasons worth it? If you think so, consider writing about an economic issue, which tend to be less contentious than social issues.

For instance, you could write about the impact of monopolies because your parents own an independent bookstore that has been affected by Amazon. Or you could discuss tax breaks for companies that keep or move their production domestically, after seeing how your town changed when factories were moved abroad. Maybe tax filing is a cause you’re really passionate about, and you think the government should institute a free electronic system for all. No matter what you write about here, the key is to keep it close to home however you can.

Pick the best possible framing

When you’re writing an essay that doesn’t fully align with the political views of the school you’re applying to, you’ll want to minimize the gap between your viewpoint and that of the school. While they still might disagree with your views, this will give your essay (and therefore you) the best possible chance. Let’s say you’re applying to a school with progressive economic views, while you firmly believe in free markets. Consider these two essay options:

Option 1:  You believe in free markets because they have pulled billions out of terrible poverty in the developing world.

Option 2:  “Greed is good,” baby! Nothing wrong with the rich getting richer.

Even if you believe equally in the two reasons above personally, essay option 1 would be more likely to resonate with an admissions committee at a progressive school.

Let’s look at another, more subtle example:

Option 1:  Adding 500 police officers to the New York City public transit system to catch fare evaders allows officers to unfairly and systematically profile individuals based on their race.

Option 2:  The cost of hiring 500 additional police officers in the New York City public transit system is higher than the money that would be recouped by fare evasion.

While you might believe both of these things, a school that places a lower priority on race issues may respond better to the second option’s focus on the fallible economics of the issue.

Structuring the Essay

Depending on how long the essay prompt is, you’ll want to use your time and word count slightly differently. For shorter essays (under 250 words), focus on your personal connection rather than the issue itself. You don’t have much space and you need to make it count. For standard essays (250-500 words), you can spend about half the time on the issue and half the time on your personal connection. This should allow you to get more into the nuance. For longer essays, you can write more on the issue itself. But remember, no matter how long the essay is, they ultimately want to learn about you–don’t spend so much time on the issue that you don’t bring it back to yourself.

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global issues essay introduction

Essay on Global Problems

Introduction.

Ideally, global problems are serious issues that the contemporary international community is experiencing. The global problems transcend the regional and national boundaries and affect the survival and development of the whole human race. In the current century, the world has developed, and with the integration of the international community, global problems are more produced. With globalization, individuals can live in any part of the world. As a result, global problems such as ecological imbalance, environmental pollution, shortage of resources, war, among others, exist. Therefore, global problems are natural consequences of unrestrained economic growth and modern globalization. One of the most severe global problems countries are facing is international terrorism. The international community has tried to solve global problems. However, the problem has been alleviated, not eradicated. Some reasons have contributed to the international community’s failure to solve global problems. This paper will discuss why the international community finds it difficult to solve global problems.

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Globalization and Its Challenges Essay

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Globalization is a complex phenomenon which came into existence in the end of the twentieth century. Several decades ago it took days or even weeks for companies located in different countries to make a deal. Now it can be a matter of several hours. Interestingly, the word globalization is not new for people living in the twenty-first century, but sometimes the word is misused or misinterpreted.

Therefore, it is crucial to define the notion. Ukpere (2011, p. 6072) notes that globalization is “a state whereby national boundaries turn totally porous with respect to the movement of goods and capital and, to an extent, porous with respect to people, which is viewed… as cheap labor or, in some cases, cheap human capital”.

In other words, globalization presupposes no boundaries to business activity. The business activity is not confined to purely running business worldwide. Globalization also penetrates in such spheres of people’s life as education and even politics. The development of technology has enabled people to share information without paying any attention to location.

Many companies located in the developed countries shifted their facilities to developing countries. On the other hand, people from developing countries can look for jobs in developed countries. Basically, globalization has made the world smaller and more accessible, so to speak.

However, there are quite many negative effects. For instance, many people argue that globalization led to the global financial crisis in 2000s. These people state that various economies have become too interrelated. It is argued that some countries simply ‘shared’ their financial constraints with the rest of the world. There are many more challenges associated with globalization.

In the first place, people discuss problems developed countries face due to globalization. Thus, Rattner (2011) states that many people in developed countries lose as availability of workforce across the globe (e.g. China, India, Mexico, etc.) contributes greatly to the increase of unemployment within the country.

Rattner (2011) provides an example of the impact of globalization. The author focuses on such manufacturers as General Motors and Volkswagen. These giants shifted their capacities to other countries to reduce their expenditures. Admittedly, Americans are forced to work for lower wages as they understand that manufacturers can easily operate abroad.

Rattner (2011, n.p.) estimates that some workers will get $30,000 per year which can hardly be “the American dream of great middle-class jobs”. In fact, this is the major challenge for developed countries. Businesses are under constant pressure as growing economies of developing countries become more and more competitive.

Seemingly, developing countries benefit from globalization, but in reality globalization leads to great disproportions. On the one hand, many plants and factories are being built on the territory of these countries. Of course, this leads to new working places. However, these people do not obtain very big salaries. The conditions people have to work in are often very difficult or sometimes simply intolerable. Besides, the big enterprises coming to developing countries often become monopolies which dictate their own rules.

Ukpere (2011) also notes that globalization has led to increased levels of poverty and inequality. Admittedly, well-paid jobs are not available for the majority of people living in the developing countries. Those who manage to get a good job soon become much wealthier than the rest. This disproportion is caused by different opportunities. Thus, some people have access to information, knowledge, education, while others remain far from these ‘achievements of civilization’.

Therefore, it is possible to state that globalization has quite controversial effects. It helps some countries develop whereas other countries experience certain decline in their economy. Of course, economies have become interrelated, which is quite dangerous. As the global crisis has shown all economies become vulnerable if some country fails to keep the necessary balance.

It is also important to note that globalization contributes to marginalization of some countries (Ukpere, 2011). It is acknowledged that some countries lag behind due to some factors. They can be unattractive for investment. These countries may lack for professionals in some fields due to inaccessibility of education and training. Scarce resources also make countries unattractive for investors. Thus, it is possible to state that one of the major negative effects of globalization is that it creates disproportions.

