Naren Chitty

Narendranath Jayantha (Naren) Chitty AM is a Sri Lankan-Australian diplomat, professor and writer. He was the Head of the Department of International Communication at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Chitty published numerous books and articles in the field of foreign policy, international diplomacy, and soft power. In 2009, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for services to education. In 2022, he was conferred the title of Professor Emeritus by the university.[1]

Early life and education

Chitty was born in Sri Lanka. He was the son of Capt S. A. and Doris Chitty.[2] He obtained a degree in communication from the University of Westminster in London.[1] He later earned a master of arts degree in international communication (1988) and a PhD in international relations (1992) from the American University in Washington D.C.[1][3]

Career

Chitty worked as a counsellor at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington, D.C.[4][5][6][7] from 1982 to 1987. While working at the embassy, he met Ronald Reagan[2] and Fidel Castro[8] and was involved in the creation of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation[9] and convened the first meetings at the Sri Lanka Chancery in Washington DC. He also contributed to discussions that led to the idea for the International Space University.[10]

Chitty joined the faculty of Macquarie University in 1989. Chitty became the Foundation Chair in International Communication at Macquarie[11] in 2006. He served for a number of years as the Head of the Department of International Communication.[3][12] He was also at times the Dean[1] and Deputy Dean of the Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy[3] and an Associate Dean in the university's faculty of arts.[13] Chitty was the inaugural director of the Soft Power Analysis and Resource Centre (SPARC) at Macquarie University[14] and was a visiting professor at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris,[3] the National University of Malaysia,[15] the Communication University of China,[16] and Jilin University[13] and others.

Chitty was the lead editor of 1st edition (2017) and 2nd editions (2023) of The Routledge Handbook of Soft Power.[17] The Institute for Cultural Relations Policy (ICRP) in Budapest has listed the 1st edition of the Routledge Handbook of Soft Power as one of the top 10 books on cultural diplomacy.[18] Chitty was also the founder of The Journal of International Communication[3] and its editor-in-chief from the journal's establishment[19] in 1994 to 2024.

From 1996 to 2000, Chitty served as Secretary-General of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR).[20] His work has been linked to the early development of community radio in Sri Lanka.[21]

Chitty retired from the university in May 2025.[2]

Personal life

Chitty is married to Dr. Gina Ismene Chitty, an Australian composer.

Awards and honours

In 2009, Chitty was invested as a Member of the Order of Australia for services to education.[22]

In 2022, he was made an Emeritus Professor by Macquarie University.[1]

Selected publications

Chitty's publications examine the intersections of soft power, public diplomacy, governance, and propaganda. They include:

  • Chitty N, Hayden C, Ohnesorge H & Wang C 2026.The Anthem Handbook of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy in the Age of AI. Anthem Press, London.[23]
  • Chitty N 2023. "An experiential theory of attraction-based influence (unintended and intended)", in Chitty, N, Ji L & Rawnsley G (eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Soft Power (2nd edition), Routledge, New York, pp. 6–34.
  • Chitty N & Wang C 2023. "Soft power, US foreign policy, and George Washington's warning of 'Alternate Domination'", in Ohnesorge H (ed), Soft power and the future of US foreign policy, Manchester University Press, Manchester.
  • Chitty N & Wang C 2023. "Essaying experience of soft power: CALD community narratives in New South Wales in COVID-19 pandemic times", in Chitty N, Ji L, & Rawnsley G (eds.). The Routledge Handbook of Soft Power (2nd edition), Routledge, New York.
  • Chitty N 2021. "World propaganda and personal insecurity: Intent, content, and contentment", in Rawnsley G, Ma Y & Pothong K (eds), The Edward Elgar Handbook of Political Propaganda, Elgar Publishers, Cheltenham.
  • Chitty N 2021. Soft power, public diplomacy and post-AUKUS Indo-Pacific security, Evatt Journal, 20(1).
  • Chitty N 2020. "Australian public diplomacy", in Snow N and Cull N (eds) Routledge Handbook of Public Diplomacy, 2nd. edition, Routledge, New York.
  • Chitty N 2019. "The Rise of Blunt Power in the Strongman Era Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. February 28, 2019
  • Chitty N 2019. "Advancing Australia through soft power: virtue and virtuosity", The Journal of International Communication, 25,2.
  • Chitty N 2017."Soft power, civic virtue and world politics", in Chitty N, Ji L, Rawnsley G & Hayden C (eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Soft Power (1st edition), Routledge, New York.
  • Chitty, Naren, Ramona R. Rush, and Mehdi A. Semati, eds. 2003. Studies in Terrorism: Media Scholarship and the Enigma of Terror. Penang: Southbound. ISBN 983-9054-38-4
  • Chitty, Naren, ed. 2002. Mapping Globalization. Penang: Southbound. ISBN 983-9054-24-4

