DOCSLIB.ORG

Module 5 – Conflict Diagnosis Case Study

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Module 5 – Conflict Diagnosis Case Study MODULE 5 CONFLICT DIAGNOSIS: CASE STUDY Session Outline This session gives participants an opportunity to apply the conflict equation in small 5 groups to a complex, real-world case study. Session Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes Module Section Time Presentation/Description Small groups will conduct a conflict diagnosis based on EXERCISE: CASE 60 the Sri Lanka case study and requests from the Mission STUDY MINS director AFTERNOON 15 Afternoon break BREAK MINS 25 REPORT OUT Groups to report out conclusions to the plenary MINS CONCLUSION 5 MINS Closing and homework assignment Checklist: Items Needed for This Module Case study in participant binder Mission director email request in participant binder Flipchart, tape, and markers for each group Objectives At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: 1. Conduct a complex conflict diagnosis. 2. Identify factors that drive or mitigate conflict. 1 Mission Director Request Activity (60 minutes) The purpose of this exercise is for participants to conduct a mini analysis of the conflict dynamics in Sri Lanka using the case study and the components of the conflict equation: motives, means, opportunity, context, and mitigating factors. 1. 5 minutes: Direct participants to the email from the Mission director (located on the next page) in their binder in Module 5. Allow 5 minutes for participants to review the task instructions and skim the case study (participants should have already read the case study). Note that this task is similar to the one completed for Bolivia in Module 3, but now the groups have much more information to really consider the context and mitigating factors. Note that participants are to focus only on the period noted within the case study. Anything that happened after 2010 is not relevant and should not be part of the group’s analysis. (See page 9 for case study.) 2. As a group, identify a recorder and spokesperson to report out. 3. 40 minutes: Each tabletop group is to conduct a basic conflict diagnosis of the Sri Lanka case. Groups should apply all five components of the conflict equation (motives, means, opportunity, context and mitigating factors), specifically identifying social patterns of grievance and social patterns of resiliency, to identify the factors that drive and mitigate conflict. 4. Encourage groups to be aware of each member’s participation and ensure that each person has the opportunity to contribute. 5. Have participants capture their findings, using a flipchart as a visual aid so other groups can see their thought process during report out. Ask participants if they have any questions and reiterate they are to only consider dynamics within the time period of the case study. Ensure that resources are available to each group (flip chart, markers and Post-Its). Facilitators should check in with individual groups to ensure they are moving through each equation component swiftly. At 45 minute mark: Once participant groups have worked through the various equation components (about 45 minutes into the exercise), facilitator assigns each group one of the following four components (context, motives, means, and mitigating factors). If there is a fifth group, then assign opportunities as well, and if not, list opportunities in plenary. The assigning of components is done quietly at each individual group table, not in plenary. Note to each group that they will present their findings for that particular component and elicit feedback or additional points from their peers. Remind the group that they are to do a complete conflict diagnosis using all components in the conflict equation but will report out only on the component assigned to their team. They have 15 more minutes to continue working to prepare their component. They will have 5 minutes for report out. (See page 5 for report out instructions.) It is helpful for facilitators to provide 30-minute and 5-minute warnings. Facilitators should walk around the room and ensure that groups are moving through each component and saving enough time to also discuss opportunities and mitigating factors. 2 The Sri Lanka Case: Undertaking a Conflict Diagnosis *Disclaimer - This case study is being used as a historical example to generate discussion and developmental learning, and by no means reflects the current sentiment or disposition of the Government of Sri Lanka or the U.S. Government.