说明：本篇是近期翻译的一有志小伙的《个人陈述》一文，原文为汉语，现译为英文。
有一位思想敏锐, 洞见独特而严谨的年轻学术人员，他成功地在德国波鸿鲁尔大学(Ruhr-university-Bochum)取得了东亚政治学(East Asian Politics)专业的硕士学位，这个人就是我—张XX。我很荣幸能申请贵校的博士项目，并且渴望在美国继续攻读博士。
There is a young academic staffer with a sharp mind, a unique insight and rigorous attitude, who has succeeded in obtaining his master’s degree of East Asian Politics in the Ruhr-University-Bochum in Germany. And this man is me — Zhang XX. I am honored to be able to apply for a PhD program in your university, and I am eager to pursue a PhD in the United States.
我为何愿把政治科学研究作为毕生的事业
Why do I wish to take political science study as a lifelong career
政治科学经常面临真实的社会现实：人们通常习惯于用流行的观念而非科学真理去看问题。然而，这些貌似正确的流行观念之中，不乏谬误与偏见。当科学与人们根深蒂固的观念相违背，人们宁愿固执己见，却拒绝相信科学。如果观念的大厦建立在这些偏见之上，人便无法正确认识社会。
Political science is often confronted with real social realities: People are often used to seeing things with popular ideas rather than scientific truth. However, in these seemingly correct popular ideas, there is no lack of fallacy and prejudice. When science is in violation of people’s deep-rooted ideas, people would rather adhere stubbornly to their own ideas than believe in science. If the building of ideas is built on these prejudices, people will not be able to correctly understand the society.
因此，有个问题始终在我头脑中徘徊：在上述社会现实面前，我，作为一位相信科学的年轻学术人员，该如何贡献自己的力量？在此，我借用柏拉图的洞穴寓言(allegory of the cave)，来回应这一问题。首先，我要敢于走出洞穴，拥抱象征着科学和真理的阳光，来消解幻象(shadow cast on the wall)所带来的狂热与偏激。这样一来，当我再次回到洞穴中去, 便可以使人们了解这些真知。尤其是在过去四年的硕士学习阶段，接受了系统的政治科学学术训练之后，我更加坚信了这一点。
Therefore, there is a problem lingering in my mind all the time: Before the above social realities, I, as a young academic staff, who believes in science, how to contribute my own efforts? Here, I would like to respond to this question with a quote from Platon’s allegory of the cave. First of all, I want to come out of the cave to embrace the sun that symbolizes science and truth to dispel fanaticism and extreme brought by shadow cast on the wall. As a result, when I go back to the cave again, I can make people understand the truth. Especially in the master’s learning stage of the past four years, I received systematic academic training of political science, thus, I’m more convinced of this point.
这一科学的学术训练，深刻地塑造了我的思维方式，教会我如何使用科学看问题：第一，使用客观的科学原理来代替头脑中的主观臆想，去解释已发生的社会事实。第二，使用变量和机制(variable and mechanism)，去发掘客观事物之间的联系，揭示它们之间的关系。第三，但凡提出了关于某一解释的假设，就必须提供可靠的证据加以证实。
This scientific academic training has deeply shaped my way of thinking, and taught me how to see things scientifically: First, use objective scientific principles instead of the subjective conjecture in the mind to explain the social facts that have happened. Second, use variables and mechanism to explore the link between the objective things, and reveal the relationship between them. Third, whenever a hypothesis about an explanation is proposed, it is necessary to provide reliable evidence to confirm it.
正是这些简洁而深刻的洞见，不仅让我成为一个更有智慧(sophisticated)的人，使现在的我，有能力从纷繁复杂的思想市场(the market for ideas)中发现真理，去伪存真。而且，更向我充分展示了真理之美，让我从此深深的爱上了政治科学。我也更加坚定的确信我得出的结论：我要把政治科学研究作为毕生的事业。
These simple but profound insights not only make me become a sophisticated person, but also give me the ability to discover the truth, discard the false and retain the true from the complicated market for ideas. Furthermore, it fully shows me the beauty of truth, which makes me deeply fall in love with the political science. And I am also more firmly convinced of the conclusion I have drawn: I want to take the study of political science as a lifelong career.
我何以胜任政治科学的学习和研究
Why am I qualified for the study and research of political science
我的优势之一：深入的学术理解力，学术想象力和创新思维
作为研究生，我并不满足于粗浅的了解范式的内容，而是尝试充分的理解各个范式的内涵。而批判性思维(critical thinking)是实现这一点的关键: 通过对不同范式进行比较，我始终在头脑中保持清醒，各个范式的边界(boundry of each paradigm)是什么: 在对事实的解释上，某个范式采取了哪些角度而同时又缺失了哪些角度。哪些其它范式恰能填补这些被忽视的角度。并且我能够给出论证，即各个范式所持有的不同的本体论(Ontology), 导致不同范式具有不同的解释角度。弄清了这一点，有助于我理解如何实现范式折中(paradigm eclecticism)，甚至不同范式的有机综合(organic synthesis of different paradigms)。
My first strength: deep academic understanding, academic imagination and creative thinking
As a graduate student, I am not satisfied with the superficial understanding of the contents of the paradigm, but try to fully understand the connotation of each paradigm. While critical thinking is the key to realize this point: Through the comparison of different paradigms, I always keep a clear mind, as to what is the boundary of each paradigm. In the interpretation of facts, what angles have been adopted and at the same time what angles have been neglected. What other paradigms are just able to fill these neglected angles. And I can give the argument, that is, the different ontology held by each paradigm leads to the fact that different paradigms have different interpretation angles.
