The Weight of the World - Political Studies 12

The Brentwood campus often feels like a microcosm of the world, a place where international borders blur within our houses and across the shared tables of the dining hall. Meeting people from across the globe is one of the most remarkable aspects of Brentwood life, and these connections support students long after they leave the Cowichan Valley. Taught by Mr. Vittorio Pasquale, Political Studies 12 goes hand in hand with Brentwood’s philosophy of embracing global perspectives, but it also adds a layer of depth: the study of neoclassical realism. 

The course began with a look back at the foundations of political thought, exploring the idealism of Plato’s Republic. We spent time debating the concept of democracy and the search for the perfectly just state. However, as the year has progressed, the class has shifted its focus from how the world should be to how it currently is. We have moved past the theory of traditional realism, which views states as identical objects reacting only to external threats. Instead, we have started discussing the inner workings of the state through the lens of neoclassical realism. 

This theory argues that a country’s foreign policy is not just a reflex to the world around it, it is also a product of a combination of internal factors. This includes how a leader perceives the world and how domestic pressures filter a nation’s response to global events. In our opening units, we explored this by dissecting the shifting rule-based order and the work of contemporary geo-political thinkers such as Fareed Zakaria. We debated whether global powers act as rule makers. Julian G, Rogers ‘26, says that the class has helped him see that international actions are rarely just about surface-level events. “We are essentially revealing how a country’s internal fears and ambitions actually dictate its global strategy,” Julian explains.

The transition from the ancient ideals of Plato to the modern lens of neoclassical realism has provided the class with a more grounded understanding of current events. “We moved from talking about what a perfect state looks like in theory to seeing how governments are constrained by their own people and internal issues,” Gabe P, Privett '26 stated. By connecting political theory to the realities of today’s world, the class not only broadens our understanding of international affairs but also challenges us to think more critically about the forces shaping our future. 

Jayden W, Hope ‘26