Emily Homes, History and Politics BA
Emily tells us about her time volunteering with Care4Calais, her role in Amnesty at Nottingham and how the subjects of politics and history make the perfect partners for understanding some of the most important issues in today's society.
Amnesty at Nottingham
"I joined the Amnesty society at Nottingham as I’m interested in human rights issues. Also, they seemed like a really friendly society with lots of members sharing values similar to my own.
Most universities have a branch of Amnesty which is affiliated to the Amnesty International. At Nottingham we meet weekly, where a member leads a conversation around a subject they are particularly passionate about.
We also run campaigns, which as Campaigns Officer, I usually lead on. Most of these align with Amnesty International campaigns such as Write for Rights where we write to political prisoners or people who have been wrongly convicted and appeal to the authorities for their release. For our main campaign this year we wanted to work more locally and have focused on women’s healthcare and reproductive rights, sharing information around the university about accessing abortion. Next year, we hope this campaign will be taken wider and out into the local community.
Being on a society committee can be a big commitment, but it’s flexible and you can make of it what you want. I was very busy with it earlier in the year, but as I’m in my final year now, I'm focussing mainly on my studies."
Volunteering at the refugee camps in Calais
"Last year I volunteered with Care4Calais after having heard about it through Amnesty International. They always need volunteers out at Calais, so I fundraised to pay for my travel and accommodation costs, then went over last August for two weeks.
There were two elements to the work I did in the Calais camps. The first was the more traditional aid work, sorting food and provisions in their warehouse. Then the second was getting out into the camps and connecting with the people there. There is often a focus on the giving of aid, but I think it’s really important that we don’t see the people in the camps only as recipients of our aid, we should be helping to make their time there more bearable through human connection. So whilst we were there, we’d take the time to talk, help teach English, loan out hairdressing equipment, play sport and even board games.
With my degree, I’d already learned about the historical and political issues which surround the subject of refugees – but going into the camps and seeing the reality put it into context has made me even more passionate about advocating for human rights.
It has also made me consider the ethics around volunteering and really think about what companies are getting out of it. It’s quite common to want to volunteer in countries on the other side of the world, but it can often end up being just for a few days. This is an ethically complicated situation as people are being helped, but does the cost of travel outweigh the help being given? And is this really the most sustainable and beneficial way to provide that help?"
Why I decided to study politics alongside history
"I originally applied to study straight history, but during the summer before starting uni, I decided to switch to the History and Politics joint honours degree. And at face value, they may seem rather different subjects but they actually complement one another very well. It’s not unusual for events or theories to crop up in both subjects but the approaches in understanding them are very different."
I definitely think I am better at history for also studying politics, and better at politics for also studying history.
Choosing optional modules
"There is quite a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing modules and I’ve been able to tailor my module selection towards what interests me. So recently I’ve focused on modern history and gender studies.
Gender studies is interesting as I’ve taken a history module and a politics module on the same subject which has allowed me to see recurring themes and consider it from both sides of my degree.
I’ve also been able to tailor my modules towards my career aspirations, which are to work in politics or for a charity. I started by following my interests which threw up reoccurring themes that in turn led me to start picking modules that could lead me towards a career in those areas.
In addition to my volunteering work and module selection, I’ve been able to prepare for a career in politics or the charity sector through a placement at the Rights Lab. I worked on a report on modern slavery and gender which was really interesting and the kind of work I’d love to take forward into a career. Doing this placement definitely helped me to apply my learning in the real world far more than simply reading about it."
My advice to new starters?
"Get involved in as much as you can, especially in your first year. Just try lots different things, it doesn’t matter if you decide not to stick to it forever. There is so much going on — trying out new things really is the best way to discover what you’re most interested in."
How do I define success?
"It’s doing things that you enjoy, but in a way that can help other people. I wouldn’t want to work only to benefit myself, but neither would I want to overlook my own needs. For me, it success is finding that combination."
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