* The following are excerpts from an email message you just received from USAID/Sri Lanka’s Mission director, who is on a quick tour of the North and the East: I do apologize for burdening you with such a significant assignment in your first days at post. But as you know, the Ambassador has made support for the transition from war to peace in Sri Lanka his top priority. With the Working Group meeting the day after tomorrow, we have a lot of work to do to present the development perspective effectively. To begin with, I would like a fresh assessment of the conflict dynamics at play in Sri Lanka. I understand that you just completed a course on conflict analysis; I am sure you will be able to apply what you have learned and produce something insightful based on the materials that have been pulled together for you. Please make sure that your analysis considers the context here in Sri Lanka; I think that is key. To the extent that you can, please also consider mitigating factors, as those may provide entry points for programming. I’d like you to email me what you can pull together in the next few hours, when I am back from my afternoon meetings. Once I see what you have produced, we can think about next steps. 3 Case Study Facilitator Notes Context: • High unemployment rates, particularly among youth • Over two decades of continuous conflict • 75% of population is in rural areas • Prone to natural disasters • India as a “big brother” to Sri Lanka and Tamil ethnic ties to India • Colonial history and ties to British/Tamil rule • History of separatism and marginalization • Middle-income developing country • History of patriarchal government Motives: • Drive for political and economic autonomy • Use or misuse of strategic resources • Exclusion of indigenous and minority groups, particularly in North and East • Each group’s enduring feelings of victimization • Human rights violations of local organizations, NGOs and individuals • Deterred civil society engagement • Dormant conflict, lack of drive of key actors for grievances • Lack of social justice for Tamils • Increased labor trafficking and sexual violence Key Actors: • LTTE leader, Prabhakaran • Armed Forces General, Farath Fonseka • Minster of Defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaks (brother of President) • Rajapaksa, GoSL • Tamil Tiger Commander, Karuna Means: • Anti-government protesters • Provincial political and economic leaders • Pro-government supporters • LTTE’s Black Tiger Squad • Tamil factions – TMVP Opportunities (triggers): • Referendum • Regional statutes • Hate speech • Organized demonstrations • Human rights violations • Elections, coup plot • Government’s instability and unwillingness to reconcile 4 Possible Mitigating Factors: • Repressive army, increased funding for rebuilding of army • Remittances from diaspora • Strong healthcare and education systems • Government’s easing of emergency laws • Willing and easily activated civil society 5 Report out (25 minutes) Post the flip charts and ask each group to report on their findings. When presenting, groups should facilitate discussion by asking colleagues from the other groups to share thoughts and findings or ask any questions on the presenting group’s assigned component. o Context Group. Give the context group some general guidance on the need to address the structural versus the governance issues. Thank the group and take time to refine the takeaway message if necessary. o Motives group. Ask this to report out on their findings. Take the time to push the group’s thinking beyond a simple laundry list of motives for violence. Challenge the group to identify patterns of grievance, and patterns of resilience. Make sure to prompt them to think about how grievances might be shaped by men’s and women’s different roles and perspectives. Do not close this part of the discussion until you are confident that participants understand the difference between listing motives and coming up with patterns of grievance that can be mobilized by key actors. Thank the group and take time to refine the takeaway message if necessary. o Means group. Give this group some general guidance on the need to identify not only key individuals, but also institutions. Encourage this group to consider core ideologies key actors might support and what resources these actors have access to (weapons, funding and other sources of support). o Mitigating factors group. Give this group some general guidance on identifying which aspect of the equation these mitigating factors apply to. As with the earlier “motives” discussion, prompt the group to consider how gender may shape mitigating factors (e.g., Might women’s groups play a role in peacebuilding? Might men mobilize to protect economic interests?). In closing, you may need to emphasize that each stage of the conflict equation has factors that mitigate these negative patterns and we must consciously look for these patterns of resilience. Thank the group and take time to refine the takeaway message if necessary. o Opportunities/triggers group. This group is last to be assigned. If there are only four tabletop groups, do not include this topic separately. Instead, incorporate/ask questions about resources as the groups move through the other components. 