ICH 2018

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Cultural aspects expressed in Cilappatikaram
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Nagarathnam, S.
Literature as the mirror of time can fall through human life. It reflects civilization, culture, policy, doctrine and customs. These reflected aspects are flexible and they change according to time. Culture is the most important expression of these aspects. It was defined earlier as the symbols, language, beliefs, values, and artifacts that are part of any society. Moreover these cultural aspects are considered the important determinants of a human‘s social status. In this way, literature can be considered the expression of culture and culture can be considered the determinant of social status of human beings. Nevertheless, many Western scholars have mentioned poets as liars and literature as a fictional fantasy about human life. Thus, it is necessary to examine the true nature of literature. Cilappatikaram is the first epic among the five in Tamil literature with a story set in Tamilnadu. Tamil ethnicity has a unique culture compared to other communities. So it is important to find out whether Cilappatikaram reflects actual culture or not. What are the cultural aspects it contains and how does the influence of cultural aspects determine social status of both man and women? The objective of this study is to critically examine the reflecting cultural aspects and influence of those cultural aspects on determining the social status of both man and women by using the epic Cilappatikaram as a primary source. The cultural aspects expressed in Cilappatikaram are analyzed and a sociocultural approach is used to critically examine the influence of cultural aspects on determining social status of both man and women. ‗Katpu’ (Chastity or Conjugal fidelity) is a manifestation of the Tamil culture of being one for one, hospitality, admiration, during the marriage reveals culture such as providing dowry, allows the couple to live as single family and waiting for the husband are some rituals can be finding in Cilappatikaram. These are only for women. The traditional performing art and theatre of art belonging to Tamil People is expressed through the character Madhavi. She was an accomplished dancer. She represents the lives of kanihaiyar and their lifestyle. The woman who is not associated with marriage will not be respected by others, marriage had impact to consider kannagi as chaste god. She got the right to fight for Kovalan but not to Madhavi. However, when Kannagi was alone, Kovalan and Kannagi's family supported her but Madhavi was alone. The essentiality of the Tali is exposed by Kannaki and the significance of cilambu is exposed by both Kannaki and Paandimadevi. These jewels can only be worn by a married woman. Likewise, the cultural epic Cilappatikaram reflects the cultural aspects with the message that both nonmaterial culture and material cultural aspects have an impact on determining women‘s social status more than men‘s social status.
A comparison of emerging concepts of male and female productivity: Modern scientific advancements and ritual based enactments
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Jayasekara, K.D.
It is apparent that the modern technology is capable of addressing the issue of infertility among young males and females through its scientific and technological advancements for a period of time. Variety of devices have been introduced to measure and monitor effects and results. While some are of the opinion that the deficiency in male and female productivity is a matter of irregular food pattern and the stress, some argue that it is genetic. Despite the fact that modern scientific reviews have observed the particular problem has much broader perspectives. The established concepts of the contemporary Sri Lankan society was unfavorable for female and it is believed that women is heretically barren. Contrary to this ideological behavior, so-called contemporary Sri Lankan society has applied a number of treatments to overcome infertility of males by enacting certain ritual practices and prescribing some herbal treatments to males in particular. Kapuyakkariya, a ritual enactment performed in the Ratayakuma or Riddi Yagaya by the village priest, clearly demonstrates the values and effective steps that has been undertaken to enhance the productivity of males. The significance of the act is that it is performed precisely after the Nanumuraya or the Dolaha Pelapaliya, a ritual enactment that takes place as means of alleviating the barrenness of female. The village priest, by his ritual chants, sanctifies the sickened person (aturaya) through Kapuyakkariya, and provides grounds to strengthen the ability of productivity. The two enactments together proves that the contemporary Sri Lankan society has addressed the issue of productivity of males and females that which has been attended by the modern scientists with a variety of scientific tools. Therefore, the present study examines and compares the effectiveness of the two treatment patterns to achieve the same expectation. The study will follow a literary survey of historical facts in respect of the cult of fertility and the rituals connected with it along with some case studies done on scientific measures to eliminate the infertility in males and females
Present tense in spoken Tamil and Sinhala: A comparative analysis
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Anusha, S.
