ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a survey of the state of authoritarian politics in Sri Lanka, with a cross-cutting examination of how gender intersects with authoritarianism. It examines the colonial legacies of institutions and processes which enable authoritarian politics and undermine more inclusive forms of power sharing and democratic governance. The chapter also looks at the role of authoritarian politics in ethnic conflict and post-war militarization, including the gendered impact of these violent social struggles. It argues that these dynamics sustain Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and legitimize authoritarian forms of political leadership in tandem with the dominant paradigm of uneven development.
