Social Sciences

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Towards fundamentalism: globalization, moral order and the case of Iran
(Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Lecamwasam, N.O.; Gunasekera, O.D.A.
Globalization is a multi-faceted phenomenon that causes the steady erosion of political, cultural and economic boundaries of nations by facilitating an increasingly uniform world system. Culturally, globalization expects to substitute traditional and allegedly parochial cultural practices with so called progressive values which just happen to coincide with western ones. However, cultural globalization is not a simple matter of replacing one culture with another. The glaring incompatibilities between tradition and modernity have resulted in the stiff rejection of a global order by fiercely traditional societies for whom compromising their identity is not an option, thus making global culture a far-fetched dream. Iran stands as a classic example of such resistance. Despite its initial endorsement of modern American values during the Pahlavi regime, the country prioritized the preservation of conservative values after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. With the aim of discovering the connection between globalization and religious fundamentalism, the paper explores cultural and religious underpinnings of Iran’s transformation that collectively manifested themselves as an anti-globalization movement that regarded globalization as corrupt and extravagant, qualities with which the existing monarchy was identified. The turn to Islam was thus necessitated to preserve pristine Iranian values which were viewed as the essential anti-thesis of globalization. Using secondary sources including books and web articles, the paper takes a historical approach to Iran’s case and concentrates on the growing antipathy of traditional societies towards globalization which makes them cling to their familiar value systems ever more staunchly. In conclusion it argues that Iran’s value system cannot be considered backward simply because it is incompatible with that of the West. It does not arrest development in an absolute sense but simply offends the prospect of a global model of development which, after all, is only the ultimate measure of development in the eyes of the West.
Religious Associations and Development in India: A Study of the Ramakrishna Mission
(Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2014) Dutta, Sumedha
India has had a relatively long tradition of religious associations providing autonomous spaces of power, social and civic activism, which dates back to the birth of Buddhism and Jainism, followed by the medieval Bhakti and Sufi movements, through the plethora of socio-religious associations that had cropped up during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, until the ones that have emerged in the post-colonial era. Notwithstanding the fact that the fundamentalist and divisive politics of certain religious associations has led to several gory riots and the very partition of the country, many of them have played a pivotal role in ensuring that development remains inclusive, although, their role continues to be undermined in academic writings. Again, with the onset of the „LPG era‟ in India by the 1990s, that saw a roll back of the state mechanism, and the phenomenon of development taking a „participatory‟ turn following the 74th Amendment Act of the Indian Constitution, the gaps which evolved in service delivery are increasingly being filled up by civil society associations. In this context, the proposed paper seeks to analyze the contribution of one of the most prominent religious philanthropic associations in India, the Ramakrishna Mission, in the field of development. Using the purposive and snow ball sampling techniques, the study interrogates the members of the Ramakrishna Mission, apart from the beneficiaries of some of its projects and a few state officials, to elucidate as to how a „traditional‟ association negotiates its existence within the paradigm of a „modern‟, bureaucratic and „secular‟ state. The study observes that through its emphasis on Practical Vedanta, the Ramakrishna Mission has made colossal contributions in the field of education, health, relief work, rural and tribal development. In the ultimate analysis, the proposed paper compels one to rethink the relationship which religious associations share with the nebulous concepts of „development‟ on the one hand, and „civil society‟ on the other.
Evangelical Christian Dynamics in Sri Lanka
(University of Kelaniya, 2005) Nanayakkara, S.
During the last six decades, but more specifically during the last two decades, many parts of South Asia, including Sri Lanka, witnessed a relatively a large influx of new Christian sects based in US, Europe and East Asia. In Sri Lanka, in recent times, this situation has led to heightened tension among religious communities and in certain instances given way to violent conflict. An alarming trend has been the recent wave of organized attacks on evangelical churches in Sri Lanka. Another significant development in the so-called unethical conversions discourse has been the proposal of anticonversion bills in the parliament by the Jathika Hela Urumaya, a party made of Buddhist monks and the Minister in charge of Buddhist Affairs. In this paper, I will discuss why people join these evangelical movements and assess the consequences of dynamics of new Christianities in Sri Lanka. I have come to the conclusion that the popular explanation of the alleged economic incentives offered by these groups is inadequate to understand why people join these new Christian sects and remain in them. The reasons for membership in these groups are varied and complex. The behaviour of some of these groups has been a catalyst for conflict formation. Moreover, there also seems to be a link between extremist nationalist politics and violence directed against evangelical Christian sects operating in Sri Lanka. The study is based on selected areas in Sri Lanka. Participant observation and in-depth interviewing are the major methodologies used in the study.

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