Reviewing International Encounters (RIE)
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Item A study on poverty and women unemployment(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Subasinghe, W.This paper explores one of the key issues in current research on gender and development: the links between poverty and women's employment and underemployment. The nation‟s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of thousands of Sri Lankans. Unemployment has pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger. Poverty can be considered as a central socio and economic problem. The women ratio is highly vital factor in concerning of current population statistics including women households, education level, and women workforce. The purpose of the study is looking the women unemployment and makes proposals to uplift the women‟s contribution to the national economy. Objectives: To identify male vs. female unemployment, what extent is a woman's household economic status, which programs are most suitable for women for livelihood. Research question: What is the co-relation between poverty and women‟s unemployment? Methodology: Survey method has been done for collecting primary data through structured questionnaires. FGDs and KII has done. Findings: The first phase of the project involves screening overall studies have shown very different effects of poverty, for different types of poverty: from income inequalities, to social exclusion and unemployment. The final phase involves the analysis provides strong evidence for a co-relation between household economic status and women's current employment status. This is true for the entire sample and for the married and unmarried women. The interplay of economic factors (in terms of household needs and aspirations) and cultural factors (in terms of women's position in the family as unmarried daughters as opposed to wives or daughters-in-law) as determinants of women's employment is important both on the supply side of the labour market and women's ability to obtain employment in an imperfect and almost saturated labour market in the context of Sri Lanka.Item The Influence of International Labour Migration on the Family Institution in Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Amaratunga, K. M. G. C. K.Sri Lanka is a major migrating country in Asia, with a high proportion of female labour migrants employed as domestic housemaids in the middle East. Although Sri Lanka labour migration can be seen as two streams i.e Skilled, and Unskilled, When viewed in the historical context. It is evident that since the first half of 1980,a heavy and extensively large flow of unskilled labour was in progress, especially to the oil-rich middle eastern countries. This trend was a direct result of the disintegration of the rural agricultural economy. Its dependency on land was the foremost challenge that was detrimental to the Agro social system. As a result, the female labour marked in the present social strata flourished and became profitable and popular. In this context migration of mothers as unskilled labours was common and foremost. in addition to the middle eastern countries, there are other certain prominently noticeable areas in Sri Lnka that can be recognized as supplying a stream of migrant labour notably to Italy. Though mothers seem to prefer catering their labour to the middle east, Italy had turned out to be more attractive to their counterpart – the fathers. When a mother of a family migrate to the middle east, the general tendency of her children, left behind, seems to face various setbacks as socio economic problems ,While she has the risk of physical and sexual harassment by her employers. But in the situation of a father migrating to Italy, the family becomes affluent as a result of which the morality of the family is at stake as mother and children face the tendency to be attracted to anti-social and immoral activities – creating a situation to the institution of the familyItem Impact of New Housing Scheme of Estate Workers on Their Improvement of Livelihood(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Sanjeewani, K.S.Due to the labour shortage for plantation works the British administration had to depend on Indian labour force. After bringing them to Sri Lankan estates, they have given „line rooms‟ with poor facilities. Those plantation Tamils have been living as a segregated community in the plantation areas today even. But, after the independent governments concerned more on the improvement of the estate workers livelihood. As a result of that the Plantation Human Development Trust and the National Housing Development Authority played a key role in introducing new housing schemes for estate people. Therefore, this study has focused on two selected housing settlements in estate Poyston and estate Carolina in Ambagamuwa divisional secretariat division, NuwaraEliya district, Sri Lanka. The main objective of the study was to identify the impact of the new housing settlements which were carried out by the government in the plantation sector as an alternative to the contemporary line rooms. This study has taken two research strategies namely, Survey Method and Comparative Method. Key informants‟ Interviews, Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), and observation also conducted. A significant change in the workers livelihood can be identified in both settlements. But it depends on the type of the house and the facilities it included.Item Leadership Role of the National Library and Documentation Centre of Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Weerasinghe, M.K.The National Library (NL) is a living organization as well as a social institution in the contemporary society. It is the heart of library system of most of the countries. Therefore, it is a major responsibility of a library to provide its service to all the members of their communities, regardless of age, race, nationality, religion, culture, political affiliation, physical or other disabilities, gender or