scholarly journals THE SUCCESS OF ETHNICALLY BASED POLITICAL PARTIES: CASE OF SRI LANKA

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 153-163
Author(s):  
Nirmali Wijegoonawardana
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
General Election ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The North ◽  
Electoral Outcomes

Ethnic identities or policy interests; what influences the Sri Lankan voter the most? This analysis will be done providing particular attention to the case of Sri Lanka. The development in electoral outcomes in Sri Lanka provides an explicitly clear image of how, particular political parties obtain support from particular ethnic groups and in return serve the interest of particular groups. This study will be based on the results of the 1989 Parliamentary General Election and 2010 Parliamentary General Election samples, mainly in the North and East constituencies. The Sri Lankan ethnic conflict offers an overview of the role of political parties and political actors in the competitive electoral system in relation to a conflicting situation. Therefore, this paper will examine as to how, such parties obtain support from particular ethnic groups and thereby safeguard the interest of those groups. Furthermore, this paper will seek to analyze how the, obtaining of moderate support from another ethnic group provides the best outcome but it is insufficient to divert from the interest of the group who provides the greatest support. Hence, this paper attempts at deciphering the main factor as to why it is harder for an ethnic party once established to become multi-ethnic.

scholarly journals Languages Speak Reconciliation: An Interdisciplinary Study on the Impact of National Language in Post War Reconciliation Sri Lanka

2022 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 665-679
Author(s):  
Aruna Jayathilaka ◽  
Thisiri Medagama ◽  
Udeshini Panadare ◽  
Prawardhani Menike
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
National Language ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Huge Impact ◽  
Post War ◽  
Mixed Approach ◽  
National Languages ◽  
The Impact

The Role of National Language is endorsed in different contexts and it has triggered an inspirited debate within the Sri Lankan political history when its discriminatory nature policies marked a triumph of linguist nationalism. The recognition of the Sinhala language as the only National Language in Sri Lanka and its dominance, drifted both communities apart causing frustration and tension among ethnic groups, which have ultimately culminated in ethnic strife that lasted almost three decades. National Languages, hence wield as a sociopolitical tool that demands a balance among languages, recognition, and policies. Similarly, Sri Lanka, in its path to reconciliation also demands a balance among National Languages, policies, and its recognition among the communities. This study thus explores the Role of National Language in promoting social cohesion and coexistence among ethnic groups to achieve anticipated “Reconciliation” within Sri Lankan social fabric.  The paper draws upon a mixed approach employing qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews. Data were gathered from interviewing 20 undergraduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages at the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka. Data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis.   Findings revealed that the recognition of National languages in their due status will make a huge impact on fostering reconciliation within Sri Lankan Society. It is further not to be confused with the Link Language as a National Language since its duty in social integration is relatively limited in the cases where the understanding of cultural, traditional, and historical attributes of an ethnic community is more pronounced especially in grappling with attitudinal problems inherited within ethnic communities.

scholarly journals Analyzing the Fragmented Sri Lankan Muslim Politics in Post-Ashraff Era

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Mohammad Agus Yusoff ◽  
Athambawa Sarjoon ◽  
Zawiyah Mohd Zain
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Muslim Community ◽  
National Politics ◽  
Minority Politics ◽  
The North ◽  
Leadership Crisis ◽  
Muslim Politics

The traditional Muslim politics in Sri Lanka transformed with the formation of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and its active communal politics under its founder-leader, M.H.M.Ashraff. While representing the interests of the Muslim community, particularly those living in the north-eastern region, SLMC through its politics of bargaining and consensus voiced and advocated for the interests, rights and privileges of the Muslim community as well as contributed to their socio-economic and cultural upliftment at the crossroad of ethnic conflict and civil war. Although SLMC received popular mandate from the Muslim community, the party fell into fragmentation with the unexpected demise of its founder-leader in 2000, and splits were instigated shortly. This fragmentation caused a severe effect in the distinct path of Muslim politics in Sri Lanka. This study examines the fragmented nature and the trends of Muslim politics, particularly the politics of SLMC in post-Ashraff era and their impact. This study reveals that the fragmentation within SLMC caused leadership crisis and emergence of many Muslim political parties that promoted ugly politics of opportunism. This trend ultimately reduced the bargaining strength of Muslim politics, negatively influenced representative politics, leading to the negligence and marginalisation of Muslims’ concerns and grievances in national politics. The leadership crisis and regionalism also negatively influenced the politics of SLMC and other Muslim parties in post-Ashraff era. This study also finds that unifying splinter-groups, reforming party structure and procedures, and redefining goals and path of achieving them would not only strengthen the politics of SLMC and other Muslim political parties but also would give a new brand for Muslim minority politics in Sri Lanka.

