Date of Conferral

3-13-2024

Date of Award

March 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

David Milen

Abstract

Sri Lanka, despite gaining independence in 1948, has been plagued by ethnic separatism, negatively impacting 29.9% of its ethnic minorities and causing violence and civil unrest throughout the nation. This has hindered the nation’s sustained growth and development. This study addresses Sri Lanka’s ethnic separatism by examining three stages of its history through the lens of the polarities of democracy model. The research question for the study is “How has the balance of polarities of democracy contributed or detracted from Sri Lanka’s pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial governance in terms of sustaining ethnic harmony?” The study took the form of a qualitative historical-comparative case study to examine Sri Lankan history in three periods: pre-colonial (5 BCE–1505), colonial (1506–1948), and post-colonial (1949-Present). Data were collected through documentative sources and analyzed through qualitative document analysis and frequency tables. The results of the study confirm that pre-colonial Sri Lankan governance, which leveraged the overarching values of the polarities of democracy model, thrived in sustaining ethnic harmony. However, neglecting to leverage these polarities during the colonial and post-colonial periods led to a cycle of failed governance from 1948–2022, resulting in Sri Lanka becoming a failed state in 2023. This study fills gaps in existing literature on Sri Lanka’s ethnic crisis by building a polarities of democracy model specific to Sri Lanka’s crisis. This information can encourage positive social change, allowing future leaders to balance the polarity pairs, recover the state, and sustain its growth.

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