Department of Political Science

Emeritus Professor I.M.K. Liyanage is a distinguished scholar in Political Science, with specialized expertise in gender studies, decentralization, local governance, and ethnic politics. She received her B.A. (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Peradeniya, followed by an M.A. in 1984, and completed her PhD at Keio University, Japan, in 1991. Her doctoral research examined the socio-psychological dimensions of the Sinhala - Tamil ethnic conflict. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in Conflict Resolution from Uppsala University, Sweden. Beginning her academic career in 1977 as an Assistant Lecturer, she was promoted to Professor in 2000. Over the course of her career, she held several key academic and administrative positions, including Head of the Department of Political Science, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Founding Coordinator of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights. She actively participated in academic and policy forums across Asia, Europe, and the United States, leaving a profound impact on gender and governance scholarship. Some of her selected publications are:

• Gender-based harassment and violence in higher educational institutions: A case from Sri Lanka (2020). With Liyanage, J. B., in I. Jamil, S. M. Aminuzzaman, S. L. Kabir, & M. M. Haque (Eds.), Gender mainstreaming in politics, administration and development in South Asia (pp. 61–85). Springer International Publishing.
• Public administration in Sri Lanka: An inquiry into structure, reforms, and management (2019). With Ramesh, R., & Navarathnam, S. Springer.
• Testing the politics of presence: Women’s representation in local governments in South Asia (2017). Chap. 17 in Women in governing institutions in Sri Lanka, (ed.) Nizam Ahmed, Palgrave Macmillan, Switzerland, pp.305-324.
• Women’s representation and political engagements in local governments: Evidence from Sri Lanka (2017). Chap. 9 in Local autonomy and development of Sri Lanka in a Unitary State, (eds.) N. S. Cooray and Sirimal Abeyrathne, Springer, Science, Business Media Singapore Private Ltd. Singapore, pp. 203-228.
• Women and political parties in Sri Lanka (2017). Chap. 11 in Political parties in Sri Lanka: Change and continuity, (eds.) Amitha Sasthri and Jayadewa Uyangoda, Oxford University Press, pp. 315-354.
• Gender inclusive governance: Representation of women in national and provincial political Bodies in Sri Lanka (2017). Chap. 7 in Women in Governing Institutions in South Asia, (ed.) Nizam Ahmed, Palgrave Macmillan, Switzerland, pp. 117-140.
• The impact of corruption on women’s political participation at the local government level: The case of Sri Lanka’ (2015). With Vidyamali Samarasinghe, South Asian Journal of Policy and Governance, Vol. 37, No.2, pp. 19-36.
• Good governance: Concept and practice in Sri Lanka (2014). Parliamentary Research Journal, Vol.1:4, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Colombo, pp. 03 -18.
• Women’s representation in local politics: Challenges faced by Sri Lankan women (2012), Parliamentary Research Journal, Vol.1:2, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Colombo, pp. 67 - 87.
• Analysis of policies for allocating university resources in heterogeneous social systems: A case study of university admissions in Sri Lanka (1997). With Herath, P., Ushiogi, M., & Muta, H. (1997). Higher Education, 34(4), 437 - 457.
• Arranged and love marriages in Kandy, Sri Lanka: Evidence from 1978 -1998 (2003). With Wendy Cadge and Nina Paynter, Pakistan Journal of Women’s Studies, Vol. l:2. pp. 229-240.
• Women in higher education in Sri Lanka: A case study of University of Peradeniya (1997). Indian Journal of Educational Planning and Administration, Indian National Institute of Educational Policy and Administration, Vol. 2: 4, pp. 389 -410.
• Party women: Their role in Sri Lankan politics (1996). Pakistan Journal of Women’s Studies, Vol.3: 3, pp.13-32.