HOME | Global systems and global governance (Autumn 2) | Issues with interdependence: Unequal power relations
Issues with interdependence: Unequal power relations
Online Lesson | 18 Nov 2026 | Start: 17:00 | DURATION: 1 HOUR Specification content
3.2.1.2 Global systems
Issues associated with interdependence including how unequal power relations enable some states to drive global systems to their own advantage and to directly influence geopolitical events, while others are only able to respond or resist in a more constrained way.
Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:
- what unequal power relations mean in global affairs.
- what ‘hard and ‘soft power is in the context of international relations.
- how countries have exerted significant political and economic power in their international affairs and what the effects of this have been.
Suggested timing
1 hour
Add to WishList
Course Module: Global systems and global governance (Autumn 2) | Lesson Issues with interdependence: Unequal power relations:
Online Lesson | 18 Nov 2026 | Start: 17:00 | DURATION: 1 HOUR
Specification content
3.2.1.2 Global systems
Issues associated with interdependence including how unequal power relations enable some states to drive global systems to their own advantage and to directly influence geopolitical events, while others are only able to respond or resist in a more constrained way.
Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:
- what unequal power relations mean in global affairs.
- what ‘hard and ‘soft power is in the context of international relations.
- how countries have exerted significant political and economic power in their international affairs and what the effects of this have been.
Suggested timing
1 hour
Related Lessons
Systems in physical geography
Online Lesson | 02 Sep 2026 | Start: 16:00 | DURATION: 1 HOUR Specification content
3.1.1.1 Water and carbon as natural systems
Systems in physical geography: systems concepts and their application to the water and carbon cycles inputs - outputs, energy, stores/components, flows/transfers, positive/negative feedback, dynamic equilibrium.
Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:
- The concept and use of models by geographers as simplifications of a complex world.
- The concept of systems frameworks as a type of model fundamental to most areas of geographical understanding.
- Classification of systems and common characteristics of systems.
- How the four major subsystems of the Earth are interlinked.
Suggested timing
1 hour
Case Study of a river catchment at a local scale
Online Lesson | 25 Sep 2026 | Start: 18:00 | DURATION: 2 HOURS Specification content
3.1.1.6 Case studies
Case study of a river catchment(s) at a local scale to illustrate and analyse the key themes above, engage with field data and consider the impact of precipitation upon drainage basin stores and transfers and implications for sustainable water supply and/or flooding.
Learning outcomes
These lessons will help students to:
- Illustrate how the hydrological system affects channel flow, by identifying the stores and transfers in the catchment.
- Analyse the relationships between inputs and outputs in a local river; be able to link the catchment characteristics to flows of water.
- To understand implications for flooding on a local river, and how this can be managed, and/or explain how water is abstracted, and how this can be managed sustainably.
Suggested timing
2 hours
Issues with interdependence: Inequalities
Online Lesson | 18 Nov 2026 | Start: 16:00 | DURATION: 1 HOUR Specification content
3.2.1.2 Global systems
Issues associated with interdependence including how unequal flows of people, money, ideas and technology within global systems can sometimes act to promote stability, growth and development but can also cause inequalities, conflicts and injustices for people and places.
Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:
- that unequal flows can result in inequalities both between countries and within countries.
- that globalisation can help to reduce inequalities between countries but can increase inequalities within countries.
- what the Gini Index is and how Lorenz Curves can be used to analyse economic inequalities within countries.-
Suggested timing
1 hour