Polity aims to advance democratic consciousness, gender equality, state reform, and social change in Sri Lanka, while interested in South Asia and the World.
As its predecessor Pravada (1991-2002), Polity is published by the Social Scientists’ Association in Colombo, with critical content on politics, political economy, history, women, ethnicity, sexualities, religion, labour studies, agrarian relations, nationalisms, violence, ecology, and much more.
‘Living for the Day’: Informality, gender, and precarious work in the Sri Lankan apparel industry
Shyamain Wickramasingha
Informality is highly prevalent in the Sri Lankan apparel industry in the Katunayake export processing zone where...
Policing the Patriline: Reading the Current Economic and Political Crisis through the Plantation
Mythri Jegathesan
In late December 2021, the Ministry of Plantation Industries announced that it had signed a Memorandum of...
No Magic Bullets on Women’s Waged Labour
Chulani Kodikara
As part of Sri Lanka’s economic bailout, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is telling us that we should increase...
Women’s Labour Force Participation: Choice Versus Necessity
Ranmini Vithanagama
The benefits of women’s labour force participation (LFP) have been broadly discussed along two strands. The first is...
Outline of a Redistributive State in the Southern Periphery
Devaka Gunawardena
A clear line against political repression is beginning to emerge within democratic opposition forces in Sri Lanka, or...
Economic Crisis and Resistance in Batticaloa, Eastern Sri Lanka
Thavarasa Anukuvi
IntroductionThe question whether ‘the people’ of the North and East should or could protest in solidarity with the...
Current Issue
Out Now! Vol. 13 No. 2 (July – December 2025). 148 pages. #SriLanka. Politics. Cyclone Ditwah. Ecology. Feminism. Education. Justice. Domestic Violence Act. History. Culture. Work. Labour. Books. Cover Picture Sakuna M. Gamage. LKR1000 from the Social Scientists’ Association or Barefoot or SLBOOKS.lk.
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Pravada (1991-2002) and Polity (2003-) back issues available here.
Social Scientists’ Association
The Social Scientists’ Association (SSA) was founded in 1977, at a turning point in Sri Lankan politics, economy, and society, marked by among other aspects: the ‘open economy’ market reforms; deepening ethnic conflict; and the growing concentration of executive power. Its initiators were academics from public universities, seeking an autonomous space to grapple with these shifts; and to promote progressive political, economic, and social change.