About Department of Political Science

History of the Department of Political Science

The Department of Political Science at the University of Peradeniya holds the distinction of being the first of its kind established within a Sri Lankan university. Even prior to its formal inception as a fully-fledged department in 1980, courses in Political Science were offered through the Special Degree Programme in Economics. In 1969, the Chair of Political Science was created within the Department of Economics to support the growing academic interest in the discipline. Prof. Alfred Jeyaratnam Wilson, a renowned Sri Lankan political scientist with international recognition, was appointed as the first Chair. Following this development, separate General and Special Degree Programmes in Political Science were introduced, and the department began admitting students to postgraduate studies in the field. When the Department of Political Science was officially established, its pioneering staff consisted of academics who had previously conducted Political Science courses within the Department of Economics. Dr. K.H. Jayasinghe was the founding Head of the new department and, for many years, shouldered the responsibility of teaching Political Science almost single-handedly as the others were junior staff who had not yet obtained PhDs. Eminent scholars such as S.U Kodikara, W.A. Wiswa Warnapala, M.L.A. Cader, Laksiri Fernando, KC Perera, Leela De Mel, Ranjith Amarasinghe, Ambalavanar Sivarajah, Navarathne Bandara, Kamala Liyanage, Gamini Samaranayake, and M.O.A. De Zoyza and many others later elevated the department into a recognized centre of knowledge in Political Science both in Sri Lanka and internationally.

Since its establishment, the department has witnessed significant growth in terms of curriculum development, areas of specialization, and student enrollment. In response to evolving academic and political contexts, the department gradually expanded its focus to include more dynamic aspects of political studies. Public administration, public policy, international relations, political theory, and comparative government emerged as key areas of specialization. By the late 1990s, the curriculum had further diversified to include new courses on gender studies, conflict resolution and human rights. These developments contributed to a steady rise in student interest and enrollment in the subject.

Today, the Department of Political Science at Peradeniya is widely regarded as the leading institution for Political Science education in Sri Lanka. It plays a leading role in shaping national academic standards through its contributions to curriculum development, textbook production, and research. It is noteworthy that some staff members, such as M. L. A. Cader (South Eastern University of Sri Lanka) and Dr. Gamini Samaranayake (University of Rajarata, Sri Lanka), went on to serve as Vice-Chancellors. Many Political Science academics currently serving in other Sri Lankan universities are alumni of the University of Peradeniya. With a strong cadre of experienced academic staff and a growing body of postgraduate students, the department places a strong emphasis on research. It also extends opportunities to visiting researchers and has, over the years, hosted a number of international scholars, including distinguished academics from South Asia.

Vision:

To become a centre of excellence for Political Science research and teaching in Sri Lanka

Mission:

• Facilitating for the students of the Department a unique environment in which to gain exposure to various sub-strands of Political Science as well as multidisciplinary perspectives, covering an expansive range of approaches, and focusing on a variety of empirical contexts
• Working towards a free and open research culture conducive for critical thinking, research, and practice
• Facilitating advanced knowledge production through diverse, high quality research, teaching, and public outreach initiatives
• Orienting students to a social mission defined by a sense of social responsibility and familiarity with democratic, dialogic practices