DR ASANTHA SENAVIRATHNA

Short CV

Dr Asantha Senevirathna is currently working as a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Strategic Studies, Faculty of Defence and Strategic Studies at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Sri Lanka. He is also the academic coordinator of the MSc in Strategic Studies & International Relations program offered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) at KDU. Dr Senevirathna has a PhD in International Relations and an MA in International Relations from the University of Colombo. He obtained his BA(Hons) in Geography from the University of Peradeniya. Before joining KDU, He was the Programme Officer of the International Relations Division at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), Colombo.

Apart from KDU, He is a Visiting Lecturer/Resource person for programs at National Defence College (NDC), Colombo, Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Batalanda, Army War College (AWC), Buttala, Sri Lanka Air Force Junior Staff & Command College, China Bay, Trincomalee, and Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS), Colombo.

Dr Asantha Senevirathna was a recipient of the ‘Knowing China’ programme at the invitation of the Chinese People Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPS) in 2011. He is also a member of the Near East Centre for South Asia (NESA), USA, A ‘Kautilya Fellow’ at India Foundation, India, and a member of the Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Sri Lanka. He has a special interest in the field of Geopolitics with a focus on global power politics.

Educational Qualifications

PhD in International Relations, University of Colombo
MA in International Relations, University of Colombo
BA (Hons) Geography, Department of Geography, University of Peradeniya
Certificate Course in Hindi Language, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS).
Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education, Staff Development Centre, KDU

Research & Teaching Interests

Geopolitics
India-Sri Lanka Relations
Rise of China
United Nations and Global Security
Current Affairs

Research & Publications

Books

Senevirathna, A. (Ed.) (2023). Geopolitics in India Sri Lanka Relations: The Way Forward. KDU press.

Book Chapters

Senevirathna, A. (2024). China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Sri Lanka: A Geopolitical Perspective. In M. Sahakyan (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Chinese and Eurasian International Relations (pp.332-345). Routledge.
Senevirathna, A. (2023). Geography and Geopolitics of South Asia. In A. Asker et al. (Eds.), South Asia: State, Society and Politics (pp.03-25). Nobel Publishing.
Senevirathna, A. (2023). Geopolitical Dynamics of Post-Colonial Indo-Sri Lanka Relations. In A. Senevirathna (Ed.), Geopolitics in India Sri Lanka Relations: The Way Forward (pp.1-16). KDU Press.
Ranjan, R., Senevirathna, A. (2023). Emerging Power Rivalry in the Indian Ocean: Sri Lanka’s Strategic Choices for Engaging with India, China and the United States. In A. Senevirathna (Ed.), Geopolitics in India Sri Lanka Relations: The Way Forward (pp.147-163). KDU Press.
Senevirathna, A. (2022). Post-Colonial Indo-Sri Lanka Relations: A Sri Lankan Perspective. In C. Brahmaya & A. Karmala (Eds.), Indian Foreign Policy Towards South Asia (pp.98-116). Writers Choice.
Senevirathna A. (2022).China’s Twenty-First-Century Maritime Silk Road and its Influence on the Development of South Asia. In R. Ranjan & G. Changgang (Eds.), China and South Asia Changing Regional Dynamics, Development and Power Play (pp.111-124). Routledge.
Senevirathna, A. (2021). Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS): Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka. In P. Jaiswal & P.B. Bhatt (Eds.), Rebalancing Asia: The Belt and Road Initiative and Indo-Pacific Strategy (pp.181-192). Springer.
Senevirathna, A. & De Silva, S. (2017). Pakistan- Sri Lanka Socio-Cultural Relations: A Sri Lankan Perspective. In B. Senaratne & M. Imran (Eds.), Pakistan-Sri Lanka Relations: A Story of Friendship (pp.139-160). NDU Pakistan.
Senevirathna, A. (Forthcoming). Sri Lanka’s Geopolitical Dynamics as a Small State: Past, Present and Future. In P. Jaiswal & H. Vidanage (Eds), Small States in South Asia: Power Rivalries, Pandemic Politics and Security Aspirations.
Senevirathna, A. (Forthcoming). China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Sri Lanka: A Geopolitical Perspective In A. Senevirathna (Ed.), Routledge Handbook of Chinese and Eurasian International Relations. Routledge.

Journal Articles

Senevirathna, A. (2022). 21^st Century Thucydides Trap: Battle for Global Supremacy between the United States and China. Journal of Defence & Policy Analysis, 2(1).110-114.
Ranjan, R, & Senevirathna, A. (2022). Sri Lanka-China Relations: Analysing Sri Lankan, Chinese and Indian Perspectives. Economic & Political Weekly, 57(37), 31-36.
Senevirathna, A. (2020). Sri Lanka and Covid 19 Crisis: Strategies and Future challenges. Tribhuvan University Journal, 34, 147–158. https://doi.org/10.3126/tuj.v34i0.31546

