Evolving Security Discourse in Sri Lanka: From National Security to Human Security

Gamini Keerawella's 'Evolving Security Discourse in Sri Lanka: From National Security to Human Security' opens with a striking contrast. At independence in 1948, Sri Lanka stood as a model of stability, a peaceful parliamentary democracy admired across the developing world. By the 1980s, however, the picture had darkened considerably. Violent ethnic conflict, emergency rule, electoral manipulation, and a crumbling welfare system had turned the island into a volatile hotspot of ethno-political strife, leaving its people with a severe human security deficit.

The book examines the intertwined relationship between traditional state security and human security, both in theory and in practice. Keerawella argues that embracing a human security framework could offer a conceptual breakthrough, one that might help resolve the complex emergencies born from Sri Lanka's internal crisis. This is a thoughtful academic work for students, researchers, and policymakers interested in South Asian politics, security studies, and conflict resolution. It challenges conventional thinking about what keeps a nation safe, shifting the focus from the state to the individual. The writing is rigorous yet accessible, making a dense subject approachable for serious readers.