The Sri Lankan Tamils: Ethnicity and Identity

Description

Within the larger context of bitter ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, this timely volume assembles a multidisciplinary group of scholars to explore the central issue of Tamil identity in this South Asian country. Bringing historical, sociological, political, and geographical perspectives to bear on the subject, the contributors analyze various aspects of Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents Preface and Acknowledgments 1 Introduction: The Sri Lankan Tamils 2 Sri Lanka's Tamils: Under Colonial Rule 3 Tamils and the Meaning of History 4 Colonization as Politics: Political Use of Space in Sri Lanka's Ethnic Conflict 5 The Colombo Man, the Jaffna Man, and the Batticaloa Man: Regional Identities and the Rise of the Federal Party 6 The Political Construction of defensive Nationalism: The 1968 Temple Entry Crisis in Sri Lanka 7 The "Groups" and the Rise of Militant Secessionism 8 The Material Basis for Separation: The Tamil Eelam Movement in Sri Lanka 9 Afterword: The Future of Sinhala-Tamil Relations About the Contributors Index