Economy, Culture, and Civil War in Sri Lanka

"Will be of interest to those working on conflict and peace studies, economic development, cultural studies, and women in the modern world. A key new publication." -- Chandra R. de Silva, Old Dominion University"... offers a superb overview of how a civil war, driven by ethnicity, can engender a new culture and a new political economy... Highly recommended." -- ChoiceEconomy, Culture, and Civil War in Sri Lanka provides a lucid and up-to-date interpretation of Sri Lankan society and its 20-year civil conflict. An interdisciplinary examination of the relationship between the economy, broadly defined, and the reproduction of violent conflict, this volume argues that the war is grounded not just in the goals and intentions of the opposing sides, but also in the everyday orientations, experiences, and material practices of all Sri Lankan people. The contributors explore changing political and policy contexts; the effect of long-term conflict on employment opportunities and life choices for rural and urban youth; life histories, memory, and narratives of violence; the "economics of enlisting" and individual decisions about involvement in the war; and nationalism and the moral debate triggered by women's employment in the international garment manufacturing industry. Contributors are Francesca Bremner, Michele Ruth Gamburd, Newton Gunasinghe, Siri T. Hettige, Caitrin Lynch, John M. Richardson, Jr., Amita Shastri, Deborah Winslow, and Michael D. Woost. Articulations Of Economy And Ethic Conflict In Sri Lanka / Deborah Winslow And Michael D. Woost -- Violent Conflict And The First Half Decade Of Open Economy Policies In Sri Lanka : A Revisionist View / Ohn M. Richardson Jr. -- An Open Economy In A Time Of Intense Civil War : Sri Lanka, 1994-2000 / Amita Shastri -- The Open Economy And Its Impact On Ethnic Relations In Sri Lanka / Newton Gunasinghe -- Economic Policy, Changing Opportunities For Youth, And The Ethnic Conflict In Sri Lanka / Siri T. Hettige -- Fragments Of Memory, Processes Of State : Ethnic Violence Through The Life Histories Of Participants / Francesca Bremner -- The Economics Of Enlisting : A Village View Of Armed Service / Michele Ruth Gamburd -- Economic Liberalization, Nationalism, And Women's Morality In Sri Lanka / Caitrin Lynch -- Epilogue, Or Prelude To Peace? / Michael D. Woost And Deborah Winslow. Edited By Deborah Winslow And Michael D. Woost. Based On A Workshop Held Aug. 25-27, 2000, At The New England Center, University Of New Hampshire, Sponsored By The American Institute For Sri Lankan Studies. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [205]-225) And Index. Cover......Page 1 TOC......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 A Note on Pronunciation of Sinhala Words......Page 12 Acronyms......Page 14 Map of Sri Lanka......Page 17 1. Articulations of Economy and Ethnic Con®ict in Sri Lanka......Page 18 Introduction......Page 48 2. Violent Con®ict and the First Half Decade of Open EconomyPolicies in Sri Lanka: A Revisionist View......Page 58 3. An Open Economy in a Time of Intense Civil War: Sri Lanka,1994–2000......Page 90 Introduction......Page 112 4. The Open Economy and Its Impact on Ethnic Relations inSri Lanka......Page 116 5. Economic Policy, Changing Opportunities for Youth, and the EthnicCon®ict in Sri Lanka......Page 132 Introduction......Page 150 6. Fragments of Memory, Processes of State: Ethnic Violence throughthe Life Histories of Participants......Page 154 7. The Economics of Enlisting: A Village View of Armed Service......Page 168 8. Economic Liberalization, Nationalism, and Women’s Morality inSri Lanka......Page 185 Epilogue, or Prelude to Peace?......Page 209 References Cited......Page 222 Contributors......Page 244 Index......Page 248 In this account of Sri Lankan society and its 20-year civil conflict, contributors explore topics such as the political and policy contexts, the effect of the conflict on employment opportunities, life choices for rural and urban youth, personal decisions about involvement in the war and women's employment in the garment industry This title is an examination of the everyday economy, experiences, and livelihoods in the context of Sri Lanka's civil war. It argues that the war is grounded not just in the goals and intentions of the opposing sides, but also in the everyday orientations, experiences, and material practices of all Sri Lankan people.