Syntax differs from one language to another. The second language learners find it hard to understand the syntax of the language they learn when it differs from the syntax found in their mother tongue. Thus, the similarities and differences of the Tamil and Sinhala languages in the present tense are analyzed in this study. The similarity found out through this comparative study is that both Tamil and Sinhala languages have a similar subdivision in Present tense, they are the Simple Present, Present Perfect and Present Continuous. On the other hand, in Tamil, infixes are used to differentiate the present tense, whereas verb suffixes and affixes are used in Sinhala Present tense. In Tamil, the present tense verbs will take various forms based on Case, Gender, Number and person, but in Sinhala a common verb form is used irrespective of these case, gender and number. For example, the Tamil expressions naan poran, naangal poram, nee porai, neengal porengal, avar porar appear in Sinhala as mama yanawa, api yanawa, api yanawa, oya yanawa, eya yanawa respectively. The knowledge in the present function of these languages will give a clear idea to the learners and teachers of these languages and this research study will facilitate the teaching and learning process of these languages. The research area is limited to the tenses being used in the spoken context of Sri Lankan Tamil and Sinhala. The data for this study were obtained from books, articles, websites, and discussions
Significance of mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-sampajañña) for material and spiritual development
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Ven. Jatila
Mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-sampajañña) play significant role in implementing both material and spiritual development among human being. Working without sati-sampajañña generates problems and failures, whereas working with sati-sampajañña leads to successful material and spiritual enrichment. This research is a textual and critical approach which gathered data from the discourses. This observation involves applying sati-sampajañña with right thought, right speech and right action for material development and utilizing sati-sampajañña in satipaṭṭhāna practice for liberation. Thought with sati-sampajañña generates right thought which brings good benefits. Thought without sati-sampajañña causes wrong ideas which results in problems and sufferings. Speaking without mindfulness is dishonest. Hence, one should be mindful and have a clear comprehension in whatever talked or discussed. One should speak at the proper time, what is true, gently and beneficial with loving kindness described in Vācā Sutta. Performing work without sati-sampajañña cannot implement tasks. To develop wealth, enhance the standards of living and increase the values of man, one should perform careers and responsibilities by sati-sampajañña with right action. Thus, sati-sampajañña is important to apply in humanity for material development. Further, for spiritual improvement, sati-sampajañña is a part of the contemplation of the body in satipaṭṭhāna practice. In the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, this practice is required to establish four mental qualities: diligence, clear comprehension, mindfulness and freedom from covetousness and dejection. A meditator acts with a clear comprehension when going forward and returning, looking ahead and looking away, etc. While standing, walking, sitting, lying and eating, he is mindful and have a clear comprehension to prevent obstacles and increases spiritual development. The Papañcasūdanī signifies that clear comprehension has fourfold: purposefulness, suitability, resort and non-delusion. Sati-sampajañña also deals with dwelling in equanimity towards mindfulness and clear comprehension. This highlights that one should cultivate sati-sampajañña for spiritual liberation. Mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-sampajañña) are vital importance for individual who seeks material development and spiritual liberation. Utilizing sati-sampajañña with right thought, right speech and right action generate wealth. Through contemplating sati-sampajañña in satipaṭṭhāna meditation, one can be removed from covetousness and dejections, not clinging to world and obtaining purification of beings from all defilements.
Sri Lankan Buddhist chants (Paritta) and indigenous music
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Kumara, C.R.
The focus of this research is to identify the history and evolution of Sri Lankan Buddhist chants and its musical elements that forecasted the indigenous musical tradition in the country. Apparently, the Buddhist relgious chantings broadly consistent with the canonical texts in Theravada Buddhism called sutra. Pirit (derived from paritta="protection' in Pali) is a style of intoned recitation based on phonological properties of the Pali language as well as restricted melodic intonations of three tone scale. Such was performed necessarily reveals the nature of music in the country in its prolonged history for which we can find some live evidence from the paritta chantngs practiced in Sri Lankan Buddhist temples as well as in domestic practices in various occasions ie; house warming.wedding ceremonies etc., The Buddhist recitals of blessings (Jayamangala Gathā) is a remarkable sign of Budhdist religious musical practices in Sri Lankan, espcially performed at wedding ceremonies, also an evolved secular practice from the religious chantings pirith. It is evident that the chanting of verses or stanzas is performed with the metrical pattern. The stanzas of chant has been written in ―gi‖ metre which was generally used to write poetical verses in ancient literature. The Jayamangala Gathā is composed in vasantatilakā metre. The Ōse in sinhalese paddy songs is also recognisable with its melodic pattern that has followed the same metrical stye of Pirith chantings. This linear engagement of the applicatin of same metrical recitation technique from religious chantings (pirith) to the folk lore and various cultural events prove that the Sri Lankan Theravada chant tradition might have well afforded to the rich insights of indigenous Sri Lankan music principles and traditional music styles. The study will use the digital tuner system and audio records. A field survey, a survey of literature and scholarly studies will also involve in the methodology
Portrayal of Cleopatra in Roman literature: A seductress or a political strategist?
