Can specific research interests overcome non-traditional background

[BinaryRelation]

Straight to the point:

 

I am considering a PhD in Political Science for one specific reason: studying the effects of financial capital flows and FDI on political institutions.

 

More concretely: I'd like to see if portfolio capital produces different effects and effects with different magnitudes than those of FDI on political institutions and dynamics (especially political stability and democratization, in view of obvious endogeneity problems). This is to supplement the economic literature which has (tenuously) found that FDI produces some positive economic effects through technology spillovers and other channels identified in the economic growth literature.

 

I have specific hypotheses, "puzzles", and research questions in mind, based on possible gaps in the existing literature, but don't want to bore you with unnecessary detail.

 

It seems like this should be fertile ground for research, especially following the 2008 financial crisis- the associated capital movements (i.e. from Eastern Europe) are I think causing interesting political dynamics and we should have good data coming out to write lots of solid research in the next 5/10 years.

 

However, I come from a 100% finance background. I studied in Finance in school and worked in financial firms (though I did spend a year at a national security think tank). My question is: even if I have concrete research interests in Political Science, will my finance background overshadow that and make it hard for Poli Sci committees to take me as a reliable candidate?

 

Thank you!

Edited December 29, 2013 by BinaryRelation

[Zahar Berkut]

I do not expect your background in finance to cause you problems given your research interests. If you write a strong personal statement that shows you understand what political science does and how your background and interests fit into the discipline, you should be fine. The usual rules for fit and targeting relevant faculty apply, perhaps more strongly for you given your specific area of political economy.

[Penelope Higgins]

So long as you can convince an admissions committee of people who specialize in areas other than your own that your research is relevant to broad questions in political science (like the ones you mention; democratization and political stability) your background shouldn't hurt you. To the extent that your finance background translates into quant skills, it should in fact help you. Lots of applicants to PhD programs in poli sci have limited poli sci training in their background. You're in good company.

[TheGnome]

I wish I had studied math and statistics as an undergrad instead of IR. I would have probably much better off than I am now. Sigh..

[Amelorn]

If I were recruiting someone with a proposal looking at a political economy topic (ie you), I would not hold economics training against the candidate in the least.  I'd rather learn PoliSci as an econ grad rather than learn economics and a PoliSci grad.

 

Side note: It was hilarious watching politics/IR students fumble with extremely basic financial concepts in a class "International Political Economy."  I taught myself most of the basic concepts (equity, reserve banking, sovereign debt, FDI, capital flows, capital flight, bubble, etc) as part of learning to invest an inheritance I received, as well as comprehending the global financial crisis.