Social Scientists' Association

The Conscience of the Scholar by Jonathan Spencer

When news started to spread of the death of Gananath Obeyesekere, a younger colleague said to me, “Oh, you must have known him. What was he like?”. I paused before replying, “I think he may have been the most charismatic man I ever met.”…

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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