Nonetheless, globalization should not be seen as something negative. People who simply oppose globalization (arrange protest walks) waste their time. First of all, the process is inevitable. Globalization can be regarded as a synonym to development. The development of technology has already removed boundaries. Besides, globalization has many positive effects which cannot be ignored. Thus, it is necessary to take advantage of positive effects, while trying to diminish negative effects of globalization.

Of course, government should cooperate to work out specific policies concerning global market. It is important to allocate funds wisely. No country should be left aside. Admittedly, all countries have something particularly valuable for the global market. Though, at first not all the countries can be involved in the operations on the global market. However, the boundaries should expand gradually. The example of the European Union is one of the illustrations that global market can be real. The experience of the EU can also be really valuable when developing the policies. Admittedly, these policies should be quite strict to make businesses comply with the rules.

In this case, all countries will benefit from globalization. All countries will be involved in the development of the global market. This will lead to equal development of countries. Thus, developing countries will be able to reach the level of developed countries. Admittedly, such problems as famine or unemployment can be solved. It is only necessary to allocate resources (natural as well as human) appropriately. It has been acknowledged that people produce enough food and goods for the entire planet, but these goods are distributed disproportionately. Globalization will address the problem.

On balance, it is possible to note that globalization presupposes no boundaries for economic activities. Globalization is seen differently by different people. Some say it is a process which should be stopped. Some claim that globalization is a positive process which should be fostered. People have not come to a single conclusion on the matter. However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that globalization is still a promising process.

It can help people address such problems as disproportion of various resources. Eventually, globalization will help humanity develop. Of course, people will have to work together to benefit from globalization. This process presupposes mutual work of all governments. This may seem somewhat idealistic but people have no other choice. It is a fact that if a country in some part of the world experiences financial constraints, other countries of the globe will eventually experience the same problems. Thus, to succeed people will have to cooperate.

Introduction to Global Problems

What are global problems.

Global problems are not just important problems, or problems that affect many people. Rather they are those problems that affect the whole of the planet, and potentially all of the people who live on it. Climate change is one clear example that springs to mind quickly. This is because the consequences of humanly-generated changes in the atmosphere will, albeit in different ways according to region, affect everyone on the planet. In other words, the consequences are universal. Moreover, unless we profoundly change our collective behaviour, climate change may well result in irreversible changes in the climatic conditions of life – a measure of the deep vulnerability of human society in the face of this issue. And it is easy to see that there will be no easy solution to the problem: the causes of the present situation are clearly related to our economic system, our attitudes to nature, our political organisation, our technological capacities and preferences, and our uses of resources. Solutions will involve not just all communities and every country, but solutions will necessarily involve cooperation between all, rather than individual approaches. In other words, the example of climate change suggests that global problems are complex, intractable, and make human society as a whole very vulnerable.

The Climate Change Labyrinth, Robert E. Horn

Robert E. Horn, The Climate Policy Labyrinth Info-Mural [ Original image  (PDF, 1 Mb)]

Other examples of global problems of this scale and with these characteristics would include weapons of mass destruction; the violation of the human security of several billions of the world’s poor, and the consequences of the conditions of their lives for the rest of the world; failures and deficits of global governance, especially when set beside the largely unregulated pressures of economic and cultural globalisation; resource depletion, especially that of energy resources, on a scale and in a manner that both unsustainable and profoundly inequitable; the degradation of natural environments as a result of economic activities, including the oceans, forests and soils; the physical, social and psycho-cultural consequences of unprecedented and still accelerating development of megacities; and cultural collisions within and across national borders generated by globalisation and claims to the primacy or universal superiority of one version of reason and ethics.

This is a very incomplete listing, and there could be many other such lists. In  High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them , Jean-Francois Rischard identifies  twenty global problems , comparable to those just mentioned, and argues that

Roughly a third of these have to do with how we share our planet (burning environmental issues); another third of which relate to how we share our humanity (urgent economic and social issues requiring a worldwide coalition for their effective solution); with a final third having to do with how we share our rulebook (important regulatory challenges urgently requiring a minimum critical mass of global rules to prevent free-riding and other negative consequences).

One key characteristic of global problems is that they are inter-linked in complex, and often unrecognised, ways.  Jared Diamond , in the conclusion to his  Collapse , provides another list of twelve problems of “unsustainability”. Such a list, he notes, seems to imply that the problems are separate, and should be analysed separately. In fact, Diamond argues,

they are linked: one problem exacerbates another or makes its solution more difficult.  For example, population growth affects all eleven other problems; more people means more deforestation, more toxic chemicals, more demand for wild fish, etc.  The energy problem is linked to other problems because use of fossil fuels for energy contributes heavily to greenhouse gases, the combating of soil fertility losses by using synthetic fertilizers requires energy to make the fertilizers, fossil fuel scarcity increases our interest in nuclear energy which poses potentially the biggest “toxic” problem of all in case of an accident, and fossil fuel scarcity also makes it more expensive to solve our freshwater problems by using energy to desalinize ocean water.   Depletion of fisheries and other wild food sources puts more pressure on livestock, crops, and aquaculture to replace them, thereby leading to more topsoil losses and more eutrophication from agriculture and aquaculture.  Problems of deforestation, water shortage, and soil degradation in the Third World foster wars there and drive legal asylum seekers and illegal emigrants to the First World from the Third World.

This interlinking of issues, or complex interdependency of problems, has implications for both the way we think about these issues – our forms of knowledge – and the way we might go about beginning to solve them. Diamond remarks:

People often ask, “What is the single most important environmental problem facing the world today?” A flip answer would be, “The single most important problem is our misguided focus on identifying the single most important problem!”  That flip answer is essentially correct, because any of the dozen problems if unsolved would do us grave harm, and because they all interact with each other.  If we solved eleven of the problems, but not the 12th, we would still be in trouble, whichever was the problem that remained unsolved.  We have to solve them all.

