AshehougAgency

Sri Lanka. Nationalism, Identity and Migration

Following its independence in 1948, Sri Lanka developed into a social democratic welfare state and has become a development model for other countries in the third world. However, the last 13 years have been dominated by the conflict between the Sinhalese government and the militant Tamil separatists. This book presents a selection of social scientific analyses of nationalism linked to these two ethnic groups and looks at how the conflict between their respective ethno-national identities have influenced Tamil migration to Norway. In addition, the authors seek to generate additional interest and insight into political developments in Sri Lanka.

One of the core arguments in this book is that the internal differences arising out of gender, caste, class and religious allegiances are being subjugated at the expense of an overarching and homogenous ethno-national identity. This creates the perception that there is a clear dividing line between those viewed as excluded or included in "the nation" - "them" and "us". Those contributing to this book argue that the ethnic nationalisms of the Sinhalese and the Tamil peoples each constitutes a set of political strategies for selected groups within the two different national groupings.

Containing six articles by social scientists, this book seeks to disseminate knowledge and present the outcome of scientific research that may prove valuable in gaining an understanding of both the ethnic conflict and the social and cultural diversity that distinguishes this island. Such knowledge should be of interest to a great number of people working with immigration questions and development aid programmes, as well as to students of the social sciences.

About the editors: Oddvar Hollup has a postgraduate degree in social anthropology and is senior researcher at a research institute, Nordlands-forskningen, in Bodø.

Kristian Stokke did his PhD. in social geography in the United States and is now lecturing on development geography at the University of Bergen.

Publisher: Tano Aschehoug AS 1997
ISBN: 82-518-3513-5
135 pages, paperback