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Perera, C.T.S.S.
Cleopatra VII of Egypt is identified as one of the most popular queens and women from antiquity. Nevertheless, it is questionable how history has portrayed this dignified woman from 1st century BCE. Only surviving literary evidence on Cleopatra is from the Roman Literature. When reading Roman descriptions on Cleopatra, it is notable that the authors have depicted her character based on their personal perspectives. This has directly affected interpretation on Cleopatra in later society. Several scholars have discussed the political role of Cleopatra but not necessarily evaluated the political necessities of her partners in order to defend her from the accusation as ‗a seductress‘. The research reads surviving Roman literary evidence on Cleopatra and her contacts with the Roman leaders; Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony, and Augustus Caesar. The relationships of Cleopatra will be evaluated to examine the necessities of each party. Further, other surviving archaeological evidence found both in Rome and Egypt will be incorporated. As evident in history, during her reign, Cleopatra was in a critical situation. Thus, as any authority, Cleopatra tried to retain her position and the stability of Egypt with aid of Julius Caesar and Anthony. In consequence, the Roman authors who were mostly biased, portrayed Cleopatra in a negative perspective. This caused for the assumption that she is 'a seductress' than a political strategist of the time. The aim of the research is to re-evaluate the political character of Cleopatra in a fresh dimension while examining the effect created by Roman literature on the character portrayal. The intention is to break down the traditional idea on Cleopatra and bring into light the notion that Cleopatra was not a mere seductress but a political strategist who used her female charms to achieve her target. The study will provide the reader a reliable understanding on how ancient Roman authors have depicted Cleopatra. The discussion would be conducted based on selected sections from Roman literature and relevant readings from history and it would be substantiated by archaeological evidence of the era
Influence of trees for Human beings according to the Vāstushāstra
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Ven.Panawala Dhammadhaja
Trees are very useful for human beings and other animals to live healthily. The majority of animals including humans inhale because of oxygen produce by trees. Water is protected where the trees are. According to vāstushāstra, when the house is established, considerable attention should be paid to trees. Many primary resources on vāstushāstra such as Mayamata, Mānasāra and Viswakarmaprakāsha allocate a paragraph to describe trees which are planted in the land according to directions. Today many people do not use these methods or systems to create their houses and they have to face a lot of troubles after settling down in the house such as diseases, physical abjectness, mental abjectness, poverty and childlessness etc. The main purpose of this research study is to investigate suitable trees and unsuitable trees to plant in house land according to västuçästra and the scientific theories about them. In this research study, collecting data from primary resources such as Mayamatha, Mānasāra, Viswakarmaprakāsha etc. and online sources are used as the research methodology. Gargasamhitā is one of the primary resources on vāstushāstra and it is said that Aswatta tree is not planted in the east, Pāṭalī tree is not grew in the south, Nuga is not cultivated in the west and Udumbara is not planted in the north of the house. It mentions the good and positive way to plant trees in land. For example, Pāṭalī tree is good in north. In some sources like Mayamatha, Mānasāra, Viswakarmaprakāsha etc., there is a classification done according to the appearance of trees.
An analytical study on the value of humanity of Maggie Tulliver in the face of repression
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Amarasooriya, D.N.P.
George Eliot, a journalist and a leading writer in Victorian era through her narrative ‗The Mill on the Floss‘ created the character of Maggie Tulliver bringing forth a destiny of a female being whose existence and the individuality are defined and molded through the impact of the conventional social taboos and the authoritative cultural constraints which overshadow the individual expectations. Thus, the study has focused on analyzing the female literary portrayal of Maggie Tulliver with the objective of bringing to the surface the socially determined fatal end and the symbolic disappearance of the feminine figure. In analyzing the perspectives which are discussed within the research paper the theoretical perspectives of Simon de Beauvoir (‘The second sex’), Sigmund Freud, (‗Civilization and its Discontents’,) and Slavoj Zizek, (‗Looking Awry‘) are referred with a thorough consideration. During the journey towards the destination of her self-emancipation, Maggie Tulliver follows a traumatic path and encounters an unsettling emotional conflict through which her self-love is replaced by the compassion towards the social other whose emotional satisfaction and the survival become a source of spiritual victory in her life. Being confined to a narrowed space where several religious and communal taboos surround her existence, Maggie‘s character has become the focal point upon which the repression cultivates its domination thus obstructing her inner strength and self-determination that she possesses in advancing towards her liberation of identity. Though social discriminations which are created by the cultural concepts on gender induce her to abandon the pursuit of fulfillment of the innate desires and the independent motives Maggie Tulliver strives to stand as a determined female whose self-strength and spiritual victory recognize her as an independent woman since her sacrificing and the negation of her expectations induce her to turn away from the materialistic and physical pleasures and embrace humanity and spiritual enhancement of the self. In that sense it can be identified that her self-sacrifice leaves behind something to admire implying a more psychological vitality without being just a physical deterioration
Bollywood culture: Decoding narrative in social context
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Singh, D.P.
