This is not for the faint hearted. To embark on a World Studies extended essay means you have to really focus across two or more subject areas. It is very easy to do this badly, but if you succeed it is a very worthy assignment. Note also that it is a new area so it is something that you will have to do a lot of reading around yourself to make sure you are on track. if you have any doubts, turn back now.
If you choose to move forward - start by doing the following:
1. Read from the IBO.
|
Title |
HIV‑AIDS and religion: Beliefs and knowledge about HIV‑AIDS among members of different religious communities in Mombasa, Kenya |
|
Research question |
What do members of three religious congregations (Hindu, Muslim and Christian) in my city, Mombasa, believe, or know about, the causes, transmission and cures of HIV‑AIDS, and how might religious beliefs inform these people’s views? |
|
Global–local perspective |
Concern about the HIV‑AIDS epidemic permeates both the developed and developing world. The impact of the disease on individuals and communities is unevenly concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, where more health education is needed (global). Learning about HIV‑AIDS involves informing one’s initial beliefs about its causes and cures—beliefs that often intersect with cultural and religious values. This essay examines how religion and learning about HIV‑AIDS interact in the particular case of three religious communities in Mombasa (local). Its results show how religion mediates learning about the disease in this particular locality (local). It invites reflection on the importance of attending to religion, as a key dimension of human life in development work more generally (global). |
|
Dimensions and disciplines |
To address the question the student might consider the following.
|
|
Approach |
This choice of topic integrates biology, world religions and social science (survey design). After introducing the problem and impact of HIV‑AIDS in East Africa, the student reports on an empirical study in which leaders, adults and youths in three religious communities completed a questionnaire about their views on HIV‑AIDS. The multiple-choice questionnaire is structured to capture popular beliefs and misconceptions about HIV‑AIDS (its causes, transmission and cure) as well as scientific biological explanation. Results reveal consistent views within religious communities but important differences across them. To discuss these differences the student examines the different reactions religious communities have to the spread of AIDS and draws on sacred text to hypothesize why such differences may exist. |
Task 1. Look at the example above - You will practice reverse engineering a World Studies EE first doing these tasks and looking at some examples of EEs in World Studies.
Task 2: Look at some more examples of EE's that have been done in the past in World Studies
Task 3: Look again at the themes and examples - write a list of possible themes and wider topics you would want to look at.
Task 4: Do some reading and refine what you might want to do.
Task 5: Now put forward proposals - choose a range if you want
There have been a large number of examples added to the IB website recently.
Look at them - even if they have a lower grade - look at why they might have got this.. Was it due to the choice of topic/ research question?
Video Resources
Both provided by ISB - Thanks
|
|