History Model Personal Statement
This is a model person statement of a successful Oxbridge History applicant.
Hearing about my mother's experiences growing up in Belfast in the 70's made me realise how important an understanding of history is to comprehend today's politics. Bomb scares, curfews, soldiers on the streets were all part of her daily life. Segregated education meant that she never met a Catholic until she was 19. Even today only 7% of children attend integrated schools. Listening to her memories made real to me Carr's comment that history is 'an unending dialogue between past and present'. This is particularly pertinent as the Belfast Agreement is under threat from Brexit and Stormont is deadlocked.
I chose my A-levels to provide a holistic approach to contemporary issues, allowing me to analyse topics from multiple perspectives: historically, politically, culturally. When I visited Barcelona I recognised that Catalan independence is not just a political or economic issue. The Catalans feel disconnected from the rest of Spain because they were marginalised under Franco, forbidden to speak Catalan. Government in Madrid has to balance regional identity and autonomy whilst maintaining the nation state. In my Spanish coursework I examined the rise of Vox. In my research Tosh's assertion that 'A nation that cannot face up to its past will be gravely handicapped in the future' became clear to me. I wondered whether the astonishing rise in support for the far-right was caused by Spain's reluctance to discuss its turbulent past. Franco's death in 1975 was a generation ago so many Vox supporters do not remember the horrors that occurred under him.
There is a general trend in the West of declining respect for democracy. When I ran Debating Society at school, researching topics such as 'Has democracy failed?' I read 'The People vs Democracy' by Mounk who presents shocking statistics; only 29% of the US population born in 1980s believe it is essential to live in a democracy. I think this is due to millenials not fully comprehending the past; only older people witnessed World War 2 and the Cold War.
In my Politics A-level I enjoyed learning about the history of political thought from Hobbes'ideas to Rawls' theory of justice. It prompted me to read Butler-Bowdon's "50 Politics Classics" to go beyond traditional Western perspectives; I believe it is vital to consider arange of views to aid understanding of historical and political issues. For example I learnt about Gandhi's principle of Satyagraha; non-violent resistance which inspired Mandela and King. For my History coursework I studied the causes of the 1917 February Russian Revolution; I relished analysing different historical interpretations. Context is key; R.Pipes was a US government advisor who wrote during the Cold War clearly from an anti-communist perspective.
During the refugee crisis I wondered why nation states were unable to reach a solution. But participating in Model United Nations I learnt the difficulties in passing resolutions by 193 countries, each with their own agenda. Attending the Eton Universities Summer School helped develop my thought processes and ways to tackle essay questions.
I successfully applied for a House of Lords internship. Working at the Liaison Committee I heard Lord Lang say that the Lords 'are engaged in a search for truth, whereas in the Commons there is inevitably a political undertone'. This made me think that because the Lords don't need to consider reelection they can focus on the issues in a bipartisan way.
I love to learn and discover new concepts. I am self-motivated; I taught myself Spanish GCSE outside of school and achieved A*. Doing Gold DofE, National Citizen Service and directing the teachers' pantomime have developed my leadership and teamwork skills. Currently I have 3 part-time jobs; in a pub, restaurant & Boots. This gives me the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and hear their opinions. In January I plan to teach English in a school in Colombia to improve my Spanish and live in a different culture.