Global problems are highly interdependent, often in non-linear ways. Their character and interdependence is such that they can only be solved jointly and simultaneously. These include climate change and energy insecurity, infectious diseases and the cultural dislocations of uneven, unequal and structurally contradictory processes of globalisation, apparently rapidly escalating nuclear proliferation, the destruction of habitat and biodiversity and the rapid deepening of chemical pollution, illegal drugs, increasing and deepening poverty across particular regions, and the failings of our global institutions of governance and finance, just to take a subset of the whole. Clearly they are interactive, most likely in ways we have hardly begun to think about.

The salient key characteristics are inherently transnational in both their causes and their consequences; that they are set to interact in ways we may well not anticipate – such as climate change and infectious disease; and that they are already giving rise to perceptible new forms of threat to both societies.

In our view, global problems exhibit characteristics which make them global rather than national or local in nature.  Global problems may exhibit linkage between cause and effect across societal levels from global to local. Global problems also reveal a disjuncture between cause and effect when the driving forces are highly centralized and concentrated both institutionally and spatially (and therefore are exogenous to most of humanity who nonetheless experience the effects of this change). Other global problems are the result of highly distributed and decentralized driving forces so diffuse yet cumulatively powerful that the resulting overall impact is qualitative even though it passes unnoticed except at the local level.

Often, global problems are multi-dimensional, and drive pervasive change driven by interrelationships across superficially segmented problems or disparate issues or levels of governance. Global problems may be the result of multi-directional causes that erupt suddenly from below or fall without warning from above, or both at the same time. Sometimes, events in one society arc for a moment around the planet to another, thereby dramatically changing both their trajectories.

The impacts of some global problems may not be felt for years or decades whereas decision-making time horizons are very short. Such enduring global problems may set severe limits on solving interrelated, medium-term global problems. Some solutions may turn out to generate further problems.

A regional set of examples

As an illustration, Australian concern over climate change is one justification for the establishment of components of the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia – uranium enrichment, fuel fabrication, high-level radioactive waste storage, and possibly nuclear power generation. Another element is Australian hopes for a privileged position in the Bush Administration’s planned Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. Meanwhile, in Australia’s immediate neighbour Indonesia, with whom it has a fractious and volatile relationship, a parallel debate about concerns over the country’s power requirements, its declining position in hydrocarbon reserves and longstanding economic nationalist policy currents is promoting nuclear power generation. Irrespective of the economic and political realities in each case, security elites in both countries have registered developments in the other with degrees of alarm, especially since both countries have records of secret nuclear weapons development, which even then were in part responses to fears of each other. One country’s climate change adaptation may become the rational for security concern, and indeed nuclear proliferation.

Climate change, energy insecurity, and pandemics will certainly interact with existing conflict patterns. To take but one plausible example, again involving Australia and Indonesia, global warming will influence already massively degraded fishing stocks in the seas of eastern Indonesia which provide the basic protein requirements for most of the population of that large region. The implications for migration into Papua and further pressure on the fishing grounds off of northwest Australia are easy to imagine – as are the political consequences.

These local expressions of global problems foreshadow deep threats to the fabric of Australian and Indonesian life, and require, for their even their partial amelioration, cooperation between the two countries – and between the two societies. In fact, the shared character of these global threats, and the requirement for government and civil society in both countries to move towards cooperative solutions opens up the possibility of a shift in the often volatile security relations between the two countries, moving towards  a re-framing of Australia-Indonesia security relations  on the basis of shared solutions to shared global problems.

Knowledge and global problems

There is to date very little systematic inquiry into global problems – precisely what their characteristics are, or indeed, agreement about whether one’s person’s global problem is even a problem to another person. Indeed, the idea of what is a “problem” as such may well be an idea that sits more comfortably in some mindsets and cultural outlooks than others. The very idea of a “global problem” raises quite fundamental issues of perception and understanding within and between different cultural streams. This is by no means a trivial or purely academic matter.

The most sustained and systematic attempt to think through many such questions relating to the idea of problems on a world or global scale was carried out over several decades by the Union of International Associations in its Encyclopedia of World Problems and its associated databases and explanatory commentaries. The principal author of those commentaries, Anthony Judge, and his UIA collaborator Nadia McLaren, are providing a major contribution to this Global Problem Solving project by   abridging and re-writing those Explanatory Comments  in more accessible form.

Other aspects of the question of appropriate forms of knowledge for this new field of complex interdependencies are addressed by annotated bibliographies of authors dealing with  Knowledge formation and knowledge ecosystems  and  Complexity and risk , and Network analysis.

Global problems as social messes and wicked problems

Two key concepts for beginning to understand global problems both in general and specific cases are  wicked problems  and  social messes .

Wicked problems are ill-defined, ambiguous and associated with strong moral, political and professional issues. Since they are strongly stakeholder dependent, there is often little consensus about what the problem is, let alone how to resolve it. Furthermore, wicked problems won’t keep still: they are sets of complex, interacting issues evolving in a dynamic social context. Often, new forms of wicked problems emerge  as a result  of trying to understand and solve one of them.

Wicked problems have also been succinctly characterised as “complex problems that change when you apply a solution.”

Robert Horn has adapted earlier formulations of  criteria for wicked problems  to develop the features of a  social mess:

  • No unique “correct” view of the problem
  • Different views of the problem and contradictory solutions
  • Most problems are connected to other problems
  • Data are often uncertain or missing
  • Multiple value conflicts
  • Ideological and cultural constraints
  • Political constraints
  • Economic constraints
  • Often a-logical or illogical or multi-valued thinking
  • Numerous possible intervention points
  • Consequences difficult to imagine
  • Considerable uncertainty, ambiguity
  • Great resistance to change
  • Problem solver(s) out of contact with the problems and potential solutions.

These are very much the characteristics of the multiple, intersecting elements of complexes of problems such as climate change, weapons of mass destruction, global poverty and inequality, resource depletion and competition, threats to biodiversity from economic growth, and cultural clashes arising from contemporary and earlier forms of western-led globalisation. Each of these involves great resistances to change, high levels of uncertainty about causes and remedies, many different possible points of intervention but little certainty about consequences, evident interconnection with other problems coupled with lack of certainty about both the precise connections and whether all the connections are known – or even knowable, and often profoundly diverse and conflicting views of what “the problem” is and indeed whether there is in fact a problem at all.

