What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ethnography of Political Violence
In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka
In May 2009, the Sri Lankan army overwhelmed the last stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam—better known as the Tamil Tigers—officially bringing an end to nearly three decades of civil war. Although the war has ended, the place of minorities in Sri Lanka remains uncertain, not least because the lengthy conflict drove entire populations from their homes. The figures are for example, all of the roughly 80,000 Muslims in northern Sri Lanka were expelled from the Tamil Tiger-controlled north, and nearly half of all Sri Lankan Tamils were displaced during the course of the civil war.
Sharika Thiranagama's In My Mother's House provides ethnographic insight into two important groups of internally displaced northern Sri Lankan Tamils and Sri Lankan Muslims. Through detailed engagement with ordinary people struggling to find a home in the world, Thiranagama explores the dynamics within and between these two minority communities, describing how these relations were reshaped by violence, displacement, and authoritarianism. In doing so, she illuminates an often overlooked intraminority relationship and new social forms created through protracted war.
In My Mother's House revolves around three major ideas of home in the midst of profound displacement; transformations of familial experience; and the impact of the political violence—carried out by both the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan state—on ordinary lives and public speech. Her rare focus on the effects and responses to LTTE political regulation and violence demonstrates that envisioning a peaceful future for postconflict Sri Lanka requires taking stock of the new Tamil and Muslim identities forged by the civil war. These identities cannot simply be cast away with the end of the war but must be negotiated anew.
Sharika Thiranagama's In My Mother's House provides ethnographic insight into two important groups of internally displaced northern Sri Lankan Tamils and Sri Lankan Muslims. Through detailed engagement with ordinary people struggling to find a home in the world, Thiranagama explores the dynamics within and between these two minority communities, describing how these relations were reshaped by violence, displacement, and authoritarianism. In doing so, she illuminates an often overlooked intraminority relationship and new social forms created through protracted war.
In My Mother's House revolves around three major ideas of home in the midst of profound displacement; transformations of familial experience; and the impact of the political violence—carried out by both the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan state—on ordinary lives and public speech. Her rare focus on the effects and responses to LTTE political regulation and violence demonstrates that envisioning a peaceful future for postconflict Sri Lanka requires taking stock of the new Tamil and Muslim identities forged by the civil war. These identities cannot simply be cast away with the end of the war but must be negotiated anew.
- GenresNonfictionAnthropology
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 27, 2022
I read 'In my mother's house' as news broke of Russia invading Ukraine. My newsfeed for the past week has been filled with video of tanks, of terrified people hiding in subway stations, of a father hugging his daughter tightly before putting her on a bus to safety as he stayed to fight. And especially, of newsreaders repeating over and over again that this was unthinkable in 'civilised' Europe, mentioning blonde hair and blue eyes as if these biological markers somehow signalled innocence or a lack of capacity for violence.
In contrast, Sri Lanka's civil war when it raged was not treated the same way by newsreaders - our country being 'uncivilised', our skin brown - thus, our propensity for violence assured. Those who are interested in learning more about our uncivilised war though, would do well to start with this book. It's often cited as a classic - with good reason. Written by an anthropologist whose mother was a well known rights activist and feminist who was killed for criticising the LTTE, it provides a nuanced account of our civil war. The author focuses on the idea of ur (home), drawing from personal stories of Tamil people who lived through the war, inside and outside of the conflict zone. She looks at several key moments in the war, including the 1990 eviction of Muslims from Jaffna, and examines the different militant groups that operated in the 1980s, before the LTTE rose to prominence. This provides a fuller history of Sri Lanka's history of militant groups at that time, in contrast to much reporting which often only focuses on the LTTE, or which lionises the Tigers and especially the female cadres.
It is dense, and so not a quick and easy read, but arguably an essential one if you work in or are otherwise interested in Sri Lanka (indeed many people would probably cite this book as a classic, and point out that I'm reading it for the first time unforgivably late). In my defense, I preferred fiction in my spare time - to escape from what I had to see and hear during work hours. But this year, amidst a pandemic, reading nonfiction has somehow felt more appropriate, so I took the opportunity to finally read those books I've always meant to get around to and yet never did. Now I wish I had done so earlier.
In contrast, Sri Lanka's civil war when it raged was not treated the same way by newsreaders - our country being 'uncivilised', our skin brown - thus, our propensity for violence assured. Those who are interested in learning more about our uncivilised war though, would do well to start with this book. It's often cited as a classic - with good reason. Written by an anthropologist whose mother was a well known rights activist and feminist who was killed for criticising the LTTE, it provides a nuanced account of our civil war. The author focuses on the idea of ur (home), drawing from personal stories of Tamil people who lived through the war, inside and outside of the conflict zone. She looks at several key moments in the war, including the 1990 eviction of Muslims from Jaffna, and examines the different militant groups that operated in the 1980s, before the LTTE rose to prominence. This provides a fuller history of Sri Lanka's history of militant groups at that time, in contrast to much reporting which often only focuses on the LTTE, or which lionises the Tigers and especially the female cadres.
It is dense, and so not a quick and easy read, but arguably an essential one if you work in or are otherwise interested in Sri Lanka (indeed many people would probably cite this book as a classic, and point out that I'm reading it for the first time unforgivably late). In my defense, I preferred fiction in my spare time - to escape from what I had to see and hear during work hours. But this year, amidst a pandemic, reading nonfiction has somehow felt more appropriate, so I took the opportunity to finally read those books I've always meant to get around to and yet never did. Now I wish I had done so earlier.
February 22, 2024
very dense and traumatic war ethnography to read. mostly written beautifully, but her argument is loosely structured and scattered. maybe it's just her writing style, but i wish the author make things more organized and clearer
July 6, 2024
for ant 318
July 17, 2018
This is the second time I have read Thiranagama's book and I found even more to love. Her's is a deeply moving ethnography that masterfully weaves in anthropological theory.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews