Politics Personal Statement Example 39

After reading “The Soul Of Man Under Socialism” by Oscar Wilde, I was intrigued by the structure of society and the different theoretical explanations as to why social inequality actually exists.

Although I feel Wilde’s idea of a socialist society was rather naive and lacked real political or sociological substance, he offered insight into the nature of society at that time and I was able to see that the inequalities of the past are also a problem in the contemporary world.

The living wage is a very contentious issue in British society and reflects topics that Wilde had explored; the idea that the government will say yes to handing out canned goods but no to giving decent wages, yes to remedying poverty but no to changing the structure of society so that poverty could not possibly exist.

Through legislation the government seems to exercise power over those who have little money by making laws that benefit the bourgeoisie, which supports capitalism.

Through studying geopolitics, I have seen how conflict over territory in Russia and Ukraine in the Crimea has effected not only people in the region but destabilised the global economy. As a result, my interest in international relations and my understanding of the varied nature of the socio-economic and political relationships between countries has developed.

The study of limnology has helped improve my graphical and statistical skills. Whilst learning about limnology, I realised that social and political issues often arise as a result of a nation's access to the sea. Landlocked countries often fail to engage in world trade and countries that are not involved in world trade generally have poorer economies, which results in them becoming a source of cheap labour and exploitation for MEDCs.

Capitalism is therefore a global ideology, as money can buy countries the power to exploit proletarian nations. Throughout, I have learnt that Politics and Sociology are inextricably linked, as Politics is formed by sociological content but Sociology is the product of political change.

Whilst working with my Local MP, I observed new initiatives such as the "Every Child a Musician" scheme, put in place to allow children from socially deprived areas to take part in activities that are typically associated with the elite.

These schemes give all children the opportunity to develop cultural capital and in turn improve their life chances- essential for a meritocratic society. Prior to the General Election I attended the UK Citizens Debate, where I heard first hand from asylum seekers about the injustices they had faced coming into this country.

I was disappointed to learn that even though asylum seekers enter the UK legally, they are treated as illegal immigrants and have their basic human rights disregarded.

Giving back to my school community is most important to me. Therefore, for the past three years I have been part of the anti-bullying, student ambassador and student observer teams.

As part of the student observer team, I assisted PGCE students with the planning of their lessons and gave talks at London Metropolitan University. Outside of academic studies, I am passionate about dance, which has been a part of my life since the age of 4. I train in Tap and Modern and have been fortunate enough to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and Disneyland Paris.

I work at West Ham football stadium and volunteer at a local church coffee shop in my spare time. This has strengthened my interpersonal skills. I enjoy reading, particularly books written from a feminist perspective such as, "The Yellow Wallpaper & Other Stories", as I am interested in the ways in which gender roles are enforced and how institutionalised sexism affects both sexes.

By reading this, I could fully grasp the extent of oppression experienced by women in 19th century western society, recognise how much change has been made but also acknowledge the amount of change that still needs to come.

Studying social sciences will enable me to further my knowledge and fully explore the diverse areas of the subject. I feel my drive, ambition and skills will make me a strong candidate for this subject and I relish the challenges that lie ahead.