Horn’s mess map of the  Climate Policy Labyrinth  that heads this article provides  a visual portrait for a set of experts’ perceptions of the constraints of one particular global problem cluster, and a paradigm of many others.

It metaphorically displays the constraints expressed by the interviewees as a huge labyrinth – and the uncertainties as a huge cloud — through which policies must proceed in order to result in the possible good outcomes identified (on which there was substantial agreement). It also depicts the enabling conditions interviewees identified as supportive of achieving the good outcomes. Overall it seeks to mirror the view of the policy process offered by those operating within it. The logic of this mural is metaphorical. It does not show literal paths that a specific policy or group of policies must take in order to navigate the labyrinth. Indeed, part of the power of the metaphor is to suggest that almost any policy proposal is bound to run into obstacles sooner or later – if we maintain the present level of thinking.

The beginning of understanding of the character of multiple, interdependent, causally complex social messes at the heart of what are now becoming recognised as global problems calls into question the character of the knowledge structures – and following on, institutional and policy frameworks – conventionally relied on for guidance in understanding radical threat. Not surprisingly, states are coming to realise that the knowledge frameworks they have relied upon to assess threat – the strategic intelligence cycle – are failing to provide adequate forewarning and understanding of precisely the kinds of threats to state interests contained in global problems. This has led to the beginning of a reformulation of both the characteristics and criteria of strategic intelligence and of the knowledge formation processes required to generate it. In the words of one such intelligence review, by the  Glasgow Group , writing on knowledge formation salient to global problems, there is a need to move

beyond analysis – particularly for systemic, complex strategic issues such as energy and environmental security, methodologies that span disciplinary, national, cultural, and cognitive boundaries and frameworks are essential. Unless the subject matter is appropriate to analytic techniques (which requires the ability to reduce and study a subject in discrete parts), strategic intelligence requires systems-based approaches which incorporate consideration of the impacts offeedback loops and other non-linear phenomena. The terms horizon scanning, environmental scanning, or alternative futures all represent a wide sweep of strategic intelligence efforts. Strategic intelligence is necessarily interdisciplinary, highly introspective about cognitive biases, preoccupied with unknowns, and open to multiple explanations and outcomes vs. a “bottom line” assessment or judgment. Good strategic intelligence intentionally highlights areas of uncertainty, but does so in ways that inform better decision-making, thereby avoiding false certainty and simplifications.

Richard Norgaard’s observations  of the process by which the scientists involved in the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment overcame initial barriers deep in the structure of institutions of knowledge and policy tell a parallel story, worth quoting at length:

The problem is that earlier, narrow concepts about the nature of science still dominate and have structured our social organization such that our efforts to coordinate our understanding and adapt it to the problems at hand are always seriously constrained. We accepted the concept of private property and put the burden of proof on those who sought the public good. We allowed science to fragment into disciplines and gave the disciplines the primary responsibility in universities to judge the styles and quality of scientific work. We established agencies to promote particular ends using particular parts of science. In short, we built a world around the belief that complex systems could be divided into parts. These separate institutions and agencies channel the bulk of the resources not only of science and how it relates to economic development but also how it relates to biological conservation and speaking for the poor as well. Similarly, we have instituted international agreements and designed international institutions as if solutions could be global. We try to work through our imperfect organizational structures to solve the problems that result in part from fragmentation and false beliefs about the broad applicability of economic, social, and environmental mandates. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment offered an unusual opportunity for a significant number of scientists to work outside of the conventional fragmented structures of science and its implementation. The work was difficult and time consuming, but most of the participants pursued it until the end. The MA process went a long way toward developing the capability among the participants to comprehensively address the complexity of social and ecological system interactions at multiple scales. It also went a long way toward developing the trust necessary to facilitate treating apparently similar situations, such as balancing economic needs with pollution control or species conservation, differently in different situations.
The primary political and policy implication of the MA is that we need to substantial increase our understanding of how we collectively assess complex problems and then extend this understanding to all of the scientific community, policy makers and politicians, and the public at large. Then we need to reconstruct our institutions of governance to match our new richer understanding of the complexity of our interactions with our environment and the collective processes by which we can understand this complexity.

The  International Design Team Meeting  known as the Glasgow Group described what a new international strategic intelligence capability on energy and environmental issues could resemble:

The most important products of this system could be relevant working hypotheses and compelling logics (in the sense of consequences, possibly including some not yet considered) transcending the narrow advocacy of special interest groups through shared access to, and decentralized validation of, global expertise. The system itself, participants agreed, could fill a current void in communicating to both public and private sector decision-makers the security consequences of energy and environmental issues. By convening scientists and analysts alongside societal experts of various kinds, this system could carry out adaptive and collaborative foresight inquiries on energy and environmental security questions. Participants agreed that the user experience with this capability should be vivid, visual, and intuitive. They also agreed that it should harness the best available tools to encourage user-created content and should create an action-learning environment. In this context, the group hoped individuals could study the advantages and drawbacks of an interchangeability of producers and consumers of strategic intelligence at a future date. The Glasgow Group participants strongly urged that multiple stakeholders must participate globally in and share openly the strategic intelligence endeavor, rather than any government or single institution owning the capability. Vivid discussions must embody the capabilities of technologies designed to support a knowledge-creating community, to include the ability for scenario-building, visualization techniques, simulation models, on-demand “rehearsal” of the security impacts related to energy and environmental interactions. Face-to-face meetings will naturally constitute an additional community-building element of the proposed knowledge ecosystem. In addition, technologies will make the results of asynchronous interactions (both face-to-face and online) visible to others.