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Naren Chitty profile". Macquarie University. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
  2. ^ a b c Roberts, Michael (2025-05-01). "Naren Chitty: A Wide Spectrum of Achievements Worldwide". eLanka. Retrieved 2025-11-02.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Appendix 4 – Roundtable Participants". Australia's Public Diplomacy: Building Our Image (Report). Canberra: The Senate of Australia: Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. August 2007. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-642-71840-2.
  4. ^ US Diplomatic List 1984. US Department of State – via Family Search & the University of Florida.
  5. ^ "Within View of Shea, a Temple of Peace". Newsday. New York City. 21 Aug 1985. pp. NY7. Retrieved 2 Nov 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Sri Lankan Peace Accord Reported Near". The Boston Globe. Washington Post. 25 July 1987. p. 5. Retrieved 2 Nov 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Maddock, John (29 July 1986). "More than 100 at MIT Protest Arrest, Alleged Torture, of Graduate in Sri Lanka". The Boston Globe. p. 30 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Big-Name Hunters". Weekend. The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 Jan 1991. p. 7. Retrieved 2 Nov 2025 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Arthur C. Clarke Foundation | Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Science Education". clarkeinstitute.org.
  10. ^ McAleer N. 1992 Arthur C. Clarke: The Authorized Biography, Contemporary Books, Chicago. ISBN 9780809243242
  11. ^ Coaldrake, Kimi (2013). "Reflection from Panel Chairs: Creative Arts and Culture Panel". Proceedings of the 2013 Fulbright Symposium: Soft Power, Smart Power – The Multiplier Effect of Educational and Cultural Exchange (Report). Australian-American Fulbright Commission. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-646-92661-2.
  12. ^ Macquarie University Annual Report 2007 (PDF) (Report). Sydney: Macquarie University. 2008. p. 53 – via Parliament of New South Wales.
  13. ^ a b "Strengthening partnerships in China | This Week At Macquarie University". 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2025-11-02. Faculty of Arts Associate Dean (International) Professor Naren Chitty AM has been appointed Visiting Professor of Jilin University in Changchun, China, one of the country's top 10 universities... Chitty's five year term will see him return each year to run workshops for staff and graduate students.
  14. ^ "What's "In the Works" for Naren Chitty?". USC Center on Public Diplomacy. 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2025-11-02.
  15. ^ "ORCID". orcid.org. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
  16. ^ "ORCID". orcid.org. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
  17. ^ "The Routledge handbook of soft power (listing)". WorldCat.
  18. ^ "The top 10 books on cultural diplomacy". ICRP. 2021-07-13. Retrieved 2025-11-01.
  19. ^ Grossberg, Lawrence; Radway, Janice (2005-06-28). Cultural Studies: Volume 9 Issue 2: Special Issue: Toni Morrison and the Curriculum, Edited by Warren Crichton and Cameron McCarthy. Routledge. p. 413. ISBN 978-1-134-80525-9. Journal of International International Communication (JIC) Naren Chitty PhD. Managing Editor.
  20. ^ Hamelink, Cees; Nordenstreng, Kaarle (December 2020). "Basics of IAMCR History" (PDF). International Association for Media and Communication (2nd ed.). Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  21. ^ Keirstead PO and S-K Keirstead, 1993 "The many faces of community radio", in ed. V. Valbuena, Mahaweli Community Radio, Asian Mass Communication, Singapore, p. 17. ISBN 9971-905-50-7.
  22. ^ "Member of the Order of Australia (AM)". ABC News. 2009-01-25. Retrieved 2025-11-01. Professor Narendranath Jayantha (Naren) CHITTY, NSW (For service to education)
  23. ^ The Anthem Handbook of Soft Power and Public Diplomacy in the Age of AI | Anthem Press.
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