This volume examines and analyses electoral politics in Sri Lanka through the theoretical framework of manipulation. The following questions guided the study: how do political actors manipulate elections, and what are the salient features of electoral politics in Sri Lanka? Primary and secondary data formed the basis of the analysis, examining eight presidential elections. The research findings indicated that Sri Lankan governments, political parties and political leaders have taken advantage of six types of electoral manipulation, including constitutional tinkering, field fixing, time fixing, vote suppression, process manipulation and resource manipulation. Through a close examination of eight presidential elections, research carried out for the volume found that elections are often associated with violence; presidential elections are mainly a majoritarian affair in which minority communities play only a marginal role; there is a significant gender imbalance, as women's participation in the electoral process is very limited; despite the presence of a large number of candidates contesting the election, it always remains a two-way race; and amid extensive manipulation and other problems, voter participation tends to be high.

This volume will be a valuable resource for students, academics and researchers who focus on democracy, good governance, electoral studies and South Asian politics and history, and will enhance the conceptual foundation of democracy advocates and activists.

About the Author
S. I. Keethaponcalan is a Professor of Conflict Resolution at Salisbury University, Maryland, USA. He was Chair of the Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution Department from 2011 to 2018. Before joining Salisbury University in 2011, he was a Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Dr Keethaponcalan has also served as a researcher in several international institutions, including the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in Geneva and the United Nations University in Tokyo. He served as a consultant to Sri Lanka projects of several international agencies.


Book Information
ISBN 9781032303550
Author S. Keethaponcalan
Format Hardback
Page Count 212
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 471g