This study spoke in terms of a “knowledge ecosystem” rather than of institutions of research, an ecosystem relying on diversity in values, methods, and location to generate robust results:

this strategic intelligence knowledge ecosystem may offer various capabilities, including prediction markets, visualization tools, environmental scanning, and alternative scenarios construction. Its uniqueness will be in rapid aggregation and evaluation of knowledge and strategic insights, through distributed and still-evolving knowledge accreditation systems (such as those popularized on E-Bay, Amazon, or digg.com). In particular, this system will link communities of diversity and expertise at local, regional and global levels, and enable a credible and more objective intelligence source than currently available through either governmental or non-government institutions working in the area of energy and environmental security alone. Ideally, such a knowledge ecosystem will embrace group sense-making behaviors and transcend the limitations frequently observed with small units of analysts operating within one organization alone – an especially valuable property when considering the boundary-spanning nature of the energy and environmental security challenges. Project coordinator:  Richard Tanter 18 May 2008  

View this online at: https://nautilus.org/gps/intro/

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World Studies Extended Essay: Global Themes

  • Introduction
  • Getting Started
  • Global Themes
  • Interdisciplinary Research
  • What Makes Up a "Discipline"?
  • Evaluating the Insights of Academic Disciplines
  • Multiple Forms of Integration
  • Evaluating Your Essay
  • Common Stumbling Blocks
  • Examples of Globally Conscious Students

World Studies Global Themes

Globe - Britannica ImageQuest

Conflict, peace, and security Culture, language, and identity Environmental and/or economic sustainability Equality and inequality Health and development Science, technology and society

Conflict, peace, and security

The media's role in conflict Israel and Palestine Global politics, geography, history, language and literature
Politics and the arts Post-apartheid South Africa Theatre, global politics
International justice Charles Taylor and Sierra Leone Philosophy, history, global politics
Revolution and social media Arab Spring in Egypt Global politics, ITGS (Information technology in a global society)
Geopolitics and aid in regional conflicts The Georgia conflict post-2008 Geography, global politics, economics
The ethics of intervention in national or regional conflicts by the international community Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan Global politics, philosophy, social and cultural anthropology

Culture, language, and identity

Preservation of heritage languages or indigenous languages Specific examples of groups striving to protect their language Language, psychology, social and cultural anthropology
Minority group rights issues Specific examples of groups campaigning for equal rights or recognition of their status Psychology, social and cultural anthropology, visual arts, global politics, literature
Issues around reclaiming cultural heritage Particular indigenous groups or countries wishing the return of cultural artifacts from other countries Visual arts, social and cultural anthropology, global politics, psychology
The onslaught of globalization and the maintenance of national identities Specific examples of the effects of globalization on identities Economics, global politics, social and cultural anthropology, psychology, language
The impact of “street art” in protests against discrimination and persecution Specific examples of where art has been used in relation to civil protest Visual arts, global politics, social and cultural anthropology
Racism: inherent psychological traits or sociopolitical forces Examination of the reasons for racism within a particular cultural/societal context Global politics, psychology

Environmental and/or economic sustainability

Sustainable wind power as an offshore or onshore project Comparison of the viability of two case studies Business management, physics, economics, ESS (environmental systems and societies), geography
Global warming and the fish industry Local case study of the effects of climate change on the fishing industry ESS, business management, geography
Transit systems and economic/environmental sustainability Case study of the Bandra Worli sea link in Mumbai ESS, economics, geography
Commercialization of heritage sites Comparison of local case studies for and against government intervention in the commercialization of heritage sites Social and cultural anthropology, global politics, business management, ESS, geography
For-profit social ventures Local case studies of the business viability and social responsibility of these ventures within a particular locality Business management, economics, global politics, social and cultural anthropology, philosophy
Governmental and aid agency support for technology in dealing with agricultural issues on particular areas Kenya: the use of technology in coping with draught Geography, ESS, economics, global politics

Equality and inequality

Women’s rights and microfinancing Women in Bangladesh Economics, global politics, social and cultural anthropology
Child labor and industry Business in West Africa Global politics, economics, business management
Religion and women’s rights Comparison of women in Yemen and Denmark World religions, social and cultural anthropology, economics
Minority rights Caste in Madras, India History, psychology, global politics
Social entrepreneurship and social change Specific example of where social entrepreneurship has been used as a vehicle for social change Global politics, business management, history
The rights of domestic workers Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong Global politics, history, economics, philosophy

Health and development

HIV/AIDS and equitable access to education Specific examples for particular countries Economics, geography, biology, global politics
Climate change, global health and malaria Specific examples for particular countries Environmental systems and society, biology, geography
Population density and levels of cell-tower radiation Specific examples for particular countries Physics, geography
Impact of socio-economic factors on the prevalence of particular infections Specific example of an infection in a particular country or comparison between two countries Biology, geography, economics
Rise of obesity in affluent countries Specific focus on a group in a particular country or comparison between two countries or regions within a country Biology, psychology, global politics, economics
Link between educating females and increased basic health improvements within the family Specific country focus or comparison between two countries or regions within a country Social and cultural anthropology, biology, global politics, psychology

Science, technology and society

Nuclear power and public perception Nuclear power station in Munro, Michigan Physics, psychology, politics
Language development and new technology Schools in Lyon using Google translate™ translation service Information technology in a global society (ITGS), language acquisition, geography
Internet consumption and education Youth education issues in New Delhi, India ITGS, economics, psychology
Role of social media in civil protests Specific example of where social media has been used in protests and demonstrations within a specific country ITGS, global politics
The use of technology in predicting natural disasters The use of new technologies in predicting earthquakes, floods, etc. within a specific region ITGS, physics, economics, geography, ESS, design technology
The use of new technologies in the learning of languages The effectiveness of new technologies in the mastery of second languages among school children within a specific country ITGS, language, economics

WSEE Documents

WSEE Subject Guide and worksheets

  • IB EE Subject Guide - World Studies, 2018
  • Making Meaningful Connections Use this worksheet to help you think about your research plans: the concepts or methods your will be using, the global topic you're focusing on, and the academic disciplines you will be using.

RRS (Researcher's Reflection Space)

  • Sample Prompts for the WSEE RRS What should you write in your RRS? Use these questions and prompts to help you think through the various stages of the research for your WSEE: your initial ideas, your thoughts and reflections during the process, and your conclusions.
  • RRS Example B - World Studies

RPPF (Researcher's Planning and Progress Form) examples:

  • RPPF Example 5 - World Studies
  • RPPF Example 7 - World Studies

IB Extended Essay Guide & Timeline

Check the Extended Essay guide for specific guidance on completing the various steps in the research and writing process of the EE, and  these documents:

global issues essay introduction

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Human Rights Careers

Top 20 Current Global Issues We Must Address

What are the most pressing issues in the world today? What will demand the most attention in the next 5, 10, and 20+ years? In this article, which frequently refers to the World Economic Forum’s 17th Edition of the Global Risks Report, we’ll highlight 20 current global issues we must address, including issues related to climate change, COVID-19, social rights, and more. While it’s hardly a comprehensive discussion, it’s a solid introduction to the kinds of concerns facing our world today.