sexual orientation, and any other status. To fulfill this role the NL/NLs of a particular country perhaps has to play both the collaborative and the leadership role. In analyzing these roles NLs all over the world could be categorized into two as libraries in the developed and the developing countries, while some NLs in the developed countries playing a more collaborative role (CR), some NLs in the developing countries are playing a more leadership role (LR). The history of the origin of the NL of Sri Lanka goes back to 19th century. Government Oriental Library (GOL) in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was established in 1870 and it can be considered as the first setup in establishing a library at national level. The long felt need of a NL for the country was at last fulfilled when the NL of Sri Lanka was declared open in April 1990. Most of the NLs in the developing world play a leadership role in their library communities. The National Library and Documentation Centre (NLDC) of Sri Lanka is playing leadership role in the field of Library and Information Services especially in emergency situations. The NLDC has been playing rebuilding of libraries in Sri Lanka which were devastated due to two disasters namely Tsunami disaster in 2004 and terrorist attacks of Northern and Eastern provinces which were destructed by a terrorist group (LTTE) in last 30 years. The interview method is selected to gather data required for this research. It involves conducting lengthy discussions with selected people. The purpose of the interview is to provide the researcher with a relatively flexible format for gathering data. The form of an interview-questioning by one person, answering by another can be used for variety of purposes (Dillon, 1990). The significant advantage of this method is the possibility and capability of obtaining the most realistic data. Therefore, the author selected an unstructured interview method for data collecting. Interviews are usually thought as structured and unstructured. The outcomes of the research are useful to different groups of people in Sri Lanka, mainly those who are working in managerial positions and members of the Directors of NLs. Secondly, the outcomes of the research useful to academic groups in the Library and Information Science (LIS) segment as well as in the field of Organizational Management. Scholars, researchers and students in these disciplines and related disciplines may also be advantaged. Librarians/ library managers of other types of libraries also will benefit from these research findingsItem Threats and opportunities in library education: new strategies in the Curriculum Development in the Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Weerasooriya, W.A.The principal aim of this study is to identify the threats and opportunities face by the library education movement in Sri Lanka with special reference to Department of Library and Information Science (DELIS), University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka and to investigate the measures and strategies for answering them. The paper explores how the DELIS could counter these threats with the help of curriculum development strategies. Objectives of the study were to study threats and factors affecting library education with special reference to DELIS, to explore how DELIS overcome these threats and to develop a model of a curriculum design system. Methodology adopted in the study comprised the analysis of vision, mission, stakeholder, content and SWOT. The factors and threats affecting the library education in Sri Lanka can be categorized in to two aspects as macro and micro. Macro aspects are non-recognition and non-identification of the library sector in the government hierarchy particularly the higher education sector, dubious bureaucracy, and lack of cooperation among the principal library education contributors. Micro aspects of threats are the grass root level factors. These threats are rapidly changing subject knowledge content and relevancy, lack of communication and ICT skills among the Library and Information Science (LIS) students, perennial decrease of library science students‟ intake, negative thinking and attitudes among LIS professionals. Identifying this critical situation, the DELIS is in the process of revising its LIS curriculum drastically suiting to the current demands and requirement in the Student Centered Learning (SCL) context. The others measures for answering these threats are the inclusion of extraordinary course units, revising curriculum at every four year period, empowerment of industrial training component, identification of series of competencies, allocation of more ICT course units, inclusion of project based English course unit at every semester, introduction of more practical project based course unites particularly in Classification, Cataloguing, compilation of bibliographic tools and Literature survey project reports in Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Humanities. ICT, communication, management and language skills are some of the essential soft skills which should inculcate among the undergraduates. It is proposed to empower the curriculum evaluation process and further propose to set up a Curriculum Revision Committee with the representation from the principal library education contributors in Sri Lanka, library professionals and the government and private sector. It is observed that a benchmark system introduced so far has to be revised accordingly. These are some of the new strategies in the curriculum development in the Department and they could be applied in the other curriculum development processes. Academic feedbacks well received and responded by the audience in International conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, on 8th, 9th and 10th September, 2014, Istanbul, Turkey. They suggested to consider Industrial Training (IT) be mandatory and let it be given the students for a whole semester free of lectures. Their view was to overseer Industrial Training