Hari Har Jnawali

Why did you pursue your graduate studies at the University of Waterloo?

I started my master's in 2016 without knowing much about the University. I applied to several programs for admission, but was accepted into the MA, English program at UWaterloo. Then I switched to Political Science when I realized that my interests are in the studies of politics more than anything else. When I was halfway through the program, I found my interests matching with the faculties at UWaterloo and pursued doctoral studies in Global Governance.

Describe your research and what makes you passionate about it

I study why autonomy struggles fail in some contexts and succeed in others. With this interest in mind, I am looking at the responses of the Chinese and the Nepalese governments towards their ethnic communities. In my understanding, ethnic movements promote inclusion/accommodation and make governing structures more just, but these movements have not been understood in that light. This has further impacted inclusion and democratization. I have become passionate to understand the tensions and offer policy recommendations to ethnic conflict.

Tell us about where you are from

I am from Nepal. I have my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Tribhuvan University Kathmandu Nepal.

What is the best part about being a grad student?

The best part about being a graduate student is the freedom you get to work on your own interests. "Do what is best for you" is something that I have often heard from my professors, and this has been really paying off.

Tell us about what activities, groups, events you are involved in

I am working as a co-mentor in the Global Fellowship Project at Balsillie School of International Affairs.

What campus services have you accessed and how have they been useful to your academics or your well-being as a student?

I have used the Writing and Communication Center to get my work read, whether it is my thesis proposal, a chapter, or a conference paper. I even used this service to show my assignments when I was doing coursework; I got someone to read my work and comment.

How has grad school helped you develop your teaching skills?

I worked as a TA for four semesters at Waterloo. That gave me practical experience in teaching, marking papers, giving feedback, and dealing with diverse groups of students. In addition, I got a chance to complete online TA training and Fundamentals of Teaching from the Center for Teaching Excellence, which gave me pedagogical awareness and skills. Additionally, I got accepted into Certificate in University Teaching (CUT), which has given me both practical and theoretical skills in teaching.

How do you spend your free time?

I wonder if graduate students have free time.

What advice do you have for new graduate students?

My advice is this: please go to conferences to share your work but be very strategic about choosing conferences. I advise attending conferences where submitting a paper is mandatory. You will have presentation practice, as well as very good comments on your work.

What are some of the challenging aspects of being a graduate student and how do you address these challenges?

Graduate studies requires a lot of time. In some cases, managing work-life balance can become so challenging.