Blowback : linguistic nationalism, institutional decay, and ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka
In "Blowback: Linguistic Nationalism, Institutional Decay, and Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka," Neil DeVotta examines how the 1956 Official Language Act, which declared Sinhala the sole official language, intensified ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority. This policy shift, driven by Sinhalese political leaders to promote their community's interests, led to the marginalization of Tamils and the erosion of state institutions' neutrality. The resulting "institutional decay" fostered a loss of trust among Tamils, culminating in the rise of separatist movements and a protracted civil war. DeVotta's analysis underscores the profound impact of language politics on Sri Lanka's ethnic relations and the state's stability
Print Book, English, 2004
Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif., 2004