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The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School Department of Applied Linguistics DISCOURSES OF MILITARISATION IN SRI LANKAN UNIVERSITIES A Dissertation in Applied Linguistics by Muditha Kaushalya Perera 2015 Muditha Kaushalya Perera Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2015 ii The dissertation of Muditha Kaushalya Perera was reviewed and approved* by the following: Sinfree Makoni Associate professor of Applied Linguistics and African Studies Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Suresh Canagarajah Edwin Erle Sparks Professor in Applied Linguistics and English Meredith Doran Affiliate Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics Gail Boldt Professor of Education and Women’s Studies Robert W. Schrauf Professor of Applied Linguistics Head of the Department of Applied Linguistics *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT This project is a study of the discourses of militarisation in Sri Lankan academia. Since 2010, Sri Lankan universities have been the site of turbulent events, including a state-initiated military-led undergraduate orientation programme; appointments of allegedly unsuitable individuals to higher administrative positions in universities; infringements of student rights and unions. In parallel, a dynamic trade union campaign has generated discussions on the role of state universities and the functions of higher education. I study the discourses of academics on militarisation in this environment, in its public and individual aspects. The research questions are: a) What are the discourses of militarisation in Sri Lankan academia, as formulated publicly and individually? b) What changes are evident in individual discourses of militarisation amongst Sri Lankan academia over a long duration of time? The study uses a methodological framework that includes an ethnographic approach and discourse analysis. It uses interviews as instances of individual voice, and texts produced by FUTA, the academic trade union, as the public (and collective) voice of academics. These texts include policy documents and press releases by FUTA as well as posters and pamphlets. Conversation analytic methods are adapted for transcription of the interviews, and discursive strategies of stance, narrative and voice for analysis. Even though literature on militarisation of higher education continues to grow, few locally specific studies exist outside North America and Europe. In addition, research from a person-oriented or discourse analytic approach is rare, as is research focusing on academic institutions. This dissertation contributes to multiple disciplines investigating militarisation, including education and discourse studies. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... vii List of Maps……………………………………………………………………………….....viii Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………...ix Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Part 1 ................................................................................................................................ 1 Part 2 Contextual background .......................................................................................... 5 1. Higher education in 20th century Sri Lanka ........................................................ 7 2. Militarisation of society and education in Sri Lanka ........................................... 19 3. Universities, politics and violence........................................................................ 35 4. Events and organisations of relevance to the study .............................................. 40 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 2 Literature Review .................................................................................................... 47 1. Militarism, militarisation and securitisation................................................................. 47 1.1. Militarism .......................................................................................................... 48 1.2. Militarisation ..................................................................................................... 49 1.3. Militarisation versus securitisation .................................................................... 51 2. Militarisation in Sri Lanka ........................................................................................... 52 3. Discourses of militarisation.......................................................................................... 54 4. Militarisation of education ........................................................................................... 55 4.1. The militarising project in schools .................................................................... 55 4.2. Militarisation in higher education ..................................................................... 58 4.3 Militarisation and language education ............................................................... 61 5. Evolutions and gaps ..................................................................................................... 63 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 3 Research Methodology ............................................................................................ 66 1. Research design ............................................................................................................ 66 2. Research Questions ...................................................................................................... 67 3. Ethics ............................................................................................................................ 68 4. Setting .......................................................................................................................... 69 5. Research Process .......................................................................................................... 73 6. Data sources and data collection techniques ................................................................ 74 6.1. Participant interviews ........................................................................................ 74 6.2. Texts produced by FUTA .................................................................................. 76 6.3. Fieldnotes .......................................................................................................... 78 7. Data preparation ........................................................................................................... 79 8. Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 80 v 8.1. Stance ................................................................................................................ 81 8.2. Narrative ............................................................................................................ 82 8.3. Voice ................................................................................................................. 82 9. Commentary on ethical considerations ........................................................................ 83 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 86 Chapter 4 Public and individual discourses on militarisation .................................................. 87 Section 1 ........................................................................................................................... 88 Permitted speech and foreclosures: FUTA’s responses to militaristic state policies in universities .............................................................................................. 88 Section 2 ........................................................................................................................... 94 Individual discourses in confluence – defining militarisation ......................................... 94 Section 3 ........................................................................................................................... 102 Individual discourses in dissonance: Tensions and ambivalence ..................................... 102 Section 4 ........................................................................................................................... 112 A discursive transition - Inner speech externalised .......................................................... 112 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 118 Chapter 5 Temporal changes in discourses of militarisation ................................................... 121 Section 1 ........................................................................................................................... 122 Temporal changes in discursive style in individual discourses ........................................ 122 Section 2 ..........................................................................................................................