6 Conclusion (5 minutes) As a summary, review report-outs using the discussion as an opportunity to clarify significant issues relating to the topic. Ask for takeaway messages and if any points need clarification. Ask participants about their experience using the conflict equation to analyze a real- world case. Elicit key challenges, advantages or lessons. Ask participants what more they would need to know or understand in order to feel comfortable using this analytical tool.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Endgame in Sri Lanka Ajit Kumar Singh*
    Endgame in Sri Lanka Ajit Kumar Singh* If we do not end war – war will end us. Everybody says that, millions of people believe it, and nobody does anything. – H.G. Wells 1 The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse finally ended the Eelam War2 in May 2009 – though, perhaps, not in the manner many would desire. So determined was the President that he had told Roland Buerk of the BBC in an interview published on February 21, 2007, “I don't want to pass this problem on to the next generation.”3 Though the final phase of open war4 began on January 16, 2008, following the January 2 unilateral withdrawal of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) from the Norway-brokered * Ajit Kumar Singh, Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management 1 Things to Come (The film story), Part III, adapted from his 1933 novel The Shape of Things to Come, spoken by the character John Cabal. 2 The civil war in Sri Lanka can be divided into four phases: Eelam War I between 1983 and 1987, Eelam War II between 1990-1994, Eelam War III between 1995-2001, and Eelam War IV between 2006-2009. See Muttukrishna Sarvananthaa in “Economy of the Conflict Region in Sri Lanka: From Embargo to Repression”, Policy Studies 44, East-West Centre, http://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/stored/pdfs/ps044.pdf. 3 “No end in sight to Sri Lanka conflict”, February 21, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6382787.stm. 4 Amantha Perera, “Sri Lanka: Open War”, South Asia Intelligence Review, Volume 6, No.28, http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/6_28.htm#assessment1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impacts of Small Arms Availability and Misuse in Sri Lanka
    In the Shadow of a Cease-fire: The Impacts of Small Arms Availability and Misuse in Sri Lanka by Chris Smith October 2003 A publication of the Small Arms Survey Chris Smith The Small Arms Survey The Small Arms Survey is an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It is also linked to the Graduate Institute’s Programme for Strategic and International Security Studies. Established in 1999, the project is supported by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and by contributions from the Governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. It collaborates with research institutes and non-governmental organizations in many countries including Brazil, Canada, Georgia, Germany, India, Israel, Jordan, Norway, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Small Arms Survey occasional paper series presents new and substantial research findings by project staff and commissioned researchers on data, methodological, and conceptual issues related to small arms, or detailed country and regional case studies. The series is published periodically and is available in hard copy and on the project’s web site. Small Arms Survey Phone: + 41 22 908 5777 Graduate Institute of International Studies Fax: + 41 22 732 2738 47 Avenue Blanc Email: [email protected] 1202 Geneva Web site: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org Switzerland ii Occasional Papers No. 1 Re-Armament in Sierra Leone: One Year After the Lomé Peace Agreement, by Eric Berman, December 2000 No. 2 Removing Small Arms from Society: A Review of Weapons Collection and Destruction Programmes, by Sami Faltas, Glenn McDonald, and Camilla Waszink, July 2001 No.