Conference Proceedings/Abstracts

Senevirathna, A. (2024). The Story of Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka, International Conference on Indian Diaspora in Asia, Center for Bharat Studies, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, 18-19 July 2024.
Senevirathna, A. (2023). China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Sri Lanka: ‘Buddhist Diplomacy’ as a Strategic Soft Diplomacy Tool, Global China in a Religious World, Center for Global Asia, New York University Shanghai, China, 27-28 October 2023.
Senevirathna, A. (2023). Geopolitics of India-Sri Lanka Relations in the 21^st Century: Analyzing External Influences on State Behaviour, 6^th South Asia Conference, Ireland India Institute Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland, 19-21 April 2023.
Senevirathna, A. (2022). Geopolitics of China’s relation with South Asia in the 21^st Century: Foreign Policy Implications for the Small States in the Region, International Conference on South Asian Studies from the Perspective of Area Studies, Centre for South Asian Studies, Shandong University, Shandong, China, 17-18 December 2022.
Senevirathna, A. (2022). The present condition of Sri Lanka, Panel Discussion on Ongoing Crisis in Sri Lanka, Department of International Relations and Peace Studies, School of Humanities, St Joseph’s University, Bangalore, India, 06 October 2022.
Senevirathna, A. (2021). China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Sri Lanka: A Geopolitical Perspective, III Eurasian Research on Modern China and Eurasia Conference, Russian-Armenian University, Yerevan, Armenia, 3-4 December 2021.
Senevirathna, A. (2021). Geopolitics of China’s relation with South Asia in the 21st Century: Foreign Policy Implications for the Small States in the Region, Fourth International Workshop on Geopolitics of Small States in the 21st Century, IPSA Research Committee on Geopolitics, Russian-Armenian University, Yerevan, Armenia, 1-2 November 2021.
Senevirathna, A. (2021). The Geopolitics of Russia: A Struggle Linked to Geography and Global Dominance (p.13), KDU International Research Conference 2021, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Ratmalana, Sri Lanka, 9-10 September 2021.
Senevirathna, A. (2020). Geo-political Dimensions of India-Sri Lanka Relations (1980 to 1990), International Relations & the Bystander Effect-INCOIRe 2020, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 November 2020.
Senevirathna, A. (2020). Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS): Geopolitical Implications for Sri Lanka in the Post-Covid-19 World Order, International Conference on Traditional and Non-Traditional Security Challenges amid Covid-19: Threats and Responses, South Indian Scholars’ Group of International Studies (SISGIS), 25-26 September 2020.
Senevirathna, A. (2020). Britain-Ceylon Relations and the Cold War, Other Voices: European Influence in the Cold War in Asia, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 20-21 January 2021.
Senevirathna A. (2019).Geopolitics of Indo-Sri Lanka Relations vis-à-vis Sri Lanka’s Relations with China in the 21st Century, Icon Arts 2019 – Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 26-27 November 2019.
Senevirathna, A (2018). Geopolitics of India-Sri Lanka Relations in the 21st Century: Analysing External Influences on State Behaviour (pp.10-11) Global Asia in Interdisciplinary Perspectives:
Sustainability, Security, and Governance, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore,16-17 November 2018.
Senevirathna, A (2018).The Impact of British Colonial Rule on Ethnic Nationalism in South Asia (p.24).Nations and Nationalisms: Theories, Practices and Methods, International Postgraduate Conference Loughborough University, Loughborough, United Kingdom, 10-11 September 2018.
Senevirathnna, A, Nalawatta, W. & Weeraratne, S (2017). Sri Lanka between Geopolitical Interests of China and India, KDU International Research Conference 2017, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Ratmalana, Sri Lanka, 3-4 August 2017.
Senevirathna A. (2017).Non-Traditional Security Issues in Palk Bay Area: Implications for Sri Lanka, 10th Annual RASSL Research Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences organized by the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 23-25 March 2017.
Senevirathna, A. (2016).India’s Political Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Sri Lanka, KDU International Research Conference. 08-09 September 2016.
Senevirathna A. (2016).Geopolitics of China-Sri Lanka Relations: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, International Research Conference On Managing Transitions for Empowerment: Sri Lanka Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, 12-13 October 2016.
Senevirathna, A. (2015). India – Sri Lanka Relations: Examining Domestic Factors and External Influences on State Behaviour, KDU International Research Conference, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Ratmalana, Sri Lanka, 27-28 August 2015.
Senevirathna, A. (2015). Uma Oya Project: Iran Sri Lanka Cooperation in Development, Seminar on “Iran-Sri Lanka Relations: Past, Present and Future” in Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) organized by Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies & Iranian Cultural Centre in Colombo 31 January 2015.
Senevirathna, A. (2013). How to facilitate the Physical connectivity between China and SAARC, International Conference on China-SAARC Relations: Towards A Closer Partnership, China Institute of International Studies & Shanghai Institute of International Studies, Shanghai, China, 28-31 August 2013.
Senevirathna, A. (2009). Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Practices after Tsunami, 5^th Plenary Meeting of the Regional Network of Strategic Studies Centers (RNSSC) organized by Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NESA) at Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi, India, 18-21 November 2009.

Other Internet Publications

Senevirathna, A.(2020). Sino-Indian Rivalry and the Port of Colombo: Geopolitical Implications for Sri Lanka. Critical Asian Studies.
Senevirathna, A. (2020). COVID-19 and the Regional Dynamics: A Sri Lankan Perspective, In Mayilvaganan, M. (Ed) COVID-19 Pandemic in the Indo-Pacific How the Countries Are Dealing Amidst Changing Geopolitics (90-93), NIAS.
Senevirathna, A. (2015). The Ukraine Crisis and its Strategic Implications to Russia. Strat KDU.
Senevirathna, A. (2015). Saudi Arabia vs Iran: The Sunni-Shia Narrative and a Geopolitical Game. Strat KDU.

Dr. Asantha Senavirathna

Short CV

Educational Qualifications

Research & Teaching Interests

Research & Publications