scholarly journals Not your mother’s culture : second generation Tamil women negotiating trauma and identity through art

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Satkunam
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tamil Diaspora ◽  
Tamil Women

This research paper focuses on the Tamil diaspora community in Canada that developed in the aftermath of the Civil War in Sri Lanka. This paper explores the impact of trauma on children of survivors, and how daughters in particular navigate these traumas. Furthermore, this paper analyzes how young women bear the trauma differently from their male counterparts, as women tend to be seen as carriers of culture. These ideas of women as carriers of culture do not afford Tamil women agency—instead they are left without choice in certain situations. Ultimately, this paper explores if art can be used as a mechanism to release the burden women feel. It uses the interview of eight Tamil women to understand their complex narratives, and to see if they use art as a means to reclaim agency. Key words: Diaspora, Sri Lankan, Art, Second-Generation Tamil Women, Identity, Cultural Purity

scholarly journals Not your mother’s culture : second generation Tamil women negotiating trauma and identity through art

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Satkunam
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tamil Diaspora ◽  
Tamil Women

This research paper focuses on the Tamil diaspora community in Canada that developed in the aftermath of the Civil War in Sri Lanka. This paper explores the impact of trauma on children of survivors, and how daughters in particular navigate these traumas. Furthermore, this paper analyzes how young women bear the trauma differently from their male counterparts, as women tend to be seen as carriers of culture. These ideas of women as carriers of culture do not afford Tamil women agency—instead they are left without choice in certain situations. Ultimately, this paper explores if art can be used as a mechanism to release the burden women feel. It uses the interview of eight Tamil women to understand their complex narratives, and to see if they use art as a means to reclaim agency. Key words: Diaspora, Sri Lankan, Art, Second-Generation Tamil Women, Identity, Cultural Purity

Caught In-Between: Diversifying Tamil Women’s Voices From the Sri Lankan Civil War

2021 ◽  
pp. 153270862110503
Author(s):  
V. Michelle Michael
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Standpoint Theory ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Feminist Standpoint Theory ◽  
Art And Science ◽  
Feminist Standpoint ◽  
Women's Voices ◽  
Tamil Women

This is an autoethnographic invitation to make space for different standpoints of women caught in war. This multi-genre project reflects on the standpoint of the author’s family as a female-led, female-only household in the capital of Sri Lanka amid the civil war. Grounded on the concept of ethnicity without groups and feminist standpoint theory, this piece adds to the often-homogenized voices of Tamil women. Using integrated crystallization to challenge the dichotomy of art and science, this layered piece weaves together storytelling and theory-based critique to open conversations about wholesome representation. The stories reveal the multichrome nature of ethnicities that often get painted as monochromes. The analyses highlight the intersectionality of women’s position and sound the alarm for possible marginalization within the marginalized through a unidimensional expression. The author invites more voices to diversify the standpoints of women caught in the Sri Lankan civil war and contribute to a more comprehensive reality of their experiences.

scholarly journals Women, Civil War and Struggle for Survival: A Study of Tamil Women in Ampara District of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Athula Withanawasam
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Public Assistance ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Male Partners ◽  
The Government ◽  
Post War ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tamil Women

Even though the civil war in Sri Lanka officially ended in 2009, the hardship created by war is long-lasting and will take years to reconcile. This research is about the impact of war politics on women of Tamil community in the Ampara district of Sri Lanka during the period of armed conflict. The findings of this study reveal that the girls of the Tamil community were forcefully recruited to join the Tamil militant groups. Hence, parents found the only way to rescue their children and to assure their existence was to arrange teenage marriages. Most of those marriages were not legally registered. This paved the way for the male partners to abandon their spouses, often with children. The women whose children were forcefully recruited to militant forces and whose life was lost in the battle filed were given the dignity of ‘Veera Thai’ (Heroine Mother) with an allowance as gratitude for bearing such a war hero. However, it was revealed the title itself had resulted in many types of hardships. The government also deliberately denied any public assistance to those families. The study has found that the women in the numerically weakest groups during war time, irrespective of age difference, had undergone many and varied hardship. The study further has identified that the hardship experienced by these women continued even in the post-civil war context. Therefore, the study urges that these types of hardship faced by women in the post-war context need to be handled with political sensitivity to the equity and justice for women.

Grasping at Straws: Judicial Review of Legislation in Sri Lanka

ICL Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-306
Author(s):  
Danushka S Medawatte
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Judicial Review ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Executive Power ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Legal Literature ◽  
Justice Process ◽  
Provincial Councils ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIn this paper, I attempt to examine the evolution of judicial review of legislation in Sri Lanka with a view to better understanding how it has impacted the democratic fabric and constitutional matrix of Sri Lanka. The impact that judicial review of legislation has had on rights jurisprudence, enhancement of democracy, prevention of persecution against selected groups are analysed in this paper in relation to the Ceylon Constitutional Order in Council of 1946 (‘Soulbury’ Constitution) and the two autochthonous constitutions of Sri Lanka of 1972 and 1978. The first part of the paper comprises of a descriptive analysis of judicial review of legislation under the three Constitutions. This is expected to perform a gap filling function in respect of the lacuna that exists in Sri Lankan legal literature in relation to the assessment of the trends pertaining to judicial review of legislation in Sri Lanka. In the second part of the paper, I have analysed decided cases of Sri Lanka to explore how the judiciary has responded to legislative and executive power, and has given up or maintained judicial independence. In this respect, I have also attempted to explore whether the judiciary has unduly engaged in restraint thereby impeding its own independence. The third part of the paper evaluates the differences in technique and stance the judiciary has adopted when reviewing draft enactments of the national legislature and when reviewing draft or enacted statutes of Provincial Councils. From a comparative constitutional perspective, this assessment is expected to provide the background that is essential in understanding the island nation’s current constitutional discourse, transitional justice process, and its approach to human rights.