    [Show full text]
  • India's National Security Annual Review 2010
    Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 01:22 24 May 2016 India’s National Security Annual Review 2010 Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 01:22 24 May 2016 216x138 HB + 8colour pages ii Ç India’s National Security This series, India’s National Security: Annual Review, was con- ceptualised in the year 2000 in the wake of India’s nuclear tests and the Kargil War in order to provide an in-depth and holistic assessment of national security threats and challenges and to enhance the level of national security consciousness in the country. The first volume was published in 2001. Since then, nine volumes have been published consecutively. The series has been supported by the National Security Council Secretariat and the Confederation of Indian Industry. Its main features include a review of the national security situation, an analysis of upcoming threats and challenges by some of the best minds in India, a periodic National Security Index of fifty top countries of the world, and a chronology of major events. It now serves as an indispensable source of information and analysis on critical national security issues of India. Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 01:22 24 May 2016 India’s National Security Annual Review 2010 Editor-in-Chief SATISH KUMAR Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 01:22 24 May 2016 LONDON NEW YORK NEW DELHI Under the auspices of Foundation for National Security Research, New Delhi First published 2011 in India by Routledge 912 Tolstoy House, 15–17 Tolstoy Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi 110 001 Simultaneously published in the UK by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Transferred to Digital Printing 2011 © 2010 Satish Kumar Typeset by Star Compugraphics Private Ltd D–156, Second Floor Sector 7, NOIDA 201 301 All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • SRI LANKA COUNTRY of ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service
    SRI LANKA COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) REPORT COI Service 7 March 2012 SRI LANKA 7 MARCH 2012 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN SRI LANKA FROM 4 FEBRUARY TO 2 MARCH 2012 Useful news sources for further information REPORTS ON SRI LANKA PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 4 FEBRUARY TO 2 MARCH 2012 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 1.01 Map ........................................................................................................................ 1.08 Public holidays ..................................................................................................... 1.09 2. ECONOMY ................................................................................................................ 2.01 3. HISTORY (1948 – JUNE 2011) ................................................................................... 3.01 Key political events (1948 - June 2011) .......................................................... 3.01 The internal conflict (1984 - May 2009) ........................................................... 3.21 Government treatment of (suspected) members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ................................................................................................. 3.32 The conflict's legacy ........................................................................................ 3.48 The UN Report of April 2011 .........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of Violent Tamil Insurrection in Sri Lanka, 1972-1987
    SECESSIONIST GUERRILLAS: A STUDY OF VIOLENT TAMIL INSURRECTION IN SRI LANKA, 1972-1987 by SANTHANAM RAVINDRAN B.A., University Of Peradeniya, 1981 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Department of Political Science We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA February 1988 @ Santhanam Ravindran, 1988 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of Political Science The University of British Columbia 1956 Main Mall Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Y3 Date February 29, 1988 DE-6G/81) ABSTRACT In Sri Lanka, the Tamils' demand for a federal state has turned within a quarter of a century into a demand for the independent state of Eelam. Forces of secession set in motion by emerging Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism and the resultant Tamil nationalism gathered momentum during the 1970s and 1980s which threatened the political integration of the island. Today Indian intervention has temporarily arrested the process of disintegration. But post-October 1987 developments illustrate that the secessionist war is far from over and secession still remains a real possibility.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sri Lankan Insurgency: a Rebalancing of the Orthodox Position
    THE SRI LANKAN INSURGENCY: A REBALANCING OF THE ORTHODOX POSITION A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Peter Stafford Roberts Department of Politics and History, Brunel University April 2016 Abstract The insurgency in Sri Lanka between the early 1980s and 2009 is the topic of this study, one that is of great interest to scholars studying war in the modern era. It is an example of a revolutionary war in which the total defeat of the insurgents was a decisive conclusion, achieved without allowing them any form of political access to governance over the disputed territory after the conflict. Current literature on the conflict examines it from a single (government) viewpoint – deriving false conclusions as a result. This research integrates exciting new evidence from the Tamil (insurgent) side and as such is the first balanced, comprehensive account of the conflict. The resultant history allows readers to re- frame the key variables that determined the outcome, concluding that the leadership and decision-making dynamic within the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had far greater impact than has previously been allowed for. The new evidence takes the form of interviews with participants from both sides of the conflict, Sri Lankan military documentation, foreign intelligence assessments and diplomatic communiqués between governments, referencing these against the current literature on counter-insurgency, notably the social-institutional study of insurgencies by Paul Staniland. It concludes that orthodox views of the conflict need to be reshaped into a new methodology that focuses on leadership performance and away from a timeline based on periods of major combat.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Chapter Four Sri Lanka