#1. Poverty

In fall 2022, the World Bank will update the International Poverty Line from $1.90 to $2.15. This means anyone living on less than $2.15 is in “extreme poverty.” Why the change? Increases in the costs of food, clothing, and shelter between 2011-2017 make the “real value of $2.15 in 2017 prices equal to $1.90 in 2011 prices. As for the World Bank’s goal to reduce extreme poverty to 3% or less by 2030, the pandemic has made it even harder. Extreme poverty isn’t the only poverty we have to contend with. 62% of the global population lives on less than $10/day. While there’s been progress over the years, the end of poverty is still far off.

Learn more about tackling poverty with an online course: Poverty & Population: How Demographics Shape Policy (Columbia University)

#2. Climate change

The IPCC released its sixth report in 2022. In its summary for policy-makers, the report’s authors outlined a series of near-term, mid-term, and long-term risks. If global warming reaches 1.5°C in the near term (2021-2040), it would cause “unavoidable increases in multiple climate hazards,” as well as “multiple risks to ecosystems and humans.” In the long term, climate change will present major health issues, premature deaths, risks to cities and settlements , and other dangers. Mitigation is desperately needed – and fast. Because of climate change ’s connection to other issues on this list, it’s one of the most serious challenges facing humanity.

Learn more about climate change with an online course: Science and Engineering of Climate Change (EDHEC Business School)

#3. Food insecurity

According to the 2022 Global Report on Food Crises , which is produced by the Global Network against Food Crises, the number of people in crisis or worse is the highest it’s been in the six years since the report has existed. Close to 193 million people were experiencing acute food insecurity in 2021, which is an increase of almost 40 million since 2020. This represents a staggering 80% increase since 2016. Causes include “economic shocks,” like an increase in global food prices. Domestic food price inflation in low-income countries also rose a lot. “Weather-related disasters” are also a big driver. For 15.7 million people in 15 countries, it was the primary driver of acute food insecurity.

Learn more about food insecurity with an online course: Feeding the World (University of Pennsylvania)

#4. Refugee rights

According to UNHCR, the war in Ukraine sparked the fastest-growing refugee crisis since WWII. Almost 6 million (as of May 10, 2022) people have fled. The UNCHR’s Refugee Brief , which compiles the week’s biggest refugee stories, has recently described situations in places like Somalia, where thousands of people were displaced due to severe drought. Between January and mid-April, more than 36,000 refugees from Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso arrived in Niger. These are only a few examples of the refugee crises, which endangers already marginalized groups – like women and children – and puts them at an increased risk of trafficking , violence, and death.

Learn more about refugee rights with an online course: Refugees in the 21st Century (University of London)

#5. COVID-19

The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2022. It will continue to be a major issue for the world. The WEF’s Global Risks Report 2022 discusses COVID’s effects at length , including major economic recovery disparities and social erosion. According to a January 2022 article from NPR , there are also issues with vaccinations as many countries continue to have trouble getting doses. Distribution, vaccine hesitancy, healthcare systems, and other problems also factor into low vaccination rates. While we may never know the exact impact, the WHO estimates that between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021, there were around 14.9 million excess deaths linked to COVID-19.

Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 with an online course: Life After COVID-19: Get Ready for our Post-Pandemic Future (Institute for the Future)

#6. Future pandemic preparation and response

COVID-19 taught the world the importance of prepardeness. In a Harvard blog , Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, outlined the lessons the world should take to heart. The first: science has to guide policy. The politicization of the pandemic led to a lot of unnecessary damage. Another lesson is that science must pair with equity or it can actually make inequalities worse. This is obvious when looking at how low-income countries struggled to get the vaccines while wealthier countries stocked up. More resilient healthcare systems are also a must, as well as more coherent, global plans on how to respond. The world must also invest in research on contagious diseases, zoonotic diseases, the effectiveness of outbreak responses, and more.

Learn more about future pandemic response with an online course: Pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response (Politecnico di Milano)

#7. Healthcare

The healthcare industry has experienced major shifts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Economic Forum, there’s been new investments and innovations, especially from the technology and telehealth sectors. In 2021, $44 billion was spent on health innovation. The world will be seeing the effects of these innovations for years to come, though equity will no doubt be a major issue. In places like the United States, the pandemic also reaffirmed how broken healthcare systems can be. In an MIT News blog , Andrea Campbell, a professor of political science, says the pandemic revealed a “dire need” for investments in public-health infrastructure, as well as a need to expand healthcare access and insurance coverage.

Learn more about health inequity issues with an online course: Addressing Racial Health Inequity in Healthcare (University of Michigan)

#8. Mental health

Globally, almost 1 billion people have some form of mental disorder. The pandemic made the world’s mental health worse. According to a scientific brief from the WHO , there’s been a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. Causes include social isolation, fear of sickness, grief, and financial anxieties. Health workers were also severely impacted, as well as young women and girls. The brief also highlights how the pandemic disrupted many mental health services, including services for substance abuse. Countries need to ensure access to mental health services as part of their COVID-19 recovery plans and beyond. It’s an economic decision, as well. The Lancet states that anxiety and depression alone cost the global economy around $1 trillion a year.

Learn more about mental health with an online course: The Science of Well-Being (Yale University)

#9. Disability rights

According to the WHO , over 1 billion people have some form of disability. Half can’t afford healthcare. They’re also more likely to live in poverty than those without a disability, have poorer health outcomes, and have less access to work and education opportunities. Human Rights Watch lists other discriminations disabled people face, such as an increased risk of violence. There’s been progress regarding disability rights, but many countries lack strong protections. The world still has a long way to go to ensure equality for those with disabilities.

