The Popular Uprising: Collective Action, Activists and Strategies

Abstract

The popular uprising (Aragalaya) combined a protest movement with a movement towards commons or a solidarity economy. The popular uprising from March to August 2022 was a reaction to the authoritarian heteropatriarchal Rajapaksa regime, which drained public revenues instigating an economic crisis. The Aragalaya was based on non-violence, independence from political parties, participatory democracy, collective leadership, politico-aesthetic strategies (art activism) and collective learning. While there were multiple contradictions, along with state repression, the Aragalaya expressed new forms of solidarity, strengthening struggles for democracy and citizenship.

Citation

Biyanwila, S.J. (2023), "The Popular Uprising: Collective Action, Activists and Strategies", Debt Crisis and Popular Social Protest in Sri Lanka: Citizenship, Development and Democracy Within Global North–South Dynamics (Diverse Perspectives on Creating a Fairer Society), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 17-44. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-022-320231002