The Never-ending Story of Law and Electoral System in Lesotho

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoolo Nyane
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Legal Discourse ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Constitutional Democracy ◽  
Electoral Outcomes ◽  
Electoral Laws ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Mixed Electoral System ◽  
2012 Election

While electoral discontent has been the enduring feature of constitutional democracy in Lesotho since independence, disagreement over electoral system is a fairly recent phenomenon. When the country attained independence in 1966 from Britain, electoral system was not necessarily one of the topical issues of pre-independence constitutional negotiations. The major issues were the powers of the monarch, the office of prime minister, the command of the army and many more.  It was taken for granted that the country would use the British-based plurality electoral system.  This is the system which the country used until early 2000s when the electoral laws were reformed to anchor a new mixed electoral system.  When the new electoral laws were ultimately passed in 2001, the country transitioned from a plurality electoral system to a two-ballot mixed member proportional system. By this time, electoral system had acquired prominence in politico-legal discourse in Lesotho.  In the run-up to 2007 elections, bigger political parties orchestrated the manipulation of electoral laws which culminated in clearly distorted electoral outcomes. The manipulations motivated further reforms in the run-up to 2012 election which resulted in the single-ballot mixed member proportional system. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate how electoral laws have anchored electoral system reforms throughout the various historical epochs in Lesotho since independence. The paper contends that while the country has been courageous, unlike most of its peers, to introduce far-reaching electoral system changes, the reform of electoral laws has not been so helpful in attaining the higher objectives of political inclusivity, constitutionalism and stability in Lesotho.

The Role of Music and Allied Arts in Public Writings on Cultural Diversity: “People of Sri Lanka”

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 93-100
Author(s):  
Gisa Jähnichen
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
South Asia ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Culturally Different ◽  
The World ◽  
Official Languages ◽  
The Way

The Sri Lankan Ministry of National Coexistence, Dialogue, and Official Languages published the work “People of Sri Lanka” in 2017. In this comprehensive publication, 21 invited Sri Lankan scholars introduced 19 different people’s groups to public readers in English, mainly targeted at a growing number of foreign visitors in need of understanding the cultural diversity Sri Lanka has to offer. This paper will observe the presentation of these different groups of people, the role music and allied arts play in this context. Considering the non-scholarly design of the publication, a discussion of the role of music and allied arts has to be supplemented through additional analyses based on sources mentioned by the 21 participating scholars and their fragmented application of available knowledge. In result, this paper might help improve the way facts about groups of people, the way of grouping people, and the way of presenting these groupings are displayed to the world beyond South Asia. This fieldwork and literature guided investigation should also lead to suggestions for ethical principles in teaching and presenting of culturally different music practices within Sri Lanka, thus adding an example for other case studies.

Problems of preserving the norms of Adyge khabz in the context of globalization (based on the materials of a sociological study)

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-93
Author(s):  
Z.Kh. Guchetl ◽  
◽  
O.I. Kuskarova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Sociological Research ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
Sociological Study ◽  
Ethical Codes ◽  
The North

In this article, the authors comprehend the moral and ethical phenomenon of "Adyge habz the problems of its preservation and development in modern society in the context of globalization. The study of traditions is undoubtedly relevant in modern conditions, when many ethnic groups persistently retain interest in past values, their origins and prospects. The authors note that this problem is relevant not only for the Adygs, but also for other peoples of the North Caucasus, which have their own analogues of national moral and ethical codes. Based on the results of the conducted sociological research, it is concluded that the role of Adyghism (adygag) in the system of traditional ethno-cultural values of the Adyghes has decreased, and therefore there is a need to revive and develop the national identity of the Adyghes.

Understanding Societies in War

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Escott
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Irregular Warfare ◽  
The South ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The North ◽  
Role Of Women ◽  
Democratic Parties ◽  
The Impact

This chapter emphasizes the analysis of the wartime forces in both sections that affected unity or division. It raises questions about the roots of the large amount of internal violence or irregular warfare in the South. For the North, it probes the nature of nationalism and asks about that section’s social, political, and religious divisions. Factors affecting both the Republican and the Democratic Parties of the North deserve new attention, as do the role of women in both sections, ethnic groups in the North especially, and the impact of emancipation and racism.

13. Small Parties and Law-making

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Arnott ◽  
Richard Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
First Century ◽  
The Political ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Parliamentary Procedure ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Law Making

This chapter discusses the role of smaller parties in the law-making process. General elections in the UK are conducted with an electoral system which militates against the representation of smaller political parties, particularly those having no strong support at the regional level. However, events at Westminster over the last decade have increased the prominence of smaller parties in the operation of parliamentary business. The chapter first considers the role of small parties in the UK Parliament, committees and legislation, as well as their participation in backbench debates before examining how the political and electoral context of Parliament, especially in the twenty-first century, has affected the representation of smaller parties and the ways in which reforms to parliamentary procedure since the 1980s have enhanced the role of the second opposition party. It suggests that Parliament today offers more opportunities for smaller political parties to influence debate and policy, but this remains quite limited.

