Social Scientists' Association

KUMARI JAYAWARDENA FEMINIST ARCHIVE: CALL FOR ENGAGEMENT

In celebration of the life, alignments, and commitments, of the political scientist and historian Visakha Kumari Jayawardena, the Social Scientists’ Association of Sri Lanka (SSA) of which she is a founder member and former Secretary, is creating a digital archive of her scholarship, which endeavour we began last year through funds raised from individual donors.

Ditwah Relief Management: Politics and Perceptions in ‘Kolamba Gama’ by Shashik Silva

Behind the numbers of those affected by Cyclone Ditwah, the homes and businesses destroyed or damaged, and those still in temporary shelters, there are other stories about what disaster relief means to people, their response to government relief, and how their political identity shapes their responses.

Cyclone Ditwah Impact, Response and Recovery: Survey Findings of Sri Lankan Public Perceptions

A survey conducted by the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA), Colombo, captured public experiences and perceptions following the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. The objective of the study was to examine citizens’ perceptions of institutional responsiveness following Cyclone Ditwah…

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‘𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲’ by 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐞

On the 26th of February 2026, the Social Scientists’ Association hosted a discussion with Prof. Danture Wickramasinghe on his forthcoming book project, 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. Wickramasinghe discusses the notion of accountability as a visibility mechanism that requires a calculative infrastructure, and as an analytical lens through which development should be studied. Wickramasinghe presented the framework in which he is positioning his research, while drawing on the concepts of hybridity, gendered accountability, and Weberian bureaucracy to discuss further avenues of his research.

Out Now! Vol. 13 No. 2 (July - December 2025).

148 pages. #SriLanka . Politics. Cyclone Ditwah. Ecology. Feminism. Education. Justice. Domestic Violence Act. History. Culture. Work. Labour. Books. Cover Picture Sakuna Miyasinadha Gamage. LKR1000 from the Social Scientists’ Association or Barefoot or SLBOOKS.lk.

Social Scientists’ Association

The Social Scientists’ Association (SSA) is a pioneering social science research institute in Colombo, striving to be a catalyst for progressive social change through research, publications, and advocacy. Founded in 1977, a period in which Sri Lankan society, economy and politics were undergoing rapid change, the SSA’s mission has been to facilitate critical understanding of that process, its origins, and trajectory. The SSA has been home to many of Sri Lanka’s widely recognised academics and public intellectuals. It is known for themes relating to ethnicity and nationalism, economic liberalisation, agrarian political economy, plantation studies, left history, women’s history, gender relations, feminism, constitutional reform and citizenship, peace and conflict resolution, democracy and political theory, and research methodologies.

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