Learn more about disability rights with an online courses: Disability Awareness and Support (University of Pittsburgh)

#10. LGBTQ+ rights

Members of the LGBTQ+ community face discrimination in many forms. According to Amnesty International , discrimination can target sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics. Even in more progressive countries like the United States, people face violence and discrimination. According to the Human Rights Campaign, more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were proposed in 2022. At least a dozen states are considering legislation that forbids schools from discussing or using a curriculum that covers sexual orientation and gender identity. Considering the United States’ influence in the world, this attack on LGBTQ+ rights will likely have consequences that need to be addressed.

Learn more about LGBTQ+ issues with an online courses .

#11. Reproductive justice

Reproductive justice – which encompasses more than just abortion rights – is threatened by legislation, lack of funding, lack of education, and restricted healthcare access. In most places, wealth is a big determinant of whether a person can access reproductive services. It’s better in some places than others, but as we’ve seen with other issues on this list, even “progressive” countries like the United States are experiencing major shifts. In June 2022, the Supreme Court is expected to overrule Roe v. Wade , a milestone court case that protected a pregnant woman’s right to abortion. The impact would be immediate and will likely influence other countries.

Learn more about reproductive justice and women’s rights: International Women’s Health and Human Rights (Stanford University)

#12. Children’s rights

Children are a very vulnerable group. In 2019, around 5.2 million children under five from mostly preventable and treatable causes. 2.4 million were newborns under 28 days old. Leading causes include preterm birth complications, pneumonia, and malaria. According to UNICEF, the climate crisis also represents a severe threat to kids. Around 1 billion kids live in “extremely high-risk countries” that are hit by the worst effects of climate change. 920 kids have trouble accessing clean water and 600 million are exposed to vector-borne diseases like malaria. Child labor also remains an issue. At the beginning of 2020, around 160 million were forced into labor while COVID-19 put 9 million more kids at risk. That’s almost 1 in 10 children globally. Almost half are in dangerous environments. As is often the case, the other issues on this list – climate change, poverty, COVID, gender equality, etc – factor into children’s rights.

Learn more about children’s rights: Children’s Human Rights – An Interdisciplinary Introduction (University of Geneva)

#13. Gender equality

Global gender equality has gradually improved over the years, but data from the 2021 Global Gender Report shows that the end of the global gender gap is still 135 years away. The pandemic played a huge role in reversing positive trends as women were hit harder financially. According to Oxfam , women experienced a 5% job loss while men experienced 3.9%. That means women lost about $800 million in 2020. This is a low estimate since it doesn’t count the informal economy, which includes millions of women. Women are also more likely to live in poverty, more affected by gender-based violence, and more affected by climate change.

Learn more about gender equality: Gender Analytics: Gender Equity through Inclusive Design (University of Toronto)

#14. Cybersecurity

The WEF’s Global Risks Report 2022 (page 9) listed cybersecurity vulnerabilities as a concern. The reason is rapid digitalization, which was triggered in part by COVID-19. Many “advanced economies” are now at a higher risk for cyberattacks. GRPS respondents identified cybersecurity failure as a critical short-term risk. In 2020, malware and ransomware attacks went up by 358% and 435%. There are a few reasons for this, including better (and easier) attack methods and poor governance. Cyberattacks have a swath of serious consequences and erode public trust. As countries become more dependent on digitalization, their cybersecurity needs to keep up.

Learn more about cybersecurity: IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate (IBM)

#15. Disinformation

Rapid digitalization comes with many issues, including the lightning-fast spread of disinformation. The WEF report describes deepfakes, an accessible AI technology, and its potential to sway elections and other political outcomes. Disinformation doesn’t need to be sophisticated to be successful, however. Through social media posts and videos, twelve anti-vax activists were responsible for almost ⅔ of all anti-vaccine content on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Their content flooded the internet with the type of harmful, fear-mongering disinformation that played a significant role in vaccine hesitancy and political radicalization. Because disinformation travels faster online than the truth, it’s a global issue that should be addressed.

Learn more about tackling disinformation: Communicating Trustworthy Information in the Digital World (University of Rotterdam)

#16. Freedom of the press

According to the Varieties of Democracy Institute (as reported in The Economist ), about 85% of people live in a country where press freedom has gone down in the past 5 years. After peaking at .65 in the early 2000s and 2011, the global average dropped to .49 in 2021. Major countries like China, India, Russia, Brazil, and Turkey saw significant declines. Journalists and news organizations face threats like violence, imprisonment, lack of funding, and coordinated online attacks and harassment. A free press is essential to a functioning democracy. Without press freedom, all human rights are at risk.

Learn more about freedom of expression: Human Rights for Open Societies (Utrecht University)

#17. Debt crises

In the WEF Global Risks Report (page 7), respondents named debt crises as one of the most pressing issues over the next decade, though respondents believe they will become most serious in just 3-5 years. COVID-19 is a big reason why. Government stimulus was necessary, but many countries are now left with debt burdens. For corporate and public finances in large economies, debt burdens can lead to defaults, bankruptcies, insolvency, and more. This is a far-reaching issue as it affects budgets for areas like healthcare and green energy.

Learn more about the debt: Finance for everyone – Debt (McMaster University)

#18. Corruption

Corruption encompasses a host of actions such as bribery, election manipulation, fraud, and state capture. The World Bank Group names corruption as a barrier to ending extreme poverty and “boosting shared prosperity” for the poorest populations. When it comes to addressing poverty, climate change, healthcare, gender equality, and more, corruption gets in the way. Because corruption is a global problem, global solutions are necessary. Reform, better accountability systems, and open processes will all help.

Learn more about tackling corruption: What is Corruption: Anti-Corruption and Compliance (University of Pennsylvania)

#19. Authoritarianism

According to Freedom House, global democracy is eroding. That includes countries with long-established democracies. In their 2022 report, the organization reveals that global freedom has been declining for the past 16 years. 60 countries faced declines in the last year. Only 25 saw improvements. Only 20% of the global population lives in Free countries. China, Russia, and other authoritarian countries have gained more power in the international system, while countries with established democracies – like the United States – are losing their freedoms. What can be done? Freedom House says success “requires a bold, sustained response that establishes support for democracy and countering authoritarianism.” Governments and citizens engage and stand for democracy.

