Politics and International Relations Personal Statement Example 12

t was on a family holiday to Egypt, just two weeks after the Egyptian uprisings; that I learned first-hand, from those who had experienced it; the power of the people.

What I did not know then, was the explosive effect this would have on the middle-eastern community and that this call for democracy would ripple through Bahrain, Libya, Yemen and multiple other countries, including Syria; which is currently in the midst of a civil war.

I became fascinated with the ways in which a society is able to reform itself - be it through democratic means or otherwise - and since, have had a burning desire to delve further into politics; its theories and how they are practiced globally. This desire has been heavily influenced by a lecture I attended on the theory of equality.

Studying Government and Politics at A level, has developed my understanding of British politics and allowed me to effectively develop my analysis of political concepts. I found our exploration of participation in the UK of particular interest and joined the group 'Feminista UK' in the hope of putting what I had learned into practice.

I began to truly understand and to question the integrity of lobbyists close to the government and the impact they have on decisions made by the government. I also found the content came to life when applied to current events and because of this, now dedicate time to following the political blogs of Benedict Brogan from the Telegraph and Michael White from the Guardian.

My religious studies A level , with its emphasis on Philosophy and Ethics, provided an interesting platform to learn the skill of critical thinking and analysis. My ability to empathise has been much improved through my religious studies, as this subject has been influential in furthering my ability to effectively deconstruct an argument and analyse each fragment from different perspectives.

The careful consideration of viewpoints can often prove difficult but my experience in public speaking and debate competitions has enabled me to not only consider other points but to argue them also.

The 'Struggle for Identity in Modern Literature' unit in my English Literature A level, has introduced me to an extensive range of both fiction and non-fiction texts that tackled many issues.

To understand the context of these texts was incredibly important to me and I found myself immersed in the ideology of feminism and how it had manifested itself throughout history and in modern day. I read Germaine Greer's 'The Female Eunuch' as well as journalist, Caitlin Moran's 'How to be a woman'.

The comparison of the two, regarding their time periods, has led me to question whether feminism is needed in today's society world and I have since endeavoured to answer this question for my Extended Project Qualification.

The ability to change one's political environment is something that will always fascinate me and to have been involved in such change is something I will always be proud of. Being elected the Member of Youth Parliament for Hillingdon has allowed me to lobby my MP; gain over a thousand petition signatures and get head teachers to sign pledges in the name of our 'A Curriculum for Life' campaign.

I look forward to debating with other MYPs from around the UK in the House of Commons debate in November. Further to this, I have written political commentaries on Backbench UK as well as having written for the local newspaper about my involvement in the Youth Parliament.

I have had a role in my School Council every year since I began and this year was elected as the Vice Chair, which required the development of leadership skills.

My time management has been truly tested in that, my part time work in a London hospital and at a branch of Marsh and Parsons estate agents has forced me to divide my time effectively between work and my academic studies. After attending lectures, and open days and thoroughly researching my options, I am confident that politics is the degree course for me.