The reach and appeal of Bollywood cinema have been phenomenal. In the last three decades, it has crossed the boundaries of language and Nations. India‘s Film Industry is the world‘s largest film industry in terms of quantity of movies produced as Bollywood produces over 1500 movies. However, according to Box Office business, Bollywood comes in as the third largest film industry in the world after English and Chinese. Bollywood is the only Film industry in the world that has global presence apart from English Hollywood movies. One can mention Africa, Latin America, Far East, and Central Asia. This whole spread is not only driven by business or technology but also driven by the audience. Bollywood has its significant presence and appreciation in the countries where English cinema has very little presence. The very obvious question that arises is the reason for this unusual admiration. This question becomes more relevant when we consider the fact that Hindi has little presence beyond the boundaries of India. The answer lies in a critical aspect of the narrative culture of India. India has a great tradition of storytelling since the ancient period. Folklore was an actually popular commentary of Indian culture, philosophy, and belief in a very interesting way. This paper tries to understand the distinctive feature of the Bollywood narrative. There has been a whole lot of issues depicted in their very own way but the most frequent has been the narrative of love. This may seem very common but the treatment of narrative is very unique. It reflects a whole lot of culture of India. A unique aspect of Bollywood love narrative is longing for love in the missing situation. The decades of the fifties to eighties have been a great period of Bollywood song. It is one of the greatest imaginations of love, probably a masterpiece in literature. This Bollywood narrative can be seen in the context of Bhakti Movement* of Hindi poetry. The Bollywood narrative can be seen as a Philosophical treatment of love in the age of rationality which connects more emotion than a rational treatment of love. The Indian classics from the beginning has been having an optimistic end with the hope of life while the Greek Classics have been tragedies by tradition. It has been said that ‗There is a larger dark space of human life and mind than known spaces.‘ In other words, ‗Humans are very logical irrationals.‘ Bollywood is popular in a lasting way because of its greater understanding of culture and mind.
Puswedilla‟s Arsetolk: A study of the extra-linguistic values of the Hierarchized Sri Lankan English
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Prasadika, K.A.T.
A close textual reading of Feroze Kamardeen‘s political comedy, which rapturously catered/caters to an audience of bourgeois taste, sheds light on a pertinent issue related to Sri Lankan English; namely, the disenfranchisement of the English spoken by a socio-economically and politically disadvantaged group of people as ―not pot‖ or ―non-standard‖. In these plays, the President of Arsikland, Chaminda Puswedilla claims that the government has invented a language called Arsetolk—a ―new, hybrid language created using the local native language and the English alphabet […] which the government realized it was a people‘s language‖ for the purpose of communication. Arsetolk deliberately employs mispronunciation, misspelling and ungrammatical structures in speech and sometimes in writing, which resonate the structural ―deviations‖ of ―non-standard‖ Sri Lankan English, in order to evoke humor in the plays. It is my conviction that through the use of Arsetolk, Chaminda Puswedilla attempts to establish it as the language of the ―common‖—the disenfranchised majority, thereby disempowering the so-called non-standard variety from that of the anglicized, urban upper class. This paper emphasizes that the use of arsetolk reflects the ―extra linguistic values conferred on hierarchies of English‖ (24, Parakrama), especially in the context of post-colonial Sri Lanka. Using Prof. Arjuna Parakrama‘s article ―Extra-Linguistic Value (of English in Sri Lanka) = Z u g z w a n g (for Non-Elite Users)‖ as the theoretical basis, this paper attempts to study the socio-political, economic and cultural implications of ―standard‖ and ―non-standard‖ forms of Sri Lankan English, through a qualitative textual analysis of Feroze Kamardeen‘s plays available on Youtube and Facebook.
Middle class in Malgudi: An evocative portrayal
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Mukherjee, A.
