Democracy Protest and Resilience

This book explores the rise and the fall of Aragalaya, a spontaneous protest movement demanding system change that erupted in Sri Lanka in the wake of the unprecedented economic crisis of 2022. With articles from Sri Lankan social scientists and activists with varied positionalities relating to peoples’ struggles, the volume captures their diverse views and interpretations of this largely non-violent democratic uprising. The 14 chapters deal with the social history, composition and the key drivers of Aragalaya; its politics and cultural dynamics; and the implications for democratisation, governance, and accountability. They elaborate the contrasting roles of mass media and social media in depicting and shaping the uprising and the particular role of artists, performers and social media influencers in moulding public opinion and mobilising the public to agitate against corruption and state repression. The book also highlights the possible way forward in terms of democratisation, development, stabilisation, peace and social harmony.

Additionally, this book touches on the overall implications of the wave of democracy protests triggered by the Arab Spring of 2011, configuring Aragalaya as an important landmark in the global line-up of popular uprisings. The volume will be of interest to scholars and researchers of politics, development, popular culture, South Asian studies, and social sciences in general.