Understanding this can help me understand how to achieve paradigm eclecticism and even organic synthesis of different paradigms.
此外，我并没有止步于课堂，而是时常将所学到的理论范式(paradigm)运用到解释现实社会的热点议题中来。恰恰在我身处的欧洲大陆，近期热点问题层出不穷. 无论难民危机或是英国脱欧公投，我能够直观的感受到, 这些热点问题对德国社会产生了怎样的震动。同时, 它们也激发了我极大的兴趣，在这些身边的事件中检验各种理论的解释力。
In addition, I never stop at the programs of courses, but often apply theoretical paradigms I have learned to explain hot topics in real society.
Just on the European continent where I stay, hot issues have emerged in an endless stream recently. I can intuitively experience the vibration to the German society generated by these hot issues such as refugee crisis and the Brexit referendum. At the same time, they also inspire me a great deal of interest, which I may test the explanatory power of various theories in the events around me.
上述证据直接表明，我具备一定的学术想象力和学术创新思维.
The above evidence directly shows that I have a certain academic imagination and academic innovative thinking.
我的优势之二：大量广泛的阅读
在研究生期间，大量的阅读为我未来的学术生涯建立了良好的基础。我的阅读并不仅限于大课(Lecture)和研讨课(Seminar)要求必读的教科书(textbook)和讲义(handout), 除此之外，我还选读了大量与课程相关的经典以及前沿的期刊论文(journal artical)和学术专著(monography)，围绕我的专业完成了许多知识积累. 我所读到的这些论文，很多来自以下顶级杂志：比如 World Politics, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, European Journal of International Relations etc etc.; 而我读到的专著同样出自名家之手，比如以下学者：Robert Jervis; Richard Ned Lebow; Robert Keohane; Mancur Olson; John Mearsheimer; Helen Milner, etc.
My second strength: a wide range of reading
During the graduate period, a lot of reading has built a good foundation for my future academic career.
My reading is not limited to textbooks and handouts which are required to read in Lecture and Seminar. Besides, I have read many classic and cutting-edge journal articles and academic monographs related to the course, completing the accumulation of knowledge according to my major. These articles I have read mainly come from the following top magazines: World Politics, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, European Journal of International Relations, etc. And the monographs I have read are also from the hands of masters, such as the following: Robert Jervis, Richard Ned Lebow, Robert Keohane; Mancur Olson, John Mearsheimer; Helen Milner, etc.
我的优势之三：多语种能力，跨文化经验，掌握重要研究工具
除了我的母语汉语之外，我能够熟练的使用德语进行学术活动比如阅读德文资料，进行学术报告，撰写学术论文。同时，我的英文水平也能够达到graduate programm所要求的标准。这些能力都能够被德福，托福和GRE考试的分数所证明。(Test-Daf (of German), Toefl- and GRE test)
My third strength: multi-language skills, cross-cultural experience, mastering the important research tools
In addition to my native language, I am able to skillfully use German for academic activities such as reading German articles, giving academic lecture, and writing academic papers. At the same time, my English level is also able to meet the standards required by the graduate program. These capabilities can be proved by my scores of Test-Daf (of German), Toefl and GRE test.
而且, 我掌握统计学(statistics)的基本原理，能够熟练的使用SPSS和STATA等统计软件分析数据. 在我研究生期间的一篇Essay里，我就成功的运用了这一定量分析方法(quantitative method)来证明我的假设(Hypothesis).
And I have mastered the basic principles of statistics, and can be skilled in the use of statistical softwares such as SPSS and STATA to analyze data. In an Essay during my graduate study, I have successfully used the quantitative analysis method to prove my hypothesis.
此外, 具有跨文化背景同样是我的优势。在德国5年的留学经历，使我对欧洲社会尤其是德国社会有着非常深入的理解。此外，我曾两次到访美国，充分感受到了美国社会与欧洲社会的相似和不同。这些观察和经历都为我将来从事政治科学研究提供了书本理论知识之外的经验，有助于我更好的理解多样化的人类社会。
Moreover, having cross cultural background is also my advantage. The experience of studying abroad in Germany for 5 years makes me have a very deep understanding of the European community, especially the German society. And I have visited the United States for two times, fully feeling the similarities and differences between the American society and the European community. These observations and experiences have provided me with the experience beyond the theoretical knowledge of books for my political science research in the future, which will help me to better understand the diverse human society.
A Hope for Harvest
XX University is world-renowned, prestigious for its international communication and nurturing academic atmosphere, which I have long admired, and I am confident that I will have a good command of knowledge if I can be accepted as a graduate student in your great school. I am looking forward to your early reply. Thanks in advance for your favorable consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Zhang XX
26 July, 2017
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