Conviviality, tension and everyday negotiations: subaltern cosmopolitanism and governance dynamics of low-income neighbourhoods in Colombo, Sri Lanka

This study aims to understand subaltern cosmopolitanism and governance dynamics in low-income neighbourhoods in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Subaltern cosmopolitanism is a relatively new underrepresentation of cosmopolitanism that draws attention to the life of various marginal groups in society. Low-income neighbourhoods in Colombo (known locally as watta) are key areas that bring together diverse ethnic, religious, and linguistic groups, especially when contrasted to the main societies in Sri Lanka. Despite the fact that economically and socially disadvantaged group of residents illustrates fundamental characteristics of cosmopolitanism resulting from daily interactions with difference, these elements have not been adequately investigated within the cosmopolitanism framework. Ethnography was the key approach used in this study. Participant observation, in-depth interviews and archival records were used to investigate and understand the present and past life of watta residents. To analyse the collected data, narrative analysis and thick description, were used. This study found that the watta culture is distinct in that it allows different groups to engage in everyday life. Religion is an essential element of watta residents through which they have interacted with different groups of people for a long time. However, a small group is involved in governance of the watta. This requires outsiders' involvement and brings in party politics, welfare assistance, and development projects which have exacerbated ethnic and religious differences among the residents of the watta. Hence, now the watta is changing like the majority society, the division in ethnicity and religion arises in the community. This thesis concludes that subaltern cosmopolitanism exists in the low-income neighbourhoods in Colombo, but it has had a significant impact due to the influence of internal and external stakeholders.