Adam Von Trott Scholarship Report2014-16

Adam von Trott Scholarship Report2014-16

David Hagebölling

MPhil in International Relations

Reading for the MPhil in International Relations at Oxford University’s Mansfield College was an exceptional and enriching experience on many levels. The Adam von Trott Committee’s support over the last two years was invaluable andallowed me to take full advantage of the wide range of opportunities that the university has to offer.With its manifold activities, the Committee represents an outstandinginstitution for Anglo-German friendship in Oxford.

The first year of the MPhil in International Relations provided a solid disciplinary and methodological foundation. The core module covered both the theory and history of international relations. Every block had a different focus and a new lecturer. This confronted me with various approaches to the field and provided a good overview of the diversity of research within the department. The moduleResearch Design and Methods gave an introduction into the methods of social inquiry and the steps associated with planning a research project.It wascomplemented by an introductory course in Statistical Methods for the Social Sciencesin Michaelmas Term and further courses in Intermediate Social Statisticsand Formal Analysis. An important component was the development of aResearch Design Proposalas the basis forthe subsequent thesis project.

The second year was centred around the production of original research and the drafting of a 30,000-wordthesis.This was supplemented by two taught modules chosen from a range of options. In line with my interests for economics and East Asia, I completed the modules International Political Economy and International Relations of East Asia. My thesis was successfully submitted and titled “Choice and Design in Bilateral Institutional Architectures: Evidence from Germany’s Relations with thePeople’s Republic of China”. It was awarded a distinction and seeks to contribute to the discipline’s understanding ofhow institutionalised cooperation evolves in bilateral state relations.

Oxford provides an incredibly rich environment to engage in extracurricular activities.Upon my arrival I joined St Antony’s International Review, a peer-reviewed international affairs journal based at St Antony’s College, Oxford. Together with two fellow graduate students, I edited the journal’s themed section on “Negotiation in Contemporary Global Politics”. This has been a very rewarding activity – from the conception of the topic to administrating the peer-review process.I also joined Mansfield College’s rowing team for a while and competed in the Christ Church Regatta. My interest in Chinese politics, civilisation and language brought me to China during the summer break where I studiedMandarin at Fudan University in Shanghai. My weekend travels also brought me to other cities such as Beijing, Hangzhou and Nanjing.

Overall, my time at Mansfield College was challenging and rewarding. I am confident that what I learned will serve mein a variety of ways – academically, professionally and personally. It certainly represents an ideal stepping stone for my DPhil studies at St Antony’s College, Oxford as an Economic and Social Research Council scholar starting in October 2016.

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