process very carefully. They informed it is better to students be given a trainee allowance. Innovative ideas they pointed are making a fixed time period for syllabi revision, allowing students to develop their soft-skills within and outside the curriculum, conducting SWOT, Need Analysis getting more feedbacks from library education stakeholders such as LIS teachers, library professionals, library schools etc. The suggestion to include a course unit on Knowledge management and Indigenous knowledge system was well responded by the audience. Since the internet and ICT development makes a radical development in the libraries and information sector, they suggested considering giving a higher weightage to that component in curriculum development. They endorsed the fact that Outcome Based Education could be achieved using Student Centered Learning. One value added emphasis was the utilization of Online Learning Management System (OLMS) for undergraduate education.Item An Examination of Relations between Lanka and Other Countries: with Special Reference to Yapahuwa Period of Sri Lankan History(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Sudharmawathie, J. M.After the decline of Rajaratacivilization, the Kingdoms of the country shifted to the Southwest. Hereafter, locations were chosen as capitals based on defense. Yapahuwa was also such place which became the seat of rule for a brief period. The place at Yapahuwa was built on a rock which was situated in the middle of a valley. The only king who ruled from Yapahuwa was King Bhuvanekabahu I. However, his reign at Yapahuwa is noted in the history of Sri Lanka because of various relations with foreign countries. The objective of this paper is to discuss the nature of foreign relations of Lanka during the YapahuwaPeriod. Both Primary and Secondary Sources were used to gather relevant facts and information to achieve the assigned objective. In interpreting data, both literary and archaeological sources were used. It is clear that Lanka had relation with South India, China and Egypt at the time. The nature of these relations varied and there were political, trade and religious relations. When considering the South Indian invasions at the time, it can be said that the invasions was a continuation of previous such invasions to the island. However, as depicted by the architectural remains there were also cordial relations with foreign countries during this period. BhuvanekabahuI can be considered as a king who made an effort to develop foreign trade. This fact is very clear from his policy of continuing the trade activities with china which was initiated during the Anuradhapura Period. Lanka became a part of the international trade activities carriedout through the Indian Ocen. This had affected positively to Lankan economy.Item The Monks and their trading activities in Ancient Sri Lanka From 3rd B.C.E. to the 5th C.E.(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Gunwardhana, N.S.It is a well-known fact that unlike Brāhmaṇism, Buddhism looked favourably upon trade activities. As revealed by epigraphic and literary evidences, the earliest donors and important patrons of the Buddhist establishment of South Asia were caravan merchants and wealthy seafaring traders.Teachings of the Buddhā say that “pubbahāsi” (be first to receive the other with a smile) “pubbabhasi” (first to talk courteously to the others). Most probably these qualities may have been attracted the visitors to the Sri Lankan harbours. Some donors of the caves, the earliest dwellings of the Buddhist monks, were nāvikas (mariners) or vanijha (traders). There are instances where the monks themselves have donated caves to the brotherhood. Most of the monks who have donated the caves belong to a higher rank. The KadurvävaBrāhmī inscription talks of a cave, dedicated by the elder Datta, a professor of the Vinaya(IC 1970.vol. i. no.1207:98).The MulgirigalaBrāhmī inscription speaks of a cave given by the reciter of the Majjhima Nikāya to the Saṅgha. The nuns have also donated caves to the Saṅgha. The two Brāhmī inscriptions of Mihintalē speak of caves given by two nuns.These inscriptions show that these nuns were wealthy enough to donate caves. Nearly twelve caves have been donated by the nuns to the Saṅgah during the period of 3rd B.C.E to the 1st C.E. The Brāhmi inscriptions belonging to the 3rd and the 1st C.E. reveal, the economic activities, existed during this period. There were different kinds of professionals and most of them have donated the caves to the Saṅgha. I have identified nearly 51 professions which are in the Brāhmī inscriptions. According to the Buddhist doctrines using money by the monks is considered as a sin. But the monks had to use money to cover their expenses such as the essential requirements for the fellow brotherhood, performances of the rituals and the maintenances of the monastic buildings.Item Historical importance of Natha Devalaya in kandy(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Dilhani, A.,NathaDavalaya is situated in Kandy or senkadagala, the capital city of the last Sinhalese kingdom in the central hills of Sri Lanka, surrounded by Mahaveli River from the south and west. NathaDevalaya could be identified as the oldest remaining structure in Kandy. NathaDevalaya is located in the terrace situated in front of the sacred temple of the tooth and the kings palatial building and its origin dates back to the era of Gampola kingdom. It is believed that NathaDevalaya had been constructed by king Vikramabayu III who was ruling the Gampola kingdom. The features of Avaloketheswara figure could be identified easily from the statue of Amithabhaya Buddha on the top of the matted hair. Although the statues of AvaloketheshvaraBodhisatwa were discovered from various parts of the island in the early stages, the name God of Natha was attributed to it only from the 14th century. In the examining the architectural characteristics of NathaDevalaya it could be observed that it resembles the image house features of crowing