HSPI Hosts Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore.

On May 22, 2008, the Homeland Security Policy Institute hosted a roundtable discussion featuring Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore.

Professor Ramakrishna reviewed the British experience in the Malayan Emergency and offered a range of counterterrorism lessons to be learned from that case. The discussion following his presentation raised a number of crucial themes, including how best to calibrate the role of government in order to maximize the effectiveness of counter-radicalization measures. Professor Ramakrishna emphasized that government can help create the “space” in which dialogue is fostered, and observed further that government rhetoric and messaging must be consistent with actual deeds in order to “win hearts and minds,” and achieve counterterrorist ends. The desirability of adopting a “whole of government” approach, drawing also on a range of non-governmental entities, was also highlighted.

Professor Kumar's Presentation

The Homeland Security Policy Institute seeks to provide innovative leaders in the fields of national and homeland security with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis.