ASU student to present at American Political Science Association conference

In February of 2022, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Arizona State University student Rishab Chatty took note of how the world was responding.

“The Russian invasion of Ukraine threw discussions around responses to atrocity crimes into the policy and public sphere, with a number of influential policymakers and activists arguing over the role that the United States and United Nations should play in prevention, mitigation, response and accountability for such atrocities,” Chatty said.

“As much as this discussion is needed and I hope to see Putin held accountable for his actions, I've noticed that this series of events has completely shadowed other extremely severe ongoing humanitarian crises.”

Soon, Chatty will have the opportunity to engage with an entire community of students, faculty and scholars from all over the country on the topic of regional responses to the Cambodian genocide when he presents during the American Political Science Association (APSA) conference in September.

“I developed my interest through my work with the Crane Center for Mass Atrocity Prevention and as a result of a few classes I've taken with Dr. Victor Peskin — those being International Criminal Tribunals and Global Security (SGS 494) and Humanitarian Crisis and International Intervention (SGS 341)," Chatty said.

“Genocides and mass atrocities in the Global South or non-Western countries are very frequently downplayed or just not talked about,” he continued. “If they are, they're frequently used to promote American exceptionalism. When the U.S. does decide to intervene, its commitment is often very underwhelming, its intentions are far from humanitarian, and/or its understanding of cultural and regional dynamics is substandard. Thus, I thought of looking into other mechanisms for response, including neighboring countries and regional organizations.”

The APSA is dedicated to studying political science. Thousands of faculty, academics and practitioners attend the organization’s annual conference to network, collaborate and share the latest in political science research.

Chatty chose this particular opportunity to develop his thesis and work with the APSA because he wants to use his skills to advocate for the marginalized and underprivileged and fight for those whose human rights are violated in times of conflict.

“I am very interested in being involved in the policy side of human rights discussions, organizing and using advocacy strategies to bring attention to, formulate and pass legislation to help people in need. I'm also interested in the strength of the law in holding perpetrators of atrocity crimes and human rights violations accountable for their actions. However, I don't believe either of these avenues are viable on their own, as the feasibility of either relies heavily on whether research can confirm their efficacy,” he said.

“As such, I'm also very interested in academic research, utilizing not only the scientific method to find the best solutions to complex, global problems but also through qualitative research that can bring a real, human touch to such problems.”

In the past, Chatty spoke on a panel in Montreal exploring the failures of the American counterterrorism policy.

“I postulated that the United States has fundamentally misunderstood motivations for terrorism, and because of this fundamental misunderstanding, the war on terror has been a disaster, as evidenced by the successful adaption of terrorist organizations, many of which have decentralized and shifted their operations to the African continent,” he said.

Some of Chatty’s preceding research on the topic won him a nomination for Best Undergraduate Paper at the International Studies Association's 2021 conference in Pasadena, California.

Chatty is excited about the upcoming APSA conference as it will allow him to improve his public speaking skills and gain invaluable connections.

For others interested in participating in APSA conferences, there are a few ways to apply and get involved. Applicants write a research proposal consisting of an abstract and the title, which can be submitted in several formats based on individual eligibility.