scholarly journals Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP) scale for use in Sri Lankan Adolescents: a cross sectional modification and validation study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uttara Amilani ◽  
Prasanna Jayasekara ◽  
Irosha R Perera ◽  
Hannah E Carter ◽  
Sameera Senanayake ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Cultural Adaptation ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Stage Ii ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Validity Assessment ◽  
Oral Impact ◽  
Bartlett’S Test ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measures play an important role in understanding subjective patient experiences in oral health care. The Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP) scale is a validated OHRQoL tool that measures the impact and extent to which an individual’s daily activities may be compromised by their oral health. The aim of this study was to modify and validate a Sinhalese version of the OIDP for use in Sri Lankan adolescents. Methods Stage I involved cultural adaptation of the tool through translation and modification. Stage II involved the exploring factor structure and validity assessment. After translation and cultural adaptation, stage II was conducted among 220 students aged 15-19 in the Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. Participants completed the modified OIDP scale along with questions on self-reported perceived oral health problems and treatment need which were used to assesses the concurrent validity of the modified OIDP scale. Factorability was assessed by inspection of correlation matrix, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity as a measure of sampling adequacy. An exploratory factor analysis was carried out using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method and factors were rotated using the oblimin method. Results The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure was 0.87 and Bartlett’s test of Sphericity was significant (p<0.001) Cronbach’s alpha was calculated as 0.88, indicating a high level of internal consistency of the modified OIDP scale. The PCA is produced two factors with Eigen values ranging from 1.12 to 4.40, explaining 70.0% of total variance. Concurrent validity was satisfactory as the OIDP score increased when the adolescents’ perceived oral health decreased. The final modified OIDP consists of eight self-reported items which assesses the impact severity of eight daily performances over past three months. Participant scores ranged from 0 to 24 out of a worst possible score of 40, and nearly 48% of the responders reported at least one impact during past three months. The most prevalent oral health impact related to chewing and enjoying foods, reported by 36.8% of respondents. Conclusion This study suggests that the modified OIDP scale has promising psychometric properties and is appropriate for use among adolescents in Sri Lanka.

scholarly journals Hybridity and integration: a look at the second-generation of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in Toronto

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akalya Atputharajah
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Ethnic Origin ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Dominant Group ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Sri Lankan Tamils ◽  
Identification Practices ◽  
Tamil Diaspora

This study illustrates that many second-generation members of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in Toronto display an identity of hybridity. This is evidenced by their self-identification practices as well as their conscientiousness in navigating around dominant cultural values and the Canadian society's general lack of knowledge about their ethnic origin. It further shows that these diasporic members believe that successful navigation may result in greater equality and subsequent integration in the realms of economy and politics. The results of this study confirm that hybridization instead brings about deception that the second-generation has the tools to re-negotiate power, when it is not the case - rather cultural ambivalence and ascription prevent the diaspora from challenging dominant cultures. In fact, the discourse on hybridity and its potential benefits may itself be a tool for the dominant group to reinforce oppressive power structures and uphold the barriers to true integration and equality. Keywords: diaspora, identity, hybridity, second-generation, Sri Lankan Tamils, Toronto, integration

The impacts of terrorism on risk perception and travel behaviour of the Dutch market: Sri Lanka as a case study

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rami K. Isaac ◽  
Annika Van den Bedem
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Travel Behaviour ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of terrorism on risk perception and travel behaviour of the Dutch market towards Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach The research process involved an online self-administered method created with one of the leading research and web-based survey tools called Qualtrics. The questionnaire was filled in by 328 respondents. Findings Findings indicate that Sri Lankan is perceived to be a relatively safe destination. However, the likeliness of visiting the country is unlikely. The respondents with past travel experience (PTE) perceive Sri Lanka to be safer than those without PTE and are more likely to revisit. Male respondents have a higher safety perception of Sri Lanka than women. Most of the respondents see Sri Lanka as an attractive destination and would consider travelling there with children. Research limitations/implications The majority of the respondents are female and aged between 18 to 29 years old. The majority of the respondents’ children were already 19 or older and not accompanying their parents on holiday. This study has managerial implications for Sri Lanka’s tourism board that could work on developing a marketing strategy that focusses on promoting Sri Lanka as a safe destination in combination with all the other unique selling points. Originality/value To the best of author’s knowledge, no analysis has been so far published with a focus on the impact of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the Dutch tourist towards Sri Lanka. The aim of this paper is to close the existing gap in the literature and to provide valuable knowledge on the influence of terrorism on risk perception and attitudes of the Dutch tourists’ travel behaviour towards Sri Lanka as a destination.

The Hybrid Regime in Post-Civil War Sri Lanka

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 437-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laksiri Jayasuriya
Keyword(s):  
Civil War ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Political System ◽  
Political Order ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
The Social ◽  
Dominant State ◽  
Hybrid Regime ◽  
Social Ethos

Following the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2010, the Sri Lankan political system has seen the rise of a ‘one-party dominant state’ and a ‘hybrid regime’. This new political order consists of a mix of democratic and authoritarian elements largely seen in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore. This essay examines the social and political changes introduced by the highly militarized regime led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, which has slanted towards a Kautilyan ideology and authoritarian constitutionalism. It is argued that Sri Lanka needs a glasnost, marking a new political and social ethos based on the principles of accountability, openness, transparency, freedom and justice.

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.

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