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Authoritarian populist politics, politico‐religious extremism, and violence against women in post‐war Sri Lanka

Author

Listed:
  • Shyamika Jayasundara‐Smits
  • DB Subedi

Abstract

Despite the implementation of progressive national policies and the adherence to numerous international conventions aimed at eradicating gender‐based violence and violence against women, incidents of violence against women in post‐war Sri Lanka are on the rise. This research delves into the intersection of post‐war populist politics supported by religious extremists and the resulting violence perpetrated against women, as well as its repercussions on women's well‐being. We are interested in locating the specific mechanisms through which religious extremism, authoritarian populism, and violence against women are connected. Our findings indicate that post‐war populist politics, backed by Buddhist religious extremists and the post‐war Sinhalese‐Buddhist hegemonic state's re‐building project, have generated dialectical relationships with Sri Lanka's minorities—Tamils and Muslims. These relationships are partially enacted through different forms of gender violence. This has consequences for all women. As successive confrontations deepen, the deterioration of these relationships exacerbates the likelihood of violence and reinforces a culture of impunity. 尽管斯里兰卡制定了多项进步的国家政策并签署了多项旨在消除基于性别的暴力的国际公约,但该国在内战后针对妇女的暴力行为仍在增加。本研究调查了战后民粹主义政治以及由宗教极端分子支持的威权主义国家权力实践如何对妇女产生暴力影响,以及这种暴力对妇女福祉的影响。我们希望找到将宗教极端主义、威权民粹主义和妇女遭受的暴力相联系的具体机制。我们的研究结果表明,佛教宗教极端分子所支持的战后民粹主义政治、战后僧伽罗‐佛教霸权国家重建项目,与斯里兰卡的少数民族——泰米尔人和穆斯林产生了辩证关系。这些关系部分是通过性别暴力形成的,性别暴力有多种形式,从身体暴力、性暴力到厌恶女性的争论。连续的暴力遭遇加深了关系的恶化,使暴力更有可能发生,并加剧了有罪不罚现象。 A pesar de la implementación de políticas nacionales progresistas y la adhesión a numerosas convenciones internacionales destinadas a erradicar la violencia de género y la violencia contra las mujeres, los incidentes de violencia contra las mujeres en la Sri Lanka de la posguerra están aumentando. Esta investigación profundiza en la intersección de la política populista de posguerra apoyada por extremistas religiosos y la violencia resultante perpetrada contra las mujeres, así como sus repercusiones en el bienestar de las mujeres. Nos interesa localizar los mecanismos específicos a través de los cuales se conectan el extremismo religioso, el populismo autoritario y la violencia contra las mujeres. Nuestros hallazgos indican que las políticas populistas de posguerra, respaldadas por extremistas religiosos budistas y el proyecto de reconstrucción del Estado hegemónico cingalés‐budista de posguerra, han generado relaciones dialécticas con las minorías de Sri Lanka: tamiles y musulmanes. Estas relaciones se materializan parcialmente a través de diferentes formas de violencia de género. Esto tiene consecuencias para todas las mujeres. A medida que se profundizan los enfrentamientos sucesivos, el deterioro de estas relaciones exacerba la probabilidad de violencia y refuerza una cultura de impunidad.

Suggested Citation

  • Shyamika Jayasundara‐Smits & DB Subedi, 2024. "Authoritarian populist politics, politico‐religious extremism, and violence against women in post‐war Sri Lanka," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 187(2), pages 213-230, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:woraff:v:187:y:2024:i:2:p:213-230
    DOI: 10.1002/waf2.12017
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. True, Jacqui, 2012. "The Political Economy of Violence against Women," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199755912.
    2. Kanchana Ruwanpura & Jane Humphries, 2004. "Mundane Heroines: Conflict, Ethnicity, Gender, And Female Headship In Eastern Sri Lanka," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 173-205.
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    1. Shafi Md. Mostofa & DB Subedi & Howard Brasted, 2024. "Introduction to the special issue: Authoritarianism and religion in South Asia: Trends and twists," World Affairs, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 187(2), pages 130-136, May.

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