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.
What is this Crisis?
Ahilan Kadirgamar
Dr. Ahilan Kadirgamar made this presentation at an online discussion on the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka,...
Our broken nation lies before us: ‘The People’s Command’
From the Galle Face Aragalaya bhoomi
Our broken nation lies before us, caught up in an unprecedented social and economic tragedy of incomparable historic...
The IMF in Debt Restructuring, the Resurgence of Austerity, and the Urgency of Fiscal Justice
Bhumika Muchhala
As Sri Lanka officially defaults on its sovereign debt repayments, and enters negotiations with the International...
An Undemocratic Political Deal
FUTA on Ranil Wickremesinghe Appointment
As the national trade union representing university academics, which has stood firmly behind the ongoing people’s...
Locating Labour in Sri Lanka’s Ethical Sourcing: Review of “Garments without Guilt? Global Labour Justice and Ethical Codes in Sri Lankan Apparels” Kanchana Ruwanpura Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2022
Shyamain Wickramasinghe
Garments without Guilt? Global Labour Justice and Ethical Codes in Sri Lankan Apparels by Kanchana Ruwanpura uses an...
Call for Urgent Action by the Sri Lanka Women’s NGO Forum (SLWNGOF) to alleviate the suffering of the people of Sri Lanka
Call for urgent action: Nominate women and men who have no allegations of corruption, and hold a vision and a...
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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Archive
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.