International Relations Personal Statement Example 9

I have always been interested in politics and economics and the historic effect that major decisions and events have had on the world. In my teenage years I started to read internationally recognized journals and magazines to follow current international affairs. Now I feel that a university degree in International Relations is a natural choice for me, as it will help me to further expand my knowledge and understanding of the world.

I was born in Russia in a well-educated family where discussion and analysis of the economic and political issues in Russia and abroad was a usual part of a dinner conversation, even thought my parents have lived most of their lives in the USSR where they did not have an opportunity to go abroad. The Revolution that took place in Russia in 1991 has dramatically changed my country and the lifestyle of its citizens, one of the outcomes of which was enabling people to travel internationally. This radical transformation has helped Russian people to expand their opportunities as well as enabled them to see Russia and other countries from a different perspective. Unlike my parents, before I turn 18 I will have visited numerous countries in different parts of the world.

Out of all world nations I am especially interested in European Union, its politics and economy and relationships between the European countries and Russia, as Russia is a major player on the international political arena and many European countries today depend on Russian natural resources. Though the democracy in Russia may differ greatly from the democracies in Western Europe, the challenges we face financially and politically are similar. Russia clearly needs to make changes within the political system which may be one of the steps for Russia to be considered a truly democratic country. I also believe that it is vital to develop a better understanding of International relations on an individual level because the constantly changing political and financial climate is shaping the world we live in.

I would also like to learn in depth about the UK and US political systems as it would help me to understand two of the most complex and influential political establishments in the world. Learning about democracy is something that has especially gripped me. I am a strong supporter of forms of proportional elections and I believe that they are a key to maintaining a healthy and strong democracy. Also I am interested in studying relationships between the Third World countries and the developed world. In the future these relationships will become more and more important and it would be beneficial if more people improved their understanding of this..

At the moment I am a student on a university foundation programme and I experience the relationships and communication with students from different parts of world. I am also currently studying Sociology and Psychology, and as a result I have improved my understanding of human behavior and the factors influencing it. To conclude, I feel that a degree in International Relations will give me a better grasp of political developments in the world and will enable me in due time to progress to a professional role in which I could contribute to these developments in my country and its foreign affairs.