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The Impact of Conflict on Notions of Citizenship and Agency in Sri Lanka
Thu, May 4, 7:00am to 7:00pm CDT (7:00am to 7:00pm CDT), AERA i-Presentation Gallery, AERA Virtual i-Presentation GalleryFri, May 5, 7:00am to 7:00pm CDT (7:00am to 7:00pm CDT), AERA i-Presentation Gallery, AERA Virtual i-Presentation Gallery
Abstract
Sri Lanka's government has been trying to promote social cohesion through democratic citizenship education to address ethnic, linguistic, and religious divisions due to its 30-year civil war and ongoing tensions between the majority Singhalese and minority groups, including Ethnic Tamils, Indian Tamils, and Muslims. This mixed methods research draws on school observations, interviews, and surveys to explore Sri Lankan high school teachers' and students' notion of citizenship and how it relates to their understanding of social cohesion. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate that participants exposed to high levels of conflict in war-affected regions or severe marginalization had lower levels of social cohesion; this was also related to their lower levels of agency to challenge the status quo and access rights.