Chapter 1: The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at 20: Enhancing Intellectual Capital and Quiet Diplomacy

Think tanks mean many things to many people. But they are always created to serve the intellectual and political needs of specific groups, even individuals. Think tanks function as the reserve ‘brains’ of their various causes. They are deliberately licensed to engage in ‘blue ocean’ scenario planning when their political masters are overwhelmed by the daily tasks of meeting immediate deadlines. It is therefore quite common for think tanks to propose strategy and participate in the exchange of ideas. The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), based within the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), serves the national and international security interests of Singapore by acting as a renewable repository of ideas for its political leaders, while also hosting diplomacy through informal channels and teaching four Master’s programmes. Although RSIS is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, finding the balance between being the generator of constructive ideas and playing the roles of a good diplomat and inspiring educator has been tricky. This is, in part, due to the dynamic nature of engaging with academic responsibilities while tuning it for Singapore’s needs. The more significant challenge has been to respond to the shifting sands surrounding Singapore’s geopolitical situation, that is, the positions of China, Japan, India, and the United States (U.S.), and most definitely, Singapore’s relations with its ASEAN neighbours. Since the early 2000s, RSIS has also taken on added responsibilities in researching and advising the government of Singapore on terrorist threats in the region, along with its implications on the fragile fabric of national identity. In its ever deeper ‘blue ocean’ projections, RSIS has developed a core unit, the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre), to provide specific and background studies on food security, climate change, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, to assist the various government ministries in forecasting the multidimensional challenges facing a world with diminished borders…