Jacqueline Phillips

Letter of Motivation

In an increasingly globalized world, meaningful social research takes into account the
dynamic nature of cultural forces that transcend political borders. For this reason, I am fascinated by
comparative social research. I plan to build a career in social research that explores gender in Russia,
and I believe HSE is the ideal institution to help me reach my goal. The Master’s in Comparative
Social Research would connect me to an exceptional research network in Russia and beyond,
enhance my both my qualitative and quantitative skill sets, and launch me from the classroom into
the realm of research.
My interest in Russia developed during my undergraduate studies. I focused several
assignments on the country including a research term paper on post-soviet feminism and a
presentation on Russian folklore. For the past year, I have been studying Russian Language at
Moscow State University. I have known for some time that I wanted to concentrate my studies on
gender in Russia, but I was uncertain about the next step in my academic journey.
When I stumbled across HSE’s International Master’s in Comparative Social Research, I
immediately knew that it would be the ideal program for pursuing my interest. There is no place
better to conduct area research than immersed in that area itself. HSE would allow me to access a
broad network of scholars currently working in the field, a valuable opportunity that sets this
program apart from others. This program would also allow me to study in my native language while
continuing my Russian language studies in the country it is spoken.
In addition to connecting students to an international research network, the comparative
social research program recognizes that competitive social researchers possess both quantitative and
qualitative skills. Many programs emphasize one form of methodology at the cost of neglecting the
other. However, because of HSE’s balanced curriculum and its emphasis on translating theory into
methodology, I am confident that a degree from HSE would help me to sharpen my skills in both
areas.
Another important reason why I am applying to this program is because it grants hands-on
experience in the second year. I am particularly excited to apply my education outside the classroom,
testing my knowledge with real problems. The small women’s college where I received my BA in
Sociology encouraged professors to perfect their lectures instead of publishing new research. As a
result, I have a solid foundation in issue analysis, social theory, and literature review; but my
research experiences I have been mostly self-guided. I know that by the time I finish the master’s
program at HSE, I will have already established myself as a researcher and be ready to contribute to
international scholarship.
In the long-term, I intend to pursue further work on gender at the PhD level and beyond, with
the hopes of doing meaningful comparative research internationally. I believe that that International
Master’s Program in Comparative Social research will set me on the path to realizing my goals.

July 2014