This paper attempts to gain a sociological insight of the depiction of ‗middle class‘ by the celebrated Indian writer R.K. Narayan. Malgudi, a fictional South Indian town, is a prototypical representation of typical Indian society and the literary works of Narayan vividly mirrors the everyday happenings. While the existing research has focused on Narayan‘s depiction of ‗cosmopolitanism‘ (Kumar, 2011), ‗child life‘ (Rashmi, 2018), ‗myth‘ (Ghosh, 2017), and ‗power‘ (Zolfagharkhani and Akhgarandouz, 2012), this study reveals the author‘s depiction of the middle class and his derision of certain lifestyle practices of the class in question. Set in the backdrop of 1930s, the paper attempts to identify how the stories of Malgudi showcase the peculiarities of lifestyle practices of middle class in South Asia and study the applicability of Narayan‘s portrayal of middle class to the present day. For instance, educational achievement is considered to be of utmost importance for the preservation of one‘s own status and for the achievement of social mobility by the middle class in South Asia. However, in this quest for educational achievement, Narayan laments the fate of those who are so-called ―misfit‖ and are oriented differently. Ironically, educational success is often unsuccessful in buying freedom from alienating and oppressive livelihood practices engaging the middle class. Furthermore, in their longing for conspicuous consumption and use of consumer goods for enhancing status, the middle class is submerged in a daze of ―false consciousness‖. There is also accompanying erosion of ‗social capital‘ and the expanding ―radius of distrust‖ (Fukuyama, 2001). This secondary research relied on content analysis of selected short stories of Narayan, namely, ‗Forty Five a Month‘, ―Iswaran‖, ―Sweets for Angels‖, and ―Swami and Friends‖ to arrive at the findings and used the theories of Karl Marx, Max Weber, Erik Ohlin Wright, Pierre Bourdieu, and Veblen to develop sociological understanding
The depiction of gods in Greek and Tamil epics: A comparative study on Homer‟s „The Iliad‟ and Kampar‟s „Kambarāmāyanam‟.”.
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Randiwela, R.M.D.
The depiction of Gods in ‗The Iliad‘ is representative of the heroic and materialistic background that the Greeks emerged in. The Gods were venerated for their power and immortality more than their virtue. They were a class to be won over by prayer and sacrifice. In ‗Kambarāmāyanam‘ the Gods are immortal and powerful. Yet they were moral and presented with the intention of cultivating piety and morality in the reader. The research question of this study is to find in what aspect does the depiction of Gods in Greek epics differ from that of the Tamil epics and interpret the possible reasons for the existence of both similarities and differences among the two. This study is done by gathering relevant information from both Greek and Tamil literary sources. Further reading is done on writings done on the social, cultural and regional backgrounds of the two writers while being conscious of the time gap. Gathered information is analyzed in order to examine the divinity presented in the works themselves- in Homer‘s ‗The Iliad‘ and Kampar‘s ‗Kambarāmāyanam‘ There have been discussions among scholars on the depiction of Greek Gods with that of Rakshasa in ‗Kambarāmāyanam‘ interpreting the Greek gods as mere beings of power and evil. However in this research it is argued that the depiction of gods in relevant epics is a clear reproduction of time and culture that each poet lived in. Moreover the intention of this study is to understand how the two respective cultures presented a common theme through the medium of epic
A study on the curriculum of Chinese culture in the field of Humanities, Sri Lanka
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Kandambi, S.U.
Gradually, a vast number of Sri Lankan students are becoming motivated to learn the Chinese language because of its necessity in contemporary Sri Lankan society. Foreign language education is basically not derived from humanities education as it focuses on cultural norms, values and aspects related to a foreign nation. This research study aims to study and make cultural teaching and learning quality in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL) in the university education system as it is a platform of transmitting values of the Chinese language including Chinese arts, philosophy, literature and civilization for better understanding of China and Chinese people. Therefore, this study focuses on the current situation of the curriculum of Chinese culture in the field of humanities including learning and teaching methods practiced and the Chinese culture text materials usage in TCFL classroom. This paper is designed to be a quantitative research study and the research sample consists of 100 students who belonged to the 2015/2016 academic year and 7 Chinese language teachers including Chinese, local and volunteer teachers. The research methods used were the questionnaire method, the interview method and the experiment method through which mainly the research study focused on the significant characteristics of the curriculum, teaching methods and strategies used by Chinese teachers. The findings demonstrated that the teaching methods and strategies used in the Chinese culture curriculum are not flexible to attain the culture teaching enrichment goals in the field of humanities. Some of the issues faced are, lack of sufficient time for the teaching process, teaching materials not being sufficient for effective teaching, the culture classroom arrangement lacking communication between local Chinese teachers and volunteer Chinese teachers, the Chinese culture teaching material not being suitable to enhance the humanities education in the University. Thus, in conclusion teachers should regulate new teaching methods engaged with the new developments of foreign language education including the communicative method, the multimedia teaching method and the activity based method. Further, culture teaching should be student centered in order to allow students to easily acquire cultural values in contemporary Chinese society and scholars must also compile the Sri Lankan culture materials with the objective of exposing the system of Chinese cultural values in order to standardize and revalue the humanities education in the University system of Sri Lanka
Using Mainstream Video Games to Promote Learner Motivation towards English as a Second Language in Tertiary Level Education
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Ekanayake, E. M. P. E.
