1. How much power do IGOs have over states?

Activity 1 - What do you know already?

Activity Tasks

Think, Puzzle, Explore - With a partner, examine the statement of inquiry and topic concepts on Slide 2 of the Lesson Presentation. Discuss the following questions in your pair and note down some ideas on this worksheet:
1. What do you think you know about this topic?
2. What questions or puzzles do you have?
3. How can you explore this topic?
Mind-map - Place the statement of inquiry in the centre of the map and then brainstorm with a partner what you already know about the statement.

Activity Tasks

Define - With a partner, discuss what you think an ‘Intergovernmental Organisation’ is and write a definition.
Recall - In three minutes, make a list of as many IGOs as you can think of. How many can you get?
Review - Review the information on Slide 3 of the Lesson Presentation and add these details to your definitions.

Activity Tasks

Discuss - What benefits do you think states get from joining international organisations?
Discuss - What do you think are the negative impacts on states from joining international organizations?
Debate - Review the different theoretical positions on why intergovernmental organisations form. As a class, debate the question, ‘To what extent are IGOs merely instruments of state power?’

Activity Tasks

Sort - Review the list of IGOs that you explored in Activity 2. Now sort the IGOs according to their type - economic, political, security, hybrid or regional.
Discuss - What are the most common type of IGOs in the world today? Why might that be? What does that suggest about the international system?
Examine - Consider the United Nations. What type of intergovernmental organization is it?

Activity Tasks

Explore - Examine and take notes on the different theoretical positions that theorists take on IGOs from Slides 10-13 of the Lesson Presentation.
Reflect - From what you know about IGOs so far, which theoretical position do you take on them?
Question - What questions do you still have about IGOs?

Activity Tasks

Group - Form into groups of 2-3 students. Each group will investigate a different intergovernmental organisation. More details can be found on this worksheet. Choose between:
1. The United Nations (UN)
2. World Trade Organisation (WTO)
3. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
4. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
5. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
6. Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
7. European Union (EU)
8. African Union (AU)
9. Arab League
10. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Research - Each group needs to research the following key questions about their IGO:
1. Aims - what is the purpose of the IGO? values?
2. Membership - who is/isn’t a member? who leads?
3. Authority - what decision making authority does the organisation have?
4. Function - what bodies and agencies comprise it?
5. Impact - how effective is the organisation?
6. Case Study - how has the IGO responded to the South China Sea crisis?
Presentation - Use your research to create a 3-5 minute presentation to the class. It must be in a form that can be shared with others so they can learn from. Each presentation will be graded informally using this rubric.