Sri Lanka

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Billimoria
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Religious Art ◽  
Anglican Church ◽  
History Of Christianity ◽  
Church Life ◽  
History Of

This chapter on Sri Lankan Anglicanism looks at the theological basis for contextualization, identifies some Sri Lankan realities, and provides an overview of the history of Christianity in Sri Lanka with a particular emphasis on Anglicanism and its impact. It shows the roots of contextualization in the indigenization movement based on incarnation, and then looks at different aspects of Anglican church life that have been impacted by contextualization such as the church’s ministry and leadership, self-government, architecture and religious art, liturgy, and fundamentally its radical ‘self-theologizing’ with a focus on the role of Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe. In conclusion the chapter argues that a distinct ‘Sri Lankan Anglicanism’ exists and asks whether the Anglican Church of Ceylon has fully embraced this distinct identity or is still captive to a colonial past.

scholarly journals Relative Importance of Packaging Elements of Baby Care Products in Sri Lanka: Do Demographic Factors Matter?

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M.F.S. Faris ◽  
K.P.L. Chandralal
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Buying Behavior ◽  
Consumer Purchase Intention ◽  
Generic Products ◽  
Local Companies

 Baby care category has been profitable throughout the years and gained the interest of global players in Sri Lanka amidst the emergence of several local companies. Previous research on FMCG products identified that a 1% shift in packaging will result in 88.9% shift in consumer purchase intention, signifying the role of packaging in buying behavior. But there is mild research done with regards to the Baby Care Category and especially in the Sri Lankan context. This research focuses on the gap of identifying the importance of the different packaging elements of baby care products along with buyers’ demographic factors.  A field survey was conducted with an internet questionnaire to obtain data from a sample of Colombo residents. The results revealed that a weak positive importance was laid on “Graphics” (Color and Artwork) and on “Dimensions” (Design and Shape) of the package. The dimension of “Information” was placed relatively a higher importance in the buying decision. These findings aligned with the insights from buyers and retailers; buyers being more concerned on baby’s safety prioritized ensuring product reliability. Certifications, labels, precautions, and instructions on the package guide them, which evidently is part of the dimension of Information. The results further revealed that the identified importance laid on the three dimensions of packaging elements did not significantly vary on any of the demographic factors; gender, income, and level of education. Baby care, being a sensitive area for parents (unlike generic products), the importance placed on information was much higher due to its role played in assurance, consequently comparative lesser importance was placed on how colorful, big and stylish the packaging is, as the priority was absolute amongst buyers across diverse demographic differences. KeywordsBaby care products; Demographic factors; Packaging elements

scholarly journals EVOLUTION OF THE PARTY SYSTEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS: FROM BIRTH TO STABILIZATION

2018 ◽  
pp. 16-22
Author(s):  
Nataliya Khoma
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Political System ◽  
Party System ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Internal Conflict ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Republic Of Cyprus ◽  
The Eu

The process of the formation of the party system of Cyprus was considered. The period from colonial to 1981 is covered. The factors that influenced the evolution of the parties of Cyprus, in particular the internal conflict, were underlined. Emphasizes the importance of the ethnic component of the population of Cyprus. The attention was paid to the role of the Orthodox Church in shaping the political system of Cyprus. The article analyzes the norms of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus (1960) concerning political parties, in which the focus was on the parliamentary aspect of party activity. The role of Archbishop Makarios III, the first president of Cyprus, for the further evolution of the party system in the 1960–70s was revealed. Presented chronology of the appearance of the main parties of Cyprus and their participation in elections and coalitions. The article emphasizes that after the accession of Cyprus to the EU in 2004, the party system of the state is experiencing the trend of the newest European tendencies on the national party palette: the level of people’s confidence in the parties is decreasing, the party identity is blurred, the voter turnout is gradually decreasing, new types of parties are emerging, Radicalization is notable and so on. The party system of Cyprus is special, even if only within the EU there is a pro-communist party (Progressive Party of the Labor People of Cyprus), represented in the European Parliament, among the leading political forces. It was emphasized that the political parties of Cyprus until 1974 were purely electoral mechanisms. The new stage of development began with the stabilization of the post-colonial political system of Cyprus. At this time, the church lost its past influence, and the majoritarian electoral system alienated itself. This led to a new stage in the development of the party system in the late 1970s. It is noted that the determining factor was the transition to a proportional electoral system and the introduction of mandatory participation of voters in the vote. It was emphasized that these legislative innovations became important factors in the development of the modern party system of Cyprus. Since that time, the Cypriot parties have become more independent and united in the coalition.

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