This paper brings the lived experiences of the activists and researchers from the crisis hit Sri Lanka to reflect on protest, civil society and regime change to unpack the nuances of navigating the crisis.
Paper long abstract
This paper interrogates the broader themes of protest, civil society and regime change by looking at the nature and outcome of the spontaneous, maximalist protest movements in Sri Lanka around and after the COVID-19 pandemic. I ask what drives the varying outcomes of protest in different countries of these regions. Focusing on Sri Lanka the paper brings the lived experiences of researcher/practitioner to the conversation.
Activists and researchers who have been witnessing protests and regime changes reflect on their experiences of politically volatile crises articulate and problematise established notions of democratic change and the role of civil society. It also suggests that micro-level approaches can unpack the internal tensions, solidarities and temporalities of different marginalised groups navigating such changes.