Conceiving of “Authority” and “Difference” in their broadest senses, the organizers hope the conference theme will prompt consideration of, among other things, the ways in which structures of political, social, and economic power engender or condition difference in Sri Lanka.
As in years prior, this workshop will bring together graduate students in both the final writing-up stage and pre-research/planning stages from a variety of disciplines and institutions. The graduate conference aims to enhance intellectual exchange on Sri Lanka, emphasize the production of empirical and non-sectarian knowledge, focus attention on recent potential transformation of key concepts, build a new cohort of researchers (and research) across disciplines and institutions, and strengthen relationships between American graduate students and local intellectual circles in Sri Lanka. The organizers invite students from all disciplines to participate.