Subjects · Leaving Certificate
Leaving Cert Politics & Society
What has come up on the Politics & Society papers (2018–2025), topic by topic, with step-by-step practice at Higher Level and Ordinary Level.
Three quick ones from the Politics & Society topics that come up most.
- Nothing: funded research is always neutral
- Possible bias from the funder's interests
- Only the length of the report
- Rule by religious leaders
- A society ruled by the elderly
- A system in which men dominate women
- Meeting today's needs without harming future ones
- Stopping all industrial development to protect nature
- Growing the economy as fast as possible for all
Show the answers
(a) Possible bias from the funder's interests
(b) A system in which men dominate women
(c) Meeting today's needs without harming future ones
Higher Level
400 flash cards and 240 step-by-step drill questions at Higher Level.
What comes up
How many of the last 7 Politics & Society Higher Level papers asked each topic.
| Topic | Asked | Last seen | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriarchy & gender inequality banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Evaluating sources & evidence banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Media, press freedom & democracy most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Social class, capitalism & power most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Human rights in the wider world most years | 6 of 7 | 2024 | |
| Climate, environment & development most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Equality in education most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Acting for sustainable development most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Globalisation & global bodies most years | 6 of 7 | 2024 | |
| Irish government & institutions most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Elections & representation most years | 5 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Causes of underdevelopment most years | 5 of 7 | 2024 | |
| Discrimination & diversity most years | 5 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Human rights in Ireland & UNCRC most years | 5 of 7 | 2024 |
More topics: Research methods & data types, Arguments about human rights, Irish identity, North & South, Rules, laws & the social contract, Democracy & non-democratic states, Nationalism & imagined communities, West, non-West & cosmopolitanism, Human rights principles, Protest & civil disobedience, EU institutions & decision-making, Cultural change, ICT & migration, Left & right political positions, Making national policy, Young people's right to be heard, ECHR & rights in Europe, Northern Ireland Executive, Power & decision-making in school, Diversity in the EU.
Try three
Evaluating sources & evidence, 3 marks
A bar chart's vertical axis starts at 45% instead of 0%. What is the effect?
- The data becomes more accurate
- Differences are hidden entirely
- Small differences look much larger
Show the answer
Small differences look much larger
A truncated axis exaggerates change. When commenting on the presentation of data, check axes, scales, labels, sources and whether the chart type suits the data.
Patriarchy & gender inequality, 3 marks
Children learn that nursing is 'for girls' and engineering 'for boys'. Which of Walby's structures is at work?
- Male violence
- Culture
- The state
Show the answer
Culture
Walby's cultural structure covers the media, education and religion that shape gender expectations. Stereotyped career paths feed later job segregation and the pay gap.
Human rights in the wider world, 3 marks
Child labour that keeps children out of school most directly breaches which rights?
- Education, and rest and play
- Freedom of religion and belief
- The right to vote
Show the answer
Education, and rest and play
Child labour can also threaten survival and development (art 6) and involve abuse (art 19). Researchers link it closely to poverty, so ending it needs economic as well as legal change.
Ordinary Level
300 flash cards and 150 step-by-step drill questions at Ordinary Level.
What comes up
How many of the last 7 Politics & Society Ordinary Level papers asked each topic.
| Topic | Asked | Last seen | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acting for sustainable development banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Evaluating sources & evidence banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Media, press freedom & democracy banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Research methods & data types banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Discrimination & diversity banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Patriarchy & gender inequality banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Human rights in the wider world banker | 7 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Social class, capitalism & power most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Human rights in Ireland & UNCRC most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Irish government & institutions most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Equality in education most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Action plans, teamwork & conflict most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Power & decision-making in school most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 | |
| Rules, laws & the social contract most years | 6 of 7 | 2025 |
More topics: Elections & representation, Young people's right to be heard, EU institutions & decision-making, Globalisation & global bodies, Activists & ways of taking action, Human rights bodies in Ireland, Causes of underdevelopment, Climate, environment & development, Making national policy, Nationalism & imagined communities, Protest & civil disobedience, Arguments about human rights, Cultural change, ICT & migration, Left & right political positions, West, non-West & cosmopolitanism, Democracy & non-democratic states, ECHR & rights in Europe, Human rights principles, Irish identity, North & South, Northern Ireland Executive, Diversity in the EU.
Try three
Evaluating sources & evidence, 3 marks
A bar chart's axis starts at 90 instead of 0. What is the risk?
- The data become more accurate
- The chart now shows qualitative data
- Small differences look much bigger
Show the answer
Small differences look much bigger
Always check axes, scales and labels. Cutting the axis can exaggerate change; a missing source or date also weakens a chart.
Discrimination & diversity, 3 marks
A job advert says 'no beards'. This mainly affects Sikh men. What kind of discrimination might this be?
- Positive action
- Indirect discrimination
- Direct discrimination
Show the answer
Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination is a rule that looks neutral but puts one group at a particular disadvantage, unless it can be objectively justified. Direct discrimination is openly less favourable treatment.
Research methods & data types, 3 marks
A survey of 12 students claims to show what all Irish teenagers think. What is the main weakness?
- The sample is too small to be representative
- The survey used numbers instead of words
- The students were kept anonymous in the survey
Show the answer
The sample is too small to be representative
A small sample can be skewed by chance. Larger, well-chosen samples, like those in national studies, give results that can be generalised with more confidence.
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