Politics Personal Statement Example 37

Regardless of background, politics affects the daily lives of people from all races, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds. Studying the subject at sixth form has made me realise how ubiquitous politics is and has driven my appetite to make a change. During my study so far, one topic I have become particularly interested in is ‘issue’ politics. I find human rights issues, war and environmentalism tragic yet fascinating and I feel the need to work towards rectifying these issues through politics. Undertaking online courses in ‘Disaster Management' and ‘Ethical Cities’ has furthered my understanding in these areas through the exploration of topics such as humanitarianism, ethical leadership, and creating a sustainable economy. I was intrigued by the ethics side of the course, which introduced me to the importance of ethics in politics in a way that I had not previously considered. I began to notice the problems in the working relationship between politics and ethics in current affairs. In many cases, this relationship resulted in ethics being eschewed in the name of carrying out ‘successful politics’. Arguably the biggest ethical international issue involving the UK of the twenty-first century so far is the invasion of Iraq under Tony Blair in March 2003. The ethics are highly questionable regarding both international relations and towards politics in the UK, where a ‘sofa government’ led to the overpowering persuasion towards the invasion of Iraq. After being exposed to political ethics, as part of my A-level, I noticed the connection it has to political ideologies through the philosophical roots they have in common. Political theory and the ideologies behind much of the contemporary political notions popular today is also an area of particular interest to me. An article entitled “Is Marx still relevant” (The Guardian) instigated my personal wider reading into Marxism and his Marx’s philosophies, additionally benefitting my A-level studies.

After becoming aware of the significance of politics during the 2010 general election, my interest grew and I joined Amnesty International and Greenpeace aged 14. Reading George Orwell’s ‘1984’ during my GCSE years opened my eyes to the idea of political suppression, and its relevance in modern political systems. This furthered my interest in politics and from this point onwards I have been consistently politically engaged. As a result of my growing devotion to politics, I have since become a member of several other pressure groups and am in regular contact with my local councillors and MP. In June 2016 I met with and challenged Dartford constituency MP, Gareth Johnson, on his vote in parliament to pass the Investigatory Powers Bill and I also challenged councillor Gareth Bacon, in a school arranged debate, regarding lowering the legal voting age. These experiences have not only helped me in my ability to formulate coherent and balanced arguments, but have also improved upon my research and analytical skills.

Participation in Irish dance outside of school for over eight years demonstrates my dedication, and has built my confidence and teamwork. Completing Bronze and working towards the Silver Duke of Edinburgh award has enabled me to use the innumerable skills I have gained from eleven years of scouting, leaving me self-motivated and resilient. For over a year I have worked part-time for Sainsbury’s, which has built my time-management and interpersonal skills. My recent appearance on a peer's politics-themed YouTube channel, discussing the American election results, enabled me to share my views using an entertaining platform.

I am enthusiastic about the subject, ambitious and determined with key interests in humanitarianism, ethics and political theory. I would embrace the opportunity to further my understanding of these areas at university.