MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN ... more MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ACCELERATED MAHAWELI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF SRI LANKA
Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka h... more Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka have been living in a state of protracted displacement. During this time, they have been confronted with various socio-economic and political challenges concerned with the realization of durable solutions to their displacement. After nearly two and a half decades, while some IDPs have become victims of the negligence and exclusion thrust upon them by the Sri Lankan government and donors, others have instead proven themselves to be anything but simply victims. By focusing on female heads of households (FHHs) and their attempts to generate and sustain positive livelihoods, this paper aims to unravel how the livelihood strategies of FHHs are mediated through their heterogeneity and hence their agency to access different resources to make a living in the context of protracted displacement. This study is informed by a larger survey that was undertaken by the author in 2014, which focused on Mu...
Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka h... more Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka have been living in a state of protracted displacement. During this time, they have been confronted with various socio-economic and political challenges concerned with the realization of durable solutions to their displacement. After nearly two and a half decades, while some IDPs have become victims of the negligence and exclusion thrust upon them by the Sri Lankan government and donors, others have instead proven themselves to be anything but simply victims. By focusing on female heads of households (FHHs) and their attempts to generate and sustain positive livelihoods, this paper aims to unravel how the livelihood strategies of FHHs are mediated through their heterogeneity and hence their agency to access different resources to make a living in the context of protracted displacement. This study is informed by a larger survey that was undertaken by the author in 2014, which focused on Mu...
This article uses the concept of political ecology to understand the conflict arising out of RSM ... more This article uses the concept of political ecology to understand the conflict arising out of RSM in the village and tries to locate gender and livelihood changes as central elements. Influenced by the foregoing discussion. The article views gender as an important aspect in the political ecology of RSM as the livelihood impact of RSM are different on men and women. The article adopts the view of ‘displacement in place’ to show how RSM has negatively affected the livelihoods of the interviewed villagers who have not physically moved outside the village, but engaged in local, trans local and temporary global migration
In many patriarchal societies roles of married men and women are held in high esteems. However, i... more In many patriarchal societies roles of married men and women are held in high esteems. However, in the context of increasing social and economic changes occurring at both local and global levels they cannot live up to the expectation of such societies. Married women are forced to take up breadwinner roles in many families, mainly due to poverty, unemployment, underemployment, low productivity and inadequate income in the agricultural sector along with the changing conceptualizations of individuals perceived wellbeing. Women’s economic contribution has become critical to the survival and wellbeing of many families. At the same time, opportunities for women’s economic participation are not always restricted to local spheres. It has expanded to global spheres too. In this perspective international migration is an important livelihood, option which mainly decided by global forces along with the local situation. In terms of international migration, Middle Eastern countries have been prov...
FROM RICE BARN TO REMITTANCES A Study of Poverty and Livelihood Changes in System H of The Accele... more FROM RICE BARN TO REMITTANCES A Study of Poverty and Livelihood Changes in System H of The Accelerated Mahaweli Development Project (AMDP), Sri Lanka
By drawing on the experiences of internally displaced women living in protracted displacement in ... more By drawing on the experiences of internally displaced women living in protracted displacement in two camps in Kalpitiya in the district of Puttalam, the study aims to interrogate the linkages between women, place attachment and belonging in the context of government initiated durable solutions to displacement issues. I researched forty women using questionnaires, formal and informal discussion. Their narratives reveal their place attachments towards places of origin and their belonging have become very fluid and complicated during the last two decades due to many factors including bitter experiences of living in protracted displacement, generation, standard of life back in their original villages and in camps, livelihood opportunities, social networks, safety and education. All these aspects are reflected when narrating their place attachment and belonging. The study concludes that IDP women are unable to resolve question in a uniform way regarding durable solution to displacement d...
MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN ... more MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ACCELERATED MAHAWELI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF SRI LANKA
BREAKING A VICIOUS CYCLE: FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND THEIR STRUGGLES TO ESCAPE POVERTY IN SYSTE... more BREAKING A VICIOUS CYCLE: FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND THEIR STRUGGLES TO ESCAPE POVERTY IN SYSTEM H OF THE ACCELERATED MAHAWELI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (AMDP) IN SRI LANKA
The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of quality of life (QOL) among the first ... more The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of quality of life (QOL) among the first and second generations of internally displaced women, who are living in Mandalakkuda camp in the district of Puttalam in protracted displacement for nearly a quarter century. I conducted 20 interviews with women from first and second generations to understand how they perceive QOL. Collected information and data were analysed under emerging themes observed from the interview transcripts. The study showed that the perception of QOL varied significantly across different generations. While women from the first generation valued mainly the non-material aspects of QOL, the second-generation women emphasized much on the material aspects of QOL. It was also possible to note some common dimensions identified by both groups. The study concludes that generation and protracted nature of displacement have implications for how these two groups of women perceive QOL. However, these concerns are hardly...
Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography, 2011
The editors are very grateful to the following persons for acting as referees in 2010 and 2011. T... more The editors are very grateful to the following persons for acting as referees in 2010 and 2011. The task of referee often remains anonymous and carries few rewards. We are therefore pleased to acknowledge here the considerable time, dedication, knowledge, and expertise that those listed below have freely given to sustain and improve the quality of Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift Norwegian Journal of Geography
MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN ... more MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ACCELERATED MAHAWELI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF SRI LANKA
Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka h... more Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka have been living in a state of protracted displacement. During this time, they have been confronted with various socio-economic and political challenges concerned with the realization of durable solutions to their displacement. After nearly two and a half decades, while some IDPs have become victims of the negligence and exclusion thrust upon them by the Sri Lankan government and donors, others have instead proven themselves to be anything but simply victims. By focusing on female heads of households (FHHs) and their attempts to generate and sustain positive livelihoods, this paper aims to unravel how the livelihood strategies of FHHs are mediated through their heterogeneity and hence their agency to access different resources to make a living in the context of protracted displacement. This study is informed by a larger survey that was undertaken by the author in 2014, which focused on Mu...
Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka h... more Since 1990, Muslim internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the district of Puttalam in Sri Lanka have been living in a state of protracted displacement. During this time, they have been confronted with various socio-economic and political challenges concerned with the realization of durable solutions to their displacement. After nearly two and a half decades, while some IDPs have become victims of the negligence and exclusion thrust upon them by the Sri Lankan government and donors, others have instead proven themselves to be anything but simply victims. By focusing on female heads of households (FHHs) and their attempts to generate and sustain positive livelihoods, this paper aims to unravel how the livelihood strategies of FHHs are mediated through their heterogeneity and hence their agency to access different resources to make a living in the context of protracted displacement. This study is informed by a larger survey that was undertaken by the author in 2014, which focused on Mu...
This article uses the concept of political ecology to understand the conflict arising out of RSM ... more This article uses the concept of political ecology to understand the conflict arising out of RSM in the village and tries to locate gender and livelihood changes as central elements. Influenced by the foregoing discussion. The article views gender as an important aspect in the political ecology of RSM as the livelihood impact of RSM are different on men and women. The article adopts the view of ‘displacement in place’ to show how RSM has negatively affected the livelihoods of the interviewed villagers who have not physically moved outside the village, but engaged in local, trans local and temporary global migration
In many patriarchal societies roles of married men and women are held in high esteems. However, i... more In many patriarchal societies roles of married men and women are held in high esteems. However, in the context of increasing social and economic changes occurring at both local and global levels they cannot live up to the expectation of such societies. Married women are forced to take up breadwinner roles in many families, mainly due to poverty, unemployment, underemployment, low productivity and inadequate income in the agricultural sector along with the changing conceptualizations of individuals perceived wellbeing. Women’s economic contribution has become critical to the survival and wellbeing of many families. At the same time, opportunities for women’s economic participation are not always restricted to local spheres. It has expanded to global spheres too. In this perspective international migration is an important livelihood, option which mainly decided by global forces along with the local situation. In terms of international migration, Middle Eastern countries have been prov...
FROM RICE BARN TO REMITTANCES A Study of Poverty and Livelihood Changes in System H of The Accele... more FROM RICE BARN TO REMITTANCES A Study of Poverty and Livelihood Changes in System H of The Accelerated Mahaweli Development Project (AMDP), Sri Lanka
By drawing on the experiences of internally displaced women living in protracted displacement in ... more By drawing on the experiences of internally displaced women living in protracted displacement in two camps in Kalpitiya in the district of Puttalam, the study aims to interrogate the linkages between women, place attachment and belonging in the context of government initiated durable solutions to displacement issues. I researched forty women using questionnaires, formal and informal discussion. Their narratives reveal their place attachments towards places of origin and their belonging have become very fluid and complicated during the last two decades due to many factors including bitter experiences of living in protracted displacement, generation, standard of life back in their original villages and in camps, livelihood opportunities, social networks, safety and education. All these aspects are reflected when narrating their place attachment and belonging. The study concludes that IDP women are unable to resolve question in a uniform way regarding durable solution to displacement d...
MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN ... more MIDDLE EAST MIGRATION, WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND CHANGING GENDER ROLES OF MARRIED MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ACCELERATED MAHAWELI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OF SRI LANKA
BREAKING A VICIOUS CYCLE: FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND THEIR STRUGGLES TO ESCAPE POVERTY IN SYSTE... more BREAKING A VICIOUS CYCLE: FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND THEIR STRUGGLES TO ESCAPE POVERTY IN SYSTEM H OF THE ACCELERATED MAHAWELI DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (AMDP) IN SRI LANKA
The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of quality of life (QOL) among the first ... more The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of quality of life (QOL) among the first and second generations of internally displaced women, who are living in Mandalakkuda camp in the district of Puttalam in protracted displacement for nearly a quarter century. I conducted 20 interviews with women from first and second generations to understand how they perceive QOL. Collected information and data were analysed under emerging themes observed from the interview transcripts. The study showed that the perception of QOL varied significantly across different generations. While women from the first generation valued mainly the non-material aspects of QOL, the second-generation women emphasized much on the material aspects of QOL. It was also possible to note some common dimensions identified by both groups. The study concludes that generation and protracted nature of displacement have implications for how these two groups of women perceive QOL. However, these concerns are hardly...
Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography, 2011
The editors are very grateful to the following persons for acting as referees in 2010 and 2011. T... more The editors are very grateful to the following persons for acting as referees in 2010 and 2011. The task of referee often remains anonymous and carries few rewards. We are therefore pleased to acknowledge here the considerable time, dedication, knowledge, and expertise that those listed below have freely given to sustain and improve the quality of Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift Norwegian Journal of Geography
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