From the Cambridge International Examinations syllabus
Key areas
- Historical, social, economic, political and philosophical
- Science, including its history, philosophy, general principles and applications
- Geographical and mathematical
- Literature and language, arts and crafts
Questions are general in nature, demanding discussion and evaluation, and will not necessarily be set on every topic. Possible areas for consideration are:
- the role of history and war; terrorism
- the role of the individual in society – family, marriage, peer pressure, class
- cultural changes - youth and drug culture
- education and welfare
- sport, leisure, international competition
- wealth; changes in work practice
- the importance and impact of tourism on a country – implications for the economy, employment
- public transport, environmental concerns
- aid provision
- the state and its institutions
- development of state, democracy, nationalism
- minority groups, pressure groups
- freedom of speech, action, thought
- judiciary
- matters of conscience, faith, tolerance, equality
- medical dilemmas and issues of research and ethics; concepts of progress in science
- drug manufacture and provision
- diet, health education
- old and new industries
- spin-offs from space industry, weaponry
- information and communications technology; the Internet
- environmental concerns; renewable energy resources; climate change
- migration; population dynamics
- feeding the global population; farming techniques for the twenty-first century
- public transport and travel
- the uses and applications of mathematics in everyday life
- literature, biography, diary and science fiction
- language – heritage, tradition, dialect
- the global media – tv, radio, satellite; influence and controls; effects on lifestyle, culture and habits; cultural dilution and diversification; advertising; role models
- censorship; privacy; the right to know; freedom of the press, etc. uses and abuses
- traditional arts and crafts; creativity; national heritage/preservation; effects of tourism
- architecture; painting; fashion; photography; sculpture; music; heritage
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What the ‘A’ Level Paper in 2011 could have been based on
- 2009: The year of Big Pharma (Private companies and financing scientific research)
- Obama’s green economy (Environment and economic growth)
- 2009 Copenhagen summit (Environment and economic growth)
- Kanye West storms stage at MTV Video Music Awards (Awards and prizes)
- 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing (Space research)