Prominent thinkers and researchers in the field of ELT/L (English Language Teaching/ Learning) such as R.C. Gardner and Stephen Krashen stress on the importance of student motivation, attitudes and on the importance of interesting/ compelling learning material to trigger the two former factors {ex: Krashen‘s Compelling (not just interesting) Input Hypothesis}. As such, this study was designed to investigate whether MVGs (Mainstream Video Games)1 can be successfully incorporated into formal ELT/L environments at tertiary level of education to promote student motivation towards learning ESL (English as a Second Language). For the purpose of this research, 75 First year undergraduates of Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, belonging to the Intermediate level of English Language proficiency were exposed to ESL lessons based on MVGs on a particular day of the week (Friday) when their attendance is lowest, for 12 weeks. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were used to triangulate the data. The analysis of quantitative data (attendance records of students) revealed that the use of MVGs in ELT/L can lead to dramatic improvement in student attendance (94.9% attendance as an average). Content/ discourse analysis and thematic analysis methods were deployed to analyze the qualitative data i.e., 70 questionnaires given to students and interviews with students (10) and instructors (2). Through the analysis of qualitative data, certain dominant aspects of ESL lessons based on MVGs were identified which were responsible for effecting major attitudinal change in students towards the teacher, the ESL programme and towards learning ESL. For instance, it was found that the MVG based lessons were catalytic in triggering active learning as opposed to passive learning, student-centered learning, providing a sense of achievement and boosting the self-confidence of students. These attitudinal changes were identified to have enhanced and intensified the motivational levels of students towards learning ESL. Since the introduction of MVGs made an overwhelmingly positive change to the ESL learning atmosphere, it is suggested that MVGs should be utilized as a learning aid or a method in ELT/L contexts
Does soldiering fall under wrong livelihood in Theravada Buddhism? A critical analysis
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Pasquel, D.E.D.
It has been a hackneyed question behind the majority of the studies on Buddhism and war that ‗how does Buddhism justify the warfare? Seemingly, scholars have reiterated this issue in pursuit of solving the burning conflict between the values that are expected to uphold via following the first precept of Buddhism and the active engagement of Buddhists in warfare. This study examines another dimension of the same problem pertaining to soldiering as a livelihood, in the light of Theravada Buddhism. Soldiers confront with grave ethical dilemmas in the battlefield as they are entrusted to take certain measures and decisions in order to accomplish their mission. Kent quotes one such dilemma of the Sri Lankan soldier thus; ‗Will I receive negative Karma if I kill the enemy on the battle field?‘ Apparently the modern day scholarship perceives such dilemmas as mere ethical challenges that soldiers are expected to overcome with the help of an accurate ethical reasoning process. Nowhere in the Pāli Canon has Buddhism identified the soldiering as an unethical livelihood or Micchā Ājīva. Furthermore, except the ‗five banned trades‘ mentioned in the Vanijjā Sutta, Buddhism does not present a clear-cut definition for the wrong livelihood of the laity. However, Lord Buddha does not deny the negative consequences a soldier has to endure in his livelihood. At this juncture, it seems that the approaches like ‗prima facie just-war theory‘ tend to surface for the rescue of the soldier. Prima facie obligations refer to ethical obligations that can be overridden when they come to conflict with each other. The present study reveals that the apparent ethical predicaments that servicemen are duty-bound to face, are indeed ethically insoluble dilemmas that provides no single panacea via an ethical reasoning process. However, I argue that it is impossible to deny the necessity of soldiering for a healthy governance of a state as expounded by the Buddha. I also challenge the notion that ‗soldiering is a wrong livelihood according to Buddhism‘, but it is nevertheless a profession that entails a fair amount of negative consequences in this world, as well as in the world to come.
