The Crisis in Sri Lanka: Perspectives from Economics, Politics and Anthropology
In 2022, Sri Lanka has experienced the worst economic crisis in its history and a people’s movement that overthrew the President. How did this moderately successful economy with enviable health and education indicators and an uninterrupted democracy end up in this situation? What can be done to help the country emerge from the twin economic and political crises?
Three Sri Lankan scholars will address these questions from their disciplinary perspectives: Shanta Devarajan (Professor of the Practice of International Development, Georgetown University); Neil DeVotta (Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University); Mythri Jegathesan (Associate Professor of Anthropology, Santa Clara University). The seminar will compare and contrast the different approaches with a view towards finding common solutions to the crisis in Sri Lanka. Cecilia Van Hollen (Teaching Professor of Asian Studies, Georgetown University) will moderate the discussion.