IA HISTORY IA INVESTIGATION

[J O Y]

Hey guys!!

 

So I'm currently trying to formulate an appropriate IA (SL) question BUT I feel like my topic is too meh and my history teacher wants me to do something I have no interest in.

 

I was thinking of focussing on the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, and examining mainly Gorbachev's role and how his attempt in trying to improve the situation in the Soviet Union contributed to the fall of communism and hence the cold war. So my question is: To what extent was the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, and hence the end of the Cold War, the unintended outcome of reforms introduced to the Soviet Union by President Mikhail Gorbachev?

 

I don't know if this is too narrow/broad etc so feedback would be great!

 

My history teacher wanted me to base my investigation on a historian's thesis (robert service) arguing that it wasn't just reagan and gorby who played major roles in the end of cold war but also the important people working behind the scenes. If I were to do this (cos I think he really REALLY wants me to do this given that he lent me his book), what sort of question could i create based on this? And if anyone has just happened to read this book, who are the 'people behind the scenes?' This book is literally big enough to knock out a beluga whale. 

 

Also just to clarify, is it not recommended that we formulate our question on the opinions of various historians eg. How do the interpretations of historian Robert Service vary with John Lewis Gaddis' regarding the end of the cold war? etc I'm just really confused at the moment because my history teacher told me look at the books of those historians and I don't see how that's relevant? 

 

Sorry for the long post but I feel myself ageing as I continuously put this IA off as well as my TOK presentation cos I dislike TOK very much. 

 

Thanks in advance!! Also does anyone know where i can find some level 7 history IAs online for some inspo haha??

 

 

 

 

 

[IB_taking_over]

Nov. 2016 is old syllabus still, right?

I was thinking of focussing on the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, and examining mainly Gorbachev's role and how his attempt in trying to improve the situation in the Soviet Union contributed to the fall of communism and hence the cold war. So my question is: To what extent was the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, and hence the end of the Cold War, the unintended outcome of reforms introduced to the Soviet Union by President Mikhail Gorbachev?

Probably you want to specific one (or two) reforms and just deal with how they relate. With only 2000 words, it's hard to effectively analyze all of their reforms. 

 

My history teacher wanted me to base my investigation on a historian's thesis (robert service) arguing that it wasn't just reagan and gorby who played major roles in the end of cold war but also the important people working behind the scenes. If I were to do this (cos I think he really REALLY wants me to do this given that he lent me his book), what sort of question could i create based on this? And if anyone has just happened to read this book, who are the 'people behind the scenes?' This book is literally big enough to knock out a beluga whale. 

 

Also just to clarify, is it not recommended that we formulate our question on the opinions of various historians eg. How do the interpretations of historian Robert Service vary with John Lewis Gaddis' regarding the end of the cold war? etc I'm just really confused at the moment because my history teacher told me look at the books of those historians and I don't see how that's relevant? 

You don't need your question to be based on a historian's thesis to use their work(s). The historians are for the historiography part - what do people who 'know what they are talking about' say about it. 

Since your teacher seems to be hinting very strongly that there's more to the fall of the USSR than just Gorbachev, you might consider posing a question about how to did one reform impact the fall of the USSR. That way you can deal with Gorbachev and any other relevant guys as well.

 

Best of luck with your IA