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.
ASU student Rishab Chatty will present during the upcoming American Political Science Assocaition conference on the topic of regional responses to the Cambodian genocide. Photo courtesy Rishab Chatty
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“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.
Recent study reveals how changes in the genetics of a keystone predator can ripple through an entire ecosystem
Keystone species are integral to maintaining the balance and health of ecosystems. As top predators, gray wolves profoundly impact their environment by controlling herbivore populations and affecting vegetation growth and diversity. One well-known example of this is the reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, which had a ripple effect throughout the entire ecosystem.
A recent study co-authored by Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Emeritus Professor Philip Hedrick and Michigan Technological University Assistant Professor Sarah Hoy unveils the intricate relationship between genetic processes in gray wolves and the extensive effects on the ecosystem dynamics of Isle Royale National Park (IRNP).
The arrival of M93 (the large, lighter-colored wolf at front center) rescued the population, allowing for genomic diversity, improving overall fitness and increasing wolf numbers. Photo courtesy John Vucetich
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The study, titled “The far-reaching effects of genetic process in a keystone predator species, grey wolves,” was recently published in the journal Science Advances. In it, the researchers focused on understanding how genetic changes within the gray wolf population could affect their ecosystem.
“While the case of these island wolves may seem unique, it is concerning because many top predator populations around the world are becoming increasingly small, fragmented and isolated to the point that inbreeding has become a major concern due to factors such as habitat loss,” the paper states.
Several years ago, the population of gray wolves at IRNP, a remote wilderness area located in Lake Superior, underwent an unfortunate decline due to inbreeding. Hedrick, Hoy and their team embarked on a two-decade-long investigation of the IRNP wolves, and found that the arrival of a single wolf, M93, rescued the population by allowing for genomic diversity, improving overall fitness and increasing wolf numbers.
As genes changed and wolves thrived, predation rates on moose peaked. Moose are their primary prey and the dominant mammalian herbivore on the island. However, as inbreeding levels increased again, predation rates dramatically declined.
The fluctuations in predation rate over the years influenced the abundance of moose, which in turn impacted the consumption rates of balsam fir, a crucial winter forage for moose and a key boreal forest species.
For Sarah Hoy, the most surprising result of the study is “how the genetics of a single individual predator can have impacts that flow through an entire predator population, through the prey population, and on to the forest and its ecological processes.”
The study suggests that genetic changes within the gray wolf population played a pivotal role in shaping these fluctuations and, consequently, in the dynamics of the entire forest ecosystem.
This research emphasizes the interconnectedness of species in ecosystems and how one species’ well-being can affect others. It underscores the necessity of holistic conservation strategies that consider genetic diversity to ensure the robustness and health of intricate ecosystems.