Analysing the effectiveness of group work in the ESL classroom
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Deveniguru, D.K.L.C.; Ratnayake, A. R. M. J. C.; Thilakawardana, I.G.L.S.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using Cooperative Learning, (CL) which is also known as Group work, in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Classroom. The survey was conducted at the Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya and the data was gathered through a randomly selected sample of 25 undergraduates of the first year belonging to the Basic Level. The selected group had scored marks ranging from 0-39 at the English Placement Test conducted by the Faculty of Arts. A majority of the undergraduates who follow the Basic Level pay less attention to ESL as most of the courses in their curriculum are offered in either Sinhala or Tamil. So, they show less interest in most of the activities done in the ESL classroom. Moreover, their inhibition towards English language learning as well as the lack of self-confidence can be identified as major obstacles in their learning process. Therefore, a group speech activity was chosen as a remedial method to assess the effectiveness of co-operative learning. To carry out this study, the randomly chosen undergraduates (25) were instructed to do a speech activity. The target group of students were divided equally into 05 groups and they were asked to do a group presentation on a topic related to a current issue. The data gathered from the students were then analysed and the findings were discussed. Through this study, the following main hypotheses can be drawn forward. (a) CL technique enables the learners to feel more comfortable in using the Second Language (L2) spontaneously. (b) CL technique has a positive impact on the level of motivation which ultimately leads to a higher level of proficiency in the Target Language (TL). Data collection involved both qualitative and quantitative methods. Both, students and instructors were given questionnaires to mark their preferences. Both questionnaires were then analysed and compared. The students‘ questionnaire demonstrated that they have a positive attitude towards CL or group work. The results of the instructors‘ questionnaire revealed that CL can play a vital role in language learning and teaching. Through the responses stated at the interviews both the students and instructors revealed that the CL technique creates a positive atmosphere and a less threatening classroom. Moreover, through the findings of this research it was posited that CL technique develops self-confidence of the students, reduces classroom anxiety and inhibition and most importantly that it allows students to learn from each other.
The impact of Task-Based Language Teaching in improving English-speaking skills in the ESL classroom
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Karunanayake, S.
There has been a major shift towards the communicative approach and student-centered learning in education in the last few decades, reducing the amount of teacher talking time (TTT). That is one of the reasons to use task-based language teaching (TBLT) in the ESL classroom. From the preliminary investigations, it was identified that there are a surprising number of students who report that they have anxiety in language learning and that they do not possess enough confidence with their level of spoken English to initiate conversation in the class. Hence, by focusing on the value of research in Humanities, this study aims at investigating the impact of TBLT in the ESL classroom. Therefore, a structured approach was used where the objective, design, sample and the questions were predetermined. The community selected for the study was hundred first year undergraduates of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages, Sabaragamuwa university of Sri Lanka. They were observed during their usual lecture sessions in Compulsory English Language (CEL) using Test Teach Test (T-T-T) method where the learners first complete a task or activity without the help from the lecturer. Then, based on the problems seen, the target language was presented to practice the new language. A variety of task-based activities such as role plays, discussions, debates, interviews, dramas and information gaps were used. In addition, two female ESL lecturers participated in the study. They were interviewed regarding the use of TBLT in their classes. Research results denoted the fact that putting ESL learners in a variety of tasks gets them to speak up and to practice the target language effectively. The students‘ active participation in the lesson could be observed to a greater extent. It also enables students to learn from each other where the weaker students feed off the stronger students and vice versa. Moreover, the two participating lecturers expressed their opinions of TBLT in the interviews. They were of the view that TBLT helps in brainstorming more ideas and practicing more language where they can personalize the lesson and adapt its content to the learner needs. Therefore, integrating the value of Humanities in Language Teaching, the study proves that the use of TBLT in the ESL class room has a positive impact on communication and interaction, having students use authentic target language in completing meaningful tasks
Humanitarian values vs. imperial interests: A case study on Athenian imperial „Cleruchies‟ and the conditions of the subject population
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Weerakoon, W.M.U.I.
