SOP review Int. Relations - Please!?

[SongALong]

I've gone over this SOP so many times to the point where I've lost my initial direction. Perhaps someone with fresh mental capacities can help me redirect it to where it intends to be? Thank you!

1. Why you are pursuing a MAIR degree? (a strong statement of purpose should demonstrate that you have thought carefully about why a Masters Degree in International Relations can enhance your personal and professional development)

2. Why University of BLANK is the proper fit for your aspirations (why BLANK has the appropriate program for your purposes)

***Also, the SOP limit is 500 words, this is currently 550 =*(

Minutes before being interrogated at the Allenby Checkpoint in the West Bank, I was berated by a Palestinian man sitting next to me in the detainment center for my country’s vehement political and economic support of Israel. This was not an isolated incident as discussions regarding America’s foreign policy within the region was frequently raised by those I encountered in the Middle East and North Africa while studying and traveling in 2010 and 2011. The majority I spoke to were disillusioned by American influence in the Middle East and abhorred the hypocrisy of American democratic ideals and American backed dictators that ruled over them with ominous intent. It was these intimate experiences, coupled with impassioned historical and linguistic training of the Middle East and Asia that have solidified a desire to pursue a graduate degree in international relations, specifically studying foreign policies. My focus is to analyze the efficacy of foreign policies and the political, economic and social implications it may have on current and future cooperative policies, specifically between the United States, Middle East and emerging geo-political regions of East and South Asia.

Pursuing a M.A in International Relations is critical in helping me cultivate a more matured understanding of the complex roles that security, law, politics, economics, and finite resources play in shaping foreign policies. I desire to evolve from a recipient of knowledge to a leader in innovative thinking and with intensive academic and research opportunities, I am confident that I will be able to develop substantive theories and concepts that can one day be applied in the field of foreign policies and international relations. Also, the invaluable opportunities in sharing ideas and opinions with peers at the graduate level would aid in developing my diplomacy skills while broadening my respect for diverse beliefs and perspectives, a requisite within the field of international relations. Most importantly, pursuing a MAIR degree would help me grow intellectually enhancing my role from a spectator of international affairs to a capable and responsible participant within the global community with the abilities to conceive a more prosperous outlook for current and future societies.

The sphere of international relations is incontrovertibly complex requiring an inclusive analysis into multitude of fields and subfields that shape foreign policies. As a result of this undeniable fact, I desire to be well rounded yet comprehensive in my pursuit of international relations. This intention can be facilitated by the University of BLANK's MAIR program where instead of providing integrated courses simultaneously outlining fields within international relations, the curriculum dedicates entire courses on the disciplinary concentration of individual fields, politics and foreign policies of each country/region of the world. It should be noted that my undergraduate studies and personal experience in the regions of the Middle East and East Asia would enable me to make substantive contributions to the dialogues in courses concerning the Middle East and Asia. While my concentrations is foreign policy analysis, my volunteer experience in social and humanitarian organizations abroad have nurtured a desire to take advantage of MAIR’s interdepartmental courses on international justice and conflict analysis offered at the BLANK Institute of Peace. In my view, graduate training at BLANK's MAIR program stands to be a critical element in a natural progression of my personal, academic and professional experiences.