Paul Dosh
Application for Admission to PhD Program in Political Science at UC Berkeley
December 1996
Directing a Montessori learning environment is an intriguing challenge, as the
primary task is not to instruct, but to create an environment that nurtures students’ ability
to teach themselves. Self-directed, uninterrupted, and ungraded, students work at their
own pace, driven by interest in their studies and a deep love of learning.
Growing up in this environment and working in it the last five summers, I have
learned a lot about the educational process and about how I learn. Observation and
participation are my two key techniques for learning, and I enjoy very long periods of
concentrated individual work. I also like moderate length work full of interaction, such
as seminars and conferences. I prefer to have my schedule full, as I produce better work
under a healthy amount of pressure.
These characteristics contributed to a very positive college experience, leading me
to explore the possibility of graduate study. Motivated by my love of learning and
teaching and my interest in political science, I want to achieve three goals. First, I want
to conduct research in order to have a positive impact on US-Latin American relations.
This has been an interest of mine since age 12, when I visited Nicaragua during the
Contra War. Second, I want to teach Political Science, with an emphasis on Latin
America. I really enjoy the preparation aspect of teaching, making sure that materials are
all in order, to ensure the a good learning experience. Third, I would like to direct a
Political Science off-campus studies program, located in Latin America. I have always
favored experiencial learning, and I am excited to introduce young people to Latin
American politics through such a program.
I am most interested in Latin American politics and comparative politics. My
specialty fields are Central American political economy and US-Latin American relations.
Other research interests include political institutions, structural adjustment, development
issues, and the political economies of Peru and Chile. As these are all divisive issues, I
have really benefitted from studying them in an environment full of healthy disagreement
and criticism. My interests outside of Latin America include urban politics, East Asian
politics, and international political economy.
My most relevant preparations for graduate study include senior seminars at
Carleton, three independent research projects, and participation in three graduate and
professional conferences. These experiences have provided me with strong skills in
research, oral presentation, and writing. Seminars have also introduced me to teaching
through opportunities to lead class for a day. My preparation in economics and
quantitative analysis however, is minimal Although I took several political economy
classes, I have taken only two courses in pure economics. My work with rigorous
quantitative analysis is limited to methodology courses.
The project that best highlights my readiness for a Ph.D. program is my field
research in Costa Rica. In order to study the Alliance for Sustainable Development (an
accord signed by all Central American presidents in October 1994), I obtained the monthold documents from the Costa Rican government and translated them. Learning about my
project, the San José-based Institute of Central American Studies requested a copy of my
translation. I arranged and conducted interviews (in Spanish) with diplomats and
government officials at six embassies in San José. Finally, I concluded my study with a
research paper and presented it both in San José and Minneapolis.
I am eager to contribute my energy and knowledge as a member of the Berkeley
community. Thank you for your time and consideration.