SFS Senior Hari Chaudhari Awarded the
2024 Marshall Scholarship in the UK

Los Angeles, Dec 13, 2023
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/ A.Gary Singh

Georgetown’s Hari Choudhari Secures 2024 Marshall Scholarship for Peace and Conflict Studies

Georgetown senior Hari Choudhari, a dedicated researcher in community-centric peacebuilding, stands among the five Georgetown students and alumni awarded the prestigious 2024 Marshall Scholarship. Choudhari, one of the 51 scholars selected this year, will embark on studying peace and conflict in Britain and Northern Ireland. The Georgetown Center for Research and Fellowships, overseeing the Marshall Scholarship, has played a crucial role in guiding Choudhari and fellow recipients through the nomination and development process.

From analyzing discourse surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine to aiding communities affected by the aftermath of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Choudhari’s commitment to understanding and addressing conflict has defined his undergraduate journey. His aspirations include advocating for robust conflict solutions in a future foreign policy career.

Lauren Tuckley, Director of the Center for Research and Fellowships, emphasizes Choudhari’s evolution into a future expert in conflict and peacekeeping. His proactive approach to understanding the complexities of conflict, both within and outside the classroom, has been evident throughout his undergraduate career.

Choudhari’s deep commitment to service and understanding conflict led him to the School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown. His belief that international relations requires a rooted conviction in service and human dignity has guided his academic and research pursuits.

Throughout his time at Georgetown, Choudhari has immersed himself in understanding policy approaches to conflict. Courses such as Contemporary U.S. Foreign Policy and Practicing Diplomacy Abroad have provided him with a comprehensive knowledge of U.S. foreign policy and the skills needed to address conflict. Fascism in Everyday Life, under Andrew Bickford, altered his perspective on the military’s role in modern political thought and sparked an interest in justifications for political violence.

As a 2022-2023 Laidlaw Scholar, Choudhari conducted independent research on the shift in German security policy post the Russian invasion of Ukraine, known as zeitenwende. His research aimed to explore how rhetoric around security undergoes dramatic changes in short periods and the potential lasting impact of such shifts. This research was published with the American-German Institute, where Choudhari also served as an intern.

From Personal Strife to Professional Passion: Hari Choudhari’s Dedication to Community-Centric Peacebuilding

Despite his global interest in peacebuilding, Hari Choudhari’s transformative experience at the Centre for Cross Border Studies in Armagh, Northern Ireland, this summer has solidified his commitment to a community-centered approach. Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, Choudhari observed the parallel tracks of peacemaking: the official, “top-down” policy process and the grassroots efforts of community groups.

Working closely with these grassroots organizations, Choudhari witnessed the personal impact of ongoing challenges, including the passing of the Legacy Bill in September—an unpopular move among Northern Irish politicians—and budget cuts threatening the future of the Centre’s peacebuilding initiatives. For the communities affected, the scars of historic conflicts persist, with neighborhoods divided by towering “peace” walls and border towns marked by the aftermath of bombings and reprisals.

Choudhari’s own understanding of violence’s toll deepened in March 2023 when he became a victim of a violent robbery. This traumatic experience underscored the significance of his work in conflict resolution, particularly in preventing civilian violence.

“While I survived with severe physical injuries, the true damage lay far deeper than I realized,” says Choudhari. His personal encounter highlighted the disparity between the abstract political discourse around violence and the lived reality in post-conflict areas.

Recognizing the disconnect between local communities and political decision-makers, Choudhari emphasizes the need for a revival of transatlantic grassroots cooperation and increased investment in grassroots organizations. He sees this as essential for creating lasting peace in Northern Ireland, bridging the gap between top-down and bottom-up political processes.

Choudhari concludes, “I have chosen to focus on community dialogue mechanisms in peace processes precisely because they enable both policy approaches to work symbiotically, maximizing their advantages and minimizing their weaknesses.

News Reference :- SFS Walsh School of Foreign Service