    CASE-STUDY: SRI LANKA CASE-STUDY SRI LANKA ACHIEVING COORDINATED AND INTEGRATED CARE AMONG LTC SERVICES: THE ROLE OF CARE MANAGEMENT Professor David Challis University of Manchester Palitha AbeykoonUnited Kingdom chapter three chapter four 1 Sri Lanka CASE-STUDY: SRI LANKA CASE-STUDY: SRI LANKA 1 Palitha Abeykoon 1 General background data 1.1 Preamble Sri Lanka is an island of approximately 62 000 square kilometres, situated in the Indian Ocean off the southern tip of India. Administratively, the country is divided into eight provinces, 25 districts and over 300 Divisional Secretariat areas. The country has a parliamentary system of government, with the elected Parliament responsible for legislative functions, and the Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Executive President, vested with executive powers. The provinces have their own provincial councils, headed by a governor, and elected representatives. The population at mid-year 2000 was estimated by the Registrar General at approximately 19 million. One of the most visible features of Sri Lanka’s age structure is the increasing proportion of older age groups. As an indicator of the ageing of the population, the percentage of Sri Lankans over the age of 65 has increased markedly over the last 25 years and is expected to increase from 6.3% to 12.3% in the next 25 years. Correspondingly, there has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases in the population and, consequently, an increase in the need for long-term care. Increased hospitalization for diseases such as neoplasms and diseases of the respiratory, genito–urinary, neurological, and digestive systems are indicative of these trends.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Lanka: Political-Military Relations
    Working Paper Series Working Paper 3 Sri Lanka: Political-Military Relations K.M. de Silva Conflict Research Unit Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ November 2001 Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ Clingendael 7 2597 VH The Hague P.O. Box 93080 2509 AB The Hague Phonenumber: # 31-70-3245384 Telefax: # 31-70-3282002 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.clingendael.nl/cru © Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyrightholders. Clingendael Institute, P.O. Box 93080, 2509 AB The Hague, The Netherlands. © The Clingendael Institute 3 Contents 1 Introduction 5 2 The Armed Services in a Period of Change: 1946-1966 7 3 The Military Confronts Armed Rebels: 1971-1977 11 4 Militarisation and Ethnic Conflict: 1977-2000 13 5 The Current Situation: 2000 19 Critical Bibliography 23 4 © The Clingendael Institute © The Clingendael Institute 5 Introduction1 There is an amazing variety of policies and experiences in civil-military relations in the successor states of the British raj and the empire in South Asia. Sri Lanka was not part of the raj, and always had a more civilian- oriented government system under colonial rule. Like India, Sri Lanka too has had a long and virtually unbroken tradition of democratic rule since independence; both countries have had an unbroken record of subordination of the military to the civil authority. Unlike in India, Sri Lanka has had two abortive coup attempts in 1962 and 1966.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Lankan Civil War
    Sri Lankan Civil War The Sri Lankan Civil War was an armed conflict of the entire area previously controlled by the Tamil fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on 23 Tigers, including their de facto capital Kilinochchi, main July 1983, there was an intermittent insurgency against military base Mullaitivu and the entire A9 highway,[29] the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ee- leading the LTTE to finally admit defeat on 17 May lam (the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), an 2009.[30] Following the end of the war, the Sri Lankan independent militant organisation which fought to cre- government claimed Sri Lanka as the first country in the ate an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the modern world to eradicate terrorism on its own soil.[31] north and the east of the island. After a 26-year military Following the LTTE’s defeat, pro-LTTE Tamil National campaign, the Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Alliance dropped its demand for a separate state, in Tigers in May 2009, bringing the civil war to an end.[1] favour of a federal solution.[32][33] In May 2010, Mahinda For over 25 years, the war caused significant hardships Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka, appointed the for the population, environment and the economy of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) country, with an initial estimated 80,000–100,000 peo- to assess the conflict between the time of the cease- [18] fire agreement in 2002 and the defeat of the LTTE in ple killed during its course.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Lanka: Stop the War on Civilians in Sri Lanka: a Briefing on The
    Amnesty International March 2009 Stop the War on Civilians in Sri Lanka: a briefing on the humanitarian crisis and lack of human rights protection A human rights crisis is unfolding in Sri Lanka where tens of thousands of people are trapped in the middle of heavy fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lanka Armed Forces in the north eastern Wanni region.i The Tamil Tigers, swept by Sri Lankan forces from much of their de facto state in eastern and northern Sri Lanka, are now confined to a 35 square kilometer sliver of coastal land. With them—in many cases, involuntarily—are thousands of civilians, nearly all ethnic Tamils, caught between the sea and two fighting forces with records of serious human rights abuses. Most independent observers estimate there are between 150,000 to 200,000 civilians still confined in this area; the Sri Lankan government has claimed that there are “only” 50,000 to 60,000 civilians there.ii What is indisputable is that these people face grave risk of harm from military action, lack of food and health supplies, and the outbreak of disease. They must be immediately evacuated from the conflict zone and provided with shelter and support. Most of the civilians now caught up in the conflict have already been forced to flee their homes in multiple waves of displacement during the 25-year-war in Sri Lanka, as well as after the Indian Ocean tsunami. They now face a potential humanitarian catastrophe as the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government continues to disregard their well-being.
