Activity 1 - What is an NGO?

Activity Tasks
  1. Define - With a partner, discuss what you think a non-governmental organisation is and come up with a shared definition and record on your worksheet.
  2. Share - Share your finished definitions with the class, discuss and develop an agreed whole class definition.
  3. Inquire - Using the internet, you have five minutes to research five facts about NGOs. Share your ideas with the class.

Activity 2 - What types of NGO are there?

Activity Tasks
  1. Define - Read the information on Slide 3 of the Lesson Presentation and make notes on the two types of NGO.
  2. List - Make a list of as many NGOs as you can think of. Then sort your list of NGOs into two groups, operational and advocacy NGOs. Which are there more of?
  3. Examine - Choose one of the NGOs on your list to examine in more detail. Try to research the following information about your NGO on this worksheet:
    1. Organisation - How is your NGO structured? At what levels of analysis do they operate?
    2. Membership/Staffing - How many members do they have? How many staff do they employ? 
    3. Funding - How funded? What is their income?
    4. Costs - What are their operational costs?
    5. Control - Who has oversight over the NGO? Do they publish their budgets? Do they review performance?
  4. Evaluate - From what you know so far about your NGO, to what extent is it an effective organisation?

Activity 3 - What do NGOs do?

Activity Tasks
  1. Research - Using the NGO you picked from Activity 2, conduct some further research into what it actually does on this worksheet:
    1. Implementers - what operations and projects is your NGO currently working on?
    2. Catalysts - what advocacy campaigns is your NGO currently working on?
    3. Partners - what partnerships, consulting, or support work is your NGO currently doing?
  2. Evaluate - Consider the work your NGO does. To what extent is it an effective organisation?

Activity 4 - Are NGOs legitimate actors?

Activity Tasks
  1. Locate - Work in pairs and examine the information on Slides 8-11 of the Lesson Presentation.
  2. Discuss - In pairs, discuss the arguments for and against whether NGOs are legitimate political actors. Then decide which side you agree with. Yes or no?
  3. Evidence - For the side of the argument you picked, research some real-life examples to substantiate your arguments. 
  4. Debate - “To what extent are non-governmental organisations legitimate political actors?”

Activity 5 - How can we research NGOs?

Activity Tasks
  1. Choose - Find and identify an NGO that is currently involved in or linked to the South China Seas Crisis. 
  2. Describe - Describe what your NGO is and how it is involved in the Crisis.
  3. Explain - Explain why your NGO is involved in the Crisis. What are its aims and objectives?
  4. Evaluate - In your opinion, what impact is your NGO having on the Crisis?
  5. Analyse - How can your NGO be linked to the concepts of Power, Sovereignty and/or Legitimacy?

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Heywood, A. (2011). Global Politics, pp. 152-155
  2. Murphy, R. & Gleek, C. (2016). Pearson Baccalaureate: Global Politics, pp. 26-28
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Lim, K. (2019). Greenpeace Mute About Worst Environmental Disaster In South China Sea. Retrieved 15 November 2019, from https://www.inquisitr.com/3057598/greenpeace-mute-about-worst-environmental-disaster-in-south-china-sea/
SUPPLEMENTARY READING
  1. Thrandardottir, E. (2015) NGO LEGITIMACY: FOUR MODELS, Representation, 51:1, 107-123

Y7-9 MYP

Y7 Humanities
Y8 Humanities
Y9 Explorations

Y10-11 IGCSE

IGCSE Global Perspectives
Global Politics & Debate
MUN

Y12-13 IBDP