Sri Lanka

First published in 1984, Sri Lanka: In Change and Crisis focuses on two major political events in Sri Lankan history- the presidential elections/referendum of 1982 and the communal riots of 1983. James Manor's introduction attempts to place these events within an evolutionary analysis of Sri Lankan political history since independence. The aim of this collection is not to achieve unanimity but to approach the events in Sri Lanka from a diversity of viewpoints. The book discusses themes like plebiscitary democracy or creeping authoritarianism; the New Gaullist-Bonapartist State in Sri Lanka; electoral system change in Sri Lanka; the origins and institutionalization of political violence; popular perceptions of violence; the riots and the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka; and Tamils in the aftermath of the violence. This is an important historical reference work for the students of political science, South Asian politics and South Asian history.

List of Abbreviations 1. Introduction Part I: Sri Lanka in Change- Late 1982 2. Plebiscitary Democracy or Creeping Authoritarianism? The Presidential Election and Referendum of 1982 3. The 1982 Elections and the New Gaullist-Bonapartist State in Sri Lanka 4. The Elections of 1982 5. The Conduct of Referendum 6. Proportional Representation and Electoral System Change in Sri Lanka Part II: Sri Lanka in Crisis- Mid 1983 7. Seeking The Roots of the Tragedy 8. The Origins and Institutionalization of Political Violence 9. Some Thoughts on Sinhalese Justifications for the Violence 10. Popular Perceptions of Violence: A Provincial View 11. The Riots and the Roman Catholic Church in Historical Perspective 12. Hill Country Tamils in the Aftermath of the Violence Notes on Contributors Index