roof Gedige tradition which was popular during the medieval ages. The pavilion antechamber and the adytum which could be seen in Devalas of south India are also visible here. A coronation chaori constructed to select a prince eligible as heir to wall inscription of the Devalaya creates an immense assistance in building up the history of Kandyan kingdom. NathaDevalaya is bound with traditional rituals maintained from the ages of ancient kings. Accordingly, the objective of this research is to investigate into the historical significance of NathaDevalaya Kandy with an emphasis on the origin and evolution of the Devalaya with its architectural characteristics and rituals while exploring the value of this historical premises making use of primary and secondary data.Item Study on Human Ecological Process Affecting the Spatial Distribution of Dengue Epidemic; a Case Study on Colombo District(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Rathnasekara, S.R.L.S.Dengue epidemic that outbreaks in all over the world create a huge burden on those countries in relation to their population, health systems, and economies. The dengue virus was reported and serologically confirmed in Sri Lanka for the first time in 1962 and it was transmitted to humans by Aedesaegypti and Aedesalbopictus mosquitoes. The situation in Sri Lanka was changed in the end of 1980 when more than 200 DHF cases reported around Greater Colombo Area. The research problem for this study is the relationship of the human ecological processes and the related spatial distribution of dengue epidemic in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, identification of exact human ecological processes which caused the spatial distribution of dengue epidemic is the main objective of this study while identifying the factors that affect and inter-relationship between human ecology and disease ecology for spatial distribution of dengue epidemic in Sri Lanka. The research methodology was quantitative methods and data was collected through a structured questionnaire as well as interviews. Colombo district where there was the highest number of reported dengue cases in 2012, was selected as the study area, Within the Dehiwala and Padukka MOH areas were selected as regional level case study area as Dehiwela MOH area has the highest dengue cases from 2010 to 2012 and Padukka MOH areas has the least number of dengue cases in the same periods. The total population of dengue patients in three PHI areas in Dehiwela and five PHI areas in Padukka MOH area were 410 and 100 respectively. Out of these population 129 and 10 patients (age > 18) were ignored as they are not matured enough to participated this type of research. Fifty percent of the remaining population was selected as the sample for the study. The outcome of the research was that human ecological processes such as Awareness, Employment, Residencies and Living spaces, human behaviour, control measures and human Mobility has direct relationship with occurrence of dengue. Further the age and gender are also having relationship with the same. The most significant issue that was identified during the course of the study is that residencies and living space and domestic human behaviour are the main cause for occurrence of dengue in high dengue risk area and human mobility is the only process that transmits dengue to low dengue risk areas from high dengue area.Item Alternative Approach For Designing Curricula in General Degree Study Programs: A Lesson From Sri Lanka(Reviewing International Encounters 2015, Research Center for Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2015) Dharmasiri, L.M.,Curriculum Development (CD) is an vital requirement for updating available or newly designed curricular and is an process of improving the curriculum. Several approaches has been used in developing a curricula in the field of education. Commonly used approaches Consist of analysis (i.e. situation, need analysis, task analysis), Design (i.e. objectives and design curricular), Selecting (i.e. chose of appropriate learning outcomes and teaching methods, chose of appropriate assessment method), Formation ( i.e. formation of the curriculum implementation and evaluating committee) and Review ( i.e. curriculum review committee) (CaDSFR). The designing part of the CaDSFR has been modified as an organism approach of this experiment. The major objective of this study is to apply an alternative approach for designing of new curricular for the General Degree Study Programs (GDSP). In additions, an alternative model will develop for identifying and illustrating the organism approach. The methodology that has been applied for the CD has five folds, i.e. (a) Selecting and appointing an Educationist and Subject Specialists for each subject streams of the faculty from outside the university and they were assigned for the task, (b) Conducting a workshop for Curriculum Planning, (c) Conducting mini-workshops at Department level for discussing bench mark and other issues related to CD, (d) Formulating a Common Framework for the CD and (e) Finalizing the CD. Stakeholders‟ views and consultation from outside the university have provided excellent feedback and support for the CD. The five folds strategies have been applied for the CD of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) of the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka in 2013/14. The FSS has nine Departments and been offering seventeen Degree programs including General Degrees, Special Degrees and Postgraduate Degrees like M.A., M.S.Sc., M.phil.and PhD. The Consist analysis of the CaDSFR strongly proven the urgency of revising the GDSP, because available curricular is older than a decade. Accordingly, the CaDSFER process has been applied for the CD. In particular, novel approach of five folds that applied for designing part of the curricular of the FSS and the process is near to completion. As a different program, the experiences CD process of the FSS may useful for the respective parties who involve with CD.