    [Show full text]
  • Grappling with Great Power Rivalries: Reflections on Sri Lanka's
    Working Paper SWP Working Papers are online publications within the purview of the respective Research Division. Unlike SWP Research Papers and SWP Comments they are not reviewed by the Institute. RESEARCH DIVISION ASIA / BCAS 2019 | SESSION 7, NOVEMBER 2019 Grappling with Great Power Rivalries: Reflections on Sri Lanka’s Engagement with the United States and China Revised Draft1 Ganeshan Wignaraja Introduction Sri Lanka is once again on the radar of the world’s great powers. After emerging from a costly twenty-six-year civil conflict in 2009, this classic Asian small power experienced relative calm and graduated to an upper middle-income economy in 2018 with a per cap- ita GDP of $4,102 and a population of about 22 million. As it cannot afford a significant military capability (see Meegoda, 2018), Sri Lanka has historically pursued a non-aligned foreign policy of being friends with everyone and enemies with no one. In an era of inten- sifying great power competition, the post-conflict decade has seen the US and China step- ping up their engagement in the economic and security spheres with Sri Lanka. While some research exists on Sri Lanka’s-China relations (e.g. Kelegama, 2014; Asirwatham, 2018; de Silva, 2018), a comparative analysis of the country’s engagement with both great powers is lacking. This paper reflects candidly on Sri Lanka’s foreign relations with the US and China in the post-conflict period and the influence of domestic constraints in shaping Sri Lanka’s agenda. It is a historic analysis covering the period January 2010 to October 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • Under the Giant's Tank
    UNDER THE GIANT’S TANK VILLAGE, CASTE, AND CATHOLICISM IN POSTWAR SRI LANKA Dominic Esler A thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology, University College London, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. December 2019. 2 I, Dominic Esler, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. 3 4 ABSTRACT This thesis is an investigation of the relationship between the village, caste, and Catholicism in northern Sri Lanka. Drawing on almost two years of ethnographic fieldwork in Mannar District, as well as subsequent archival research, it provides a detailed analysis not only of the postwar context but also of prewar history, with a particular focus on the nineteenth century. In this thesis, I analyse three overlapping topics. First, I problematise ‘village’ through an examination of ‘cultural’ and ‘state’ village concepts, before arguing that within the complex social diversity of the village of Marudankandal there is a numerically dominant Tamil caste group, the Kadaiyars, whose prominence is reflected both rhetorically and through the control of institutions such as the Catholic village church. From this, I turn to two central dimensions of local caste praxis. First, I offer a historical explanation for the regional prevalence of village churches controlled by single castes, which remains a key characteristic of local Catholicism today. Second, I argue that despite the lessening of certain kinds of hierarchical caste relationships in recent decades, caste identities continue to be mobilised and expressed through regional communities, some of which maintain caste associations.
    [Show full text]