Föderalismus in Sri Lanka - Federalism in Sri Lanka
Federalism is broadly defined as a political system in which power is shared between a central government and state governments. However, federalism has come to mean two different things to Sri Lankans. As such, the following presentation traces the evolution of the concept of federalism among the Sinhalese and Tamils of Sri Lanka, highlighting how different interpretations of the concept have resulted in its contentious nature today. Key questions that will be discussed include:
How has the concept of federalism changed over time in the understanding of Sinhalese and Tamils of Sri Lanka? How has federalism become such a contentious idea and so misinterpreted amongst the groups in the country?