Learn more about tackling authoritarianism: Citizenship and the Rule of Law (University of London)

#20. Global cooperation

Addressing the issues in this article is not an easy task. True progress is only possible through global cooperation, a fact which is woven through the WEF report. Everything from addressing cybersecurity threats to humanitarian emergencies to protecting democracy depends on strong cooperation between countries. As the report says in its preface: “Restoring trust and fostering cooperation within and between countries will be crucial to addressing these challenges and preventing the world from drifting further apart.” The challenges threatening global cooperation are just as clear as the need, however, which makes it one of the most serious issues of the day.

Learn more about global cooperation: Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

  • 3 Examples of Enduring Issue Essays to Write Yours Like a Pro

Enduring issues are lasting problems of the world. When writing a paper for the NYS Regent Exam, you’ll get a task to craft an essay about some of those issues. It would help to have a few samples beforehand to know how to write it well, wouldn’t it?

In this article, you’ll find three enduring issues essay examples. They serve to reveal the nature of this paper type. Also, you’ll get the enduring issues list and read some practical tips on enduring issues essay writing.

So, here we go.

What Is an Enduring Issues Essay?

First, let’s explain: What is an enduring issue?

Enduring meaning is “lasting.” So, if we needed to provide an enduring issue definition, we would say that it’s a problem that exists across time. It’s an issue in global history that many societies have attempted to address with varying degrees of success.

An enduring issues essay is a paper identifying and describing some lasting problem, referring to excerpts from historical documents.

In this essay, you:

  • Identify and define an enduring issue in the introduction.
  • Explain why it’s significant, how it has impacted people, and how it has lasted over time. For that, you use your knowledge of the subject and evidence from the documents you get in the prompt.

An enduring issues essay is a part of the Regents Examinations in New York State.

Enduring Issues List

Enduring issues examples are many, and it’s hard to predict which one you’ll get in the exam prompt. We can divide them into five top categories:

  • Environment
  • Wants and Needs

Each category has sub-topics your essay prompt may include. So, here is the list of enduring issues. We’ve made it a table for better clarity and understanding:

enduring-issues-list

How to Write an Enduring Issues Essay

Before writing an enduring issues essay, you examine the provided documents to analyze which issues exist there. There can be several different issues, and you have the element of choice here: 

  • Name and define the enduring issue you’ll discuss.
  • Choose the documents among those provided to support your thesis.
  • Develop your essay introduction and thesis. (Use the formula: Thesis = Enduring Issue + Why It’s Important + Topics of Discussion . See the example below.)
  • Write a body. (The number of paragraphs = the number of documents you address in the essay.)
  • Conclude an essay, restating the claim in your thesis.

Here’s an example of a thesis statement in your enduring issues essay:

enduring-issues-essay-thesis-example

Our colleague Melissa Keele did a great job visualizing the structure of a body paragraph . It should include the following elements:

  • Topic sentence
  • Document information
  • Analysis of both: Explain how the issue impacted people/places and how it continued/changed over time
  • Outside information whenever possible
  • Closing sentence (optional)

As for enduring issues essay conclusion examples , let’s go to the complete samples below. Such an essay’s concluding paragraphs are usually short (3-5 sentences). Just reiterate your claim again, insisting on its significance and effect over time.

Enduring Issues Essay: Examples

As a rule, prompts for enduring issues essays are super detailed (1). Read them carefully and examine the corresponding documents precisely — and you’ll know what and how to cover in your paper.

Below are several samples of complete essays. Each example is on a different issue for you to see how to structure this type of writing.

Sample 1: Social Studies topic









Sample 2: Global History and Geography topic

In this sample, we’ve covered just one body paragraph for you to see how to structure it. Two other paragraphs about Maximillian Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte would have the same format, with corresponding evidence from historical documents.

enduring-issues-essay-examples

Sample 3: Climate Change topic

Tips on structuring your enduring issues essay.

Now that you have enduring issues essay examples and know what to include in each paragraph, the final note from us:

These tiny steps and easy-to-follow rules will help you craft an A-worthy paper.

1) Focus on evidence-based claims and arguments. Make every sentence of your essay matter: Avoid generic categories, conflicts, and points.

2) Don’t be afraid to explore beyond the given documents. Enduring issues essays are also about your knowledge. So if, after analyzing the sources, you see the lack of points to cover the issue, feel free to explore more and support your claims with extra points.

3) Stay objective. This essay isn’t opinion or reflective but analytical and based on evidence. Structure it accordingly:

  • Introduce the issue
  • Present its historical context and importance
  • Finish with its impact and relevance

Ready to Write Yours?

An enduring issues essay is about a lasting problem in global history. It’s a part of the Regents Examinations for New York State’s students. You’ll get a detailed prompt with guidelines.

So, you’ll need to define the issue you’ll discuss and find the evidence in the documents the examiners will give you. Use the above enduring issues essay examples as samples to understand the structure. We hope they’ll help you format your paper the best you can.

References: 

  • https:// w ww.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/state-assessment/2-sample-enduring-issue-essay.pdf
  • Essay samples
  • Essay writing
  • Writing tips

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  6. World Studies Extended Essay: Global Themes - West Sound Academy

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  7. Introducing Global Issues - Rienner

    A global pandemic, resurgent nationalism and populist leaders, extreme weather, and widespread economic troubles. Watching the news can leave you feeling hopeless. Unfortunately, as the statistics immediately below reveal, a number of global issues are threatening humanity, and their impact

  8. World Studies Extended Essay - International Baccalaureate®

    A world studies extended essay must focus on a topic of global significance. This encourages the student to reflect on the world today in relation to issues such as the global food crisis, climate change, terrorism, energy security, migration, global health, technology and cultural exchange.

  9. Top 20 Current Global Issues We Must Address | Human Rights ...

    In this article, which frequently refers to the World Economic Forum’s 17th Edition of the Global Risks Report, we’ll highlight 20 current global issues we must address, including issues related to climate change, COVID-19, social rights, and more.

  10. Enduring Issues Essay: Examples to Check Before Writing

    In this essay, you: Identify and define an enduring issue in the introduction. Explain why it’s significant, how it has impacted people, and how it has lasted over time. For that, you use your knowledge of the subject and evidence from the documents you get in the prompt.