Crystal Baines

Marking the 7th anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorism, the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) analyses past official inquiries, with which it expresses dissatisfaction, calling for truth in the hope for justice. #SriLanka polity.lk/memory-pain-an…

Fascinating observations from Ranjini Obeyesekere on the influence of literature on Gananath Obeyesekere's work and the #Srilankan intellectual environment that fostered both their careers.

A Chat with Ayathurai Santhan on ‘Twice Upon a Lifetime’ On 25th February 2026, the Social Scientists’ Association served as media partner to a discussion with Ayathurai Santhan on his latest novel, 'Twice Upon a Lifetime' at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies.

A book discussion on Sri Lankan Tamil writer Ayathurai Santhan's latest novel Twice Upon a Lifetime @iceslk on 25th February. A novel set during the #economiccrisis in #SriLanka. Santhan often writes of his lived experiences of the #civilwar and identity politics in Sri Lanka.

Pleased to have hosted this reading group @ssa_lanka on Prof Sivasundaram's forthcoming article related to @Cambridge_Uni 's #Colombo Histories project.

In a moving photo-essay, (@sakuna_san) Sakuna M. Gamage brings poetry and pictures into conversation to ponder grief, resistance, and justice, in the wake of the ongoing #Chemmanimassgrave excavation in northern #SriLanka. polity.lk/sakuna-gamage-…

@shamara4w how can I register for the Religious Identities event?

A couple of public history events coming up! #Itihas

This year’s H.A.I.G. Prize goes to Priyangwada Perera, for a translation that honours both the spirit and soul of the original work. Their translation of "Lamuthu Amayaa" by Surath de Mel, captured the jury’s attention for its nuance and deep respect for storytelling. #HAIGPrize

We are thrilled to announce that Savin Edirisinghe has claimed the the 32nd Gratiaen Prize for their extraordinary manuscript, “Kata Katha: Gossip, Rumours, and Idle Talk” — a work that moved the jury with its originality, emotional depth, and literary flair. #gratiaenprize

@ssa_lanka @OSUNForum @_YogendraYadav @skanthakumar_b

SSA hosted a panel discussion titled “Political Futures in South Asia: Does Democracy have a Place?” on 8th March 2025, the The discussion was a part of the regional conference convened by the SSA as a part of its ongoing @OSUNForum (GFDD) project.

'Re-enchanting Democracy: Reflections on South Asia', delivered by Prof. Yogendra Yadav. Prior registration is required. Date: Friday, 07 March 2025 Time: 4.30PM - 6.30 PM Location: BCIS, BMICH, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 Registration: info@ssalanka.org or 070166 0792

The Central Expressway should have been the priority after the construction of the Katunayake Expressway. For decades, travelling to Kandy has not been a pleasant experience, especially on the Kandy-Colombo road. It takes almost 4 hours now, and is tiring because of the winding, ascending road. This expressway could cut down the travel time to 1.5 hours. Kandy is the second city in Sri Lanka, and the benefits of connecting the two main cities are immense. It would give a facelift to Kandy and enhance economic and social ties between the two cities. Unfortunately, the post-war leadership wanted to make Hambantota the second city. So this was neglected, and wasteful investments were made in the deep South. Since then, there have been many promises that this would be expedited. Hopefully, this promise doesn't end up being another empty one. #SriLanka #lka

Aththa Newspaper 1964-1992: A newly digitized Sinhala resource on #SriLankan political and cultural history. Link to archive 👇🏽 jstor.org/site/south-asi… #lka #historysrilanka #leftwing

Kind reminder: a discussion on Duleep de Chickera's Beyond Checkpoints: Stories of human resilience in troubled #srilanka. 12 December 2024 at 5 pm, at the Cathedral premises, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, #colombo

@NeenaMahadev @AnthroReligion @AmericanAnthro @IRCPL_Columbia @ColumbiaUP Wonderful news and well-deserved! Congratulations Neena

I’m thrilled to share that my book Karma and Grace: Religious Difference in Millennial Sri Lanka won the 2024 Clifford Geertz Prize from @AnthroReligion awarded at the Society for the Anthropology of Religion meeting, @AmericanAnthro! Thanks SAR, @IRCPL_Columbia @ColumbiaUP!

Conversation with Bishop Duleep de Chickera on his book Beyond Checkpoints on 12 December 2024 at 5 pm. Venue: Diocesan Chambers, Cathedral Premises, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, #Colombo 7 Moderated by Dr Mahendran Thiruvarangan @t30m2 . #SriLanka #Travellogue #Literature @Amal_deC

The 'Oddamavadi' project, comprising a book and documentary film, takes on a shameful chapter in Sri Lanka’s recent history when Muslims were barred from burial in violation of their religious beliefs. A review essay by @thegutterflower: himalmag.com/politics/sri-l…

“Religion and the Secular in South Asia: Perspectives from the Humanities”: a recently concluded seminar in Colombo which explored the contentious but pertinent question of "the secular" in historical and contemporary contexts of Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan. #SriLanka

And the gems keep rolling in...Maybe a basic fact-check?? #SriLanka #SriLankaElections2024

Great news for theater enthusiasts! Sri Lankan Theater in a Time of Terror (1999) by Dr.Ranjini Obeyesekere is now digitized and freely accessible, courtesy of @ailscolombo and @PULibrary. Visit catalog.princeton.edu/catalog/993209… and scroll down to access download options. 🎭#SLTheater