The York School 2024/25 Year in Review - Extended Essay: Researching the link between British colonialism and cardiometabolic diseases

The Extended Essay, one of the core components of the Diploma Program (DP), challenges students to complete an independent, self-directed piece of research that culminates in a 4,000-word paper. This essay provides practical preparation for undergraduate research by teaching students to formulate an appropriate research question, communicate ideas and develop an argument. Students also develop the ability to analyze, synthesize and evaluate knowledge. All extended essays are externally assessed by examiners appointed by the IB.
As a person who identifies as ethnically Indian, Niv R. ‘26 wondered if the impact of 200 years of British colonialism in India may have given him – and countless other South Asians – a genetic predisposition to cardiometabolic diseases like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. He researched his essay by reading historical accounts of British policies and the perspectives of present day historians, learning about famines that took place in India during British rule, and delving into the science of genetics and metabolic conditions.
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