Sri Lanka

History and the Roots of Conflict

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Cultural Studies, Ethnic Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Sri Lanka by , Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781134949793
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: September 11, 2002
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781134949793
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: September 11, 2002
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

In the past decade, Sri Lanka has been engulfed by political tragedy as successive governments have failed to settle the grievances of the Tamil minority in a way acceptable to the majority Sinhala population. The new Premadasa presidency faces huge economic and political problems with large sections of the island under the control of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) and militant separatist Tamil groups operating in the north and south.
This book is not a conventional political history of Sri Lanka. Instead, it attempts to shed fresh light on the historical roots of the ethnic crisis and uses a combination of historical and anthropologial evidence to challenge the widely-held belief that the conflict in Sri Lanka is simply the continuation of centuries of animosity between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. The authors show how modern ethnic identities have been made and re-made since the colonial period with the war between Tamils and the Sinhala-dominant government accompanied by rhetorical wars over archeological sites and place-name etymologies, and the political use of the national past. The book is also one of the first attempts to focus on local perceptions of the crisis and draws on a broad range of sources, from village fieldwork to newspaper controversies. Its interest extends beyond contemporary politics to history, anthropology and development studies.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In the past decade, Sri Lanka has been engulfed by political tragedy as successive governments have failed to settle the grievances of the Tamil minority in a way acceptable to the majority Sinhala population. The new Premadasa presidency faces huge economic and political problems with large sections of the island under the control of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) and militant separatist Tamil groups operating in the north and south.
This book is not a conventional political history of Sri Lanka. Instead, it attempts to shed fresh light on the historical roots of the ethnic crisis and uses a combination of historical and anthropologial evidence to challenge the widely-held belief that the conflict in Sri Lanka is simply the continuation of centuries of animosity between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. The authors show how modern ethnic identities have been made and re-made since the colonial period with the war between Tamils and the Sinhala-dominant government accompanied by rhetorical wars over archeological sites and place-name etymologies, and the political use of the national past. The book is also one of the first attempts to focus on local perceptions of the crisis and draws on a broad range of sources, from village fieldwork to newspaper controversies. Its interest extends beyond contemporary politics to history, anthropology and development studies.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Classical Rhetoric and Modern Public Relations by
Cover of the book Cold War American Literature and the Rise of Youth Culture by
Cover of the book The Public-private Health Care State by
Cover of the book Ostracism, Exclusion, and Rejection by
Cover of the book Offending Girls by
Cover of the book The Archaeology of Mesopotamia by
Cover of the book The Community Tourism Guide by
Cover of the book The Mechanical Mind by
Cover of the book Buddhist Rituals of Death and Rebirth by
Cover of the book Victorian Britain (Routledge Revivals) by
Cover of the book Modern Historians on British History 1485-1945 (Routledge Revivals) by
Cover of the book The Iranian Revolution Then And Now by
Cover of the book The Meanings in History by
Cover of the book Trauma and Play Therapy by
Cover of the book A Practical Guide to Academic Research by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy