1. HIGHER MODERN STUDIES
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
WORLD ISSUE: POVERTY
Topic Overview
Modern Studies: International Issues (Higher) Unit
Context for study will focus on the study of a significant contemporary world issue (poverty). The
study of a world issue will focus on a significant recent issue (poverty) which has a global impact.
A study of a major world issue: Poverty
The Causes of the Issue (Poverty)
An overview of Poverty and the scale of its impact i.e. the
scale of the problem
 What is poverty
 Definitions of poverty – absolute v. relative
 Developed world v developing world
 Effects of poverty
 African + poverty profiles
 Scale of problem
The Causes of the Issue (Poverty)
continued
Factors that give rise to poverty
Political factors
 Bad Governance (incompetence / corruption)
 Armed conflict
Economic factors
 Poor infrastructure
 Unfair Trade
 Debt
The Consequences of Poverty
The Effects of Poverty on:
 Individuals
 Countries and their governments
 Regions
 The International Community
Effects on:
 Health and Healthcare (HIV/AID’s etc)
 Education
 Hunger
 Homelessness
Attempts to solve Poverty and the
Effectiveness of the attempts
National, Regional and International attempts to resolve
Poverty
Evaluation of National, Regional and International attempts
to solve Poverty
 Millennium Development Goals
 Aid – Types and forms of Aid
 DFiD – (national)
 U.N. organisation (international)
 African Union (regional)
 N.G.O’s (international)
 Successes and reasons for success
 Meeting the MDG’s (effectiveness of responses)