Athens is identified as the earliest western empire. The Classical Athenian epigraphs indicate a widespread imposition of a special type of colonies known as ‗cleruchies‘ in the subject-allies of the Athenian empire towards the middle and late 5th century BCE. ‗Cleruchies‘ are special Greek colonies in which the settlers received a plot of land and retained their original citizenship. This research is intended to examine the manner in which Athens used cleruchies to cater the economic, political and military interests of its empire at the expenses of the allies by completely devaluing the humanitarian principles. The information for this qualitative research is gathered by the analytical study of the epigraphs and numismatics of the particular period and by the critical examination of the primary and secondary sources. The findings of this research suggest that cleruchies provided individual Athenians with socio-economic benefits such as subsidization of citizens and possession of landed property. Cleruchies which were commonly imposed on rebellious allies secured political expansion and stability of the Athenian empire while securing its strategic interests abroad. These special colonies boosted the economy of the Athenian empire by its large revenues and the monopoly of corn and trade routes of the Aegean. However the allies which received cleruchies were reduced into the level of subjects and their autonomy was infringed. The local population of the allied states were depopulated or mass massacred while their land was taken to address the needs of the Athenian empire. Therefore this study is significant in identifying the micro-macro concept of complete disregard and deprivation of human values and rights of one group of individuals or the peripheral states by another group of individuals or core states from the time as early as the earliest western empire. It is also observant that the similar practice of furthering imperial interests at the expenses of the allies by the powerful countries in the 20th century CE led to the origin of international organizations such as United Nations to protect human values and to uphold values of humanities.
Effectiveness of smart classroom system to enhance English as a Second Language speaking skill.
(. International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Murugaiah, A.
At present smart classrooms are technologically enhanced settings that enrich the knowledge of teaching and learning by integrating learning technology. Smart classrooms contain many technological devices. According to the findings of many language scholars, speaking skill can be improved by using these technological devices. There are various strategies used to improve the speaking skill among the second language learners for effective communication. It takes a lot of classroom practice, motivation to speak and encourage the creative thinking of the students. In Jaffna, the students have a lack of opportunities to speak in English as majority of the people are Tamil speakers and the resources are limited. So, there is a need to conduct research on speaking practices in Jaffna and find a suitable remedy to enhance the speaking skill. The main objective of this study is to identify the effectiveness of smart classroom system to enhance speaking skill of the second language learners. Teaching English as second language follows traditional and modern methodologies. Implementation of smart classroom is a modernized method in Sri Lankan education system that provides quality education to the students by helping them in better concept formation, concept elaboration and improvement in four language skills. This study mainly focused on developing speaking skill in English at American corner under the Micro scholarship access program. The sample of the study included thirty students from various schools in Jaffna. The target group of the students was in grade 10 and included both genders. Their English proficiency level was low intermediate. The period of this research was six months. Having employed qualitative methodology with research tool, such as classroom observation, informal interviews, and experimental teaching program during the class hours, the present study‘s outcomes were evaluated manually. A pretest and posttest were also conducted and the data was analyzed using MS-Excel. The results indicated a considerable change in the students‘ progress in speaking English. The analysis also helped to identify the attitude of the learners towards handling the technological devices which made a positive impact on their learning. This study confirms that a smart classroom system is successful and beneficial to the teachers of English to improve students‘ speaking.
Deficiency and excess: Representation of intersex and transgender identities in Sri Lankan cinema
(International Conference on the Humanities (ICH 2018/2019), Faculty of Humanities, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Hettiarachchi, A.
The present study analyses the aesthetic portrayal of intersex and transgender characters in 3 selected Sri Lankan movies, namely, Maya directed by Donald Jayantha (2016), Flying with One Wing directed by Ashoka Handagama (2003) and Frangipani directed by Visakesa Chandrasekaram (2013), in order to unearth patriarchal ideologies that inform the narrative logic of these films. The study identifies recurrent motifs used in the cinematic representation of transgender and intersex identities and explores the functions that these characters perform in the plot development of the selected movies. The political soundness of the cinematic agency of these characters and the motifs used in their representation are tested against a theoretical framework that is based on Judith Butler‘s insights into gender performativity and abject as well as Richard Ekins‘ conceptualization of ―male femaling‖ and Judith Halberstam‘s theoretical insights into ―female masculinity.‖ The qualitative content analysis of the movies based on this theoretical framework indicates that in Sri Lankan cinema, sexually and gender-wise ambiguous identities are represented as carrying both a deficiency and an excess. It is observed that while these characters are silenced by patriarchal discourses, they can also be deployed to identify the anxieties of the Sri Lankan society regarding definitive categories of gender and sexuality. Thus, the study addresses a deficit of literature and research observed in the Sri Lankan context regarding marginalised sexual identities such as intersex and transgender and their aesthetic representation