Panel Discussion and Workshop on “Borders in South Asia”

Panel Discussion and Workshop on “Borders in South Asia”

“Borders in South Asia”, an onsite panel discussion took place at the Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka on 31st of October 2022. Our guest panelists were Mr. Nadeesh De Silva, Head of the Department of Legal Studies, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Ms. Wathsala Samarakoon, Visiting Lecturer at University of Ruhuna, and Mr. Sakuna Gamage, Researcher and Social Photographer. The event was organized and moderated by Yohan Soyza, Udani Jayalath, Dinuka Prasad and Kavindi Ansika who follows the Study of South Asia course unit as a part of the Honours Degree in International Relations with the initiation and guidance of Dr. Pavithra Jayawardena, senior lecturer at the Department of International Relations, University of Colombo.

Panelists shared insights on how borders in the region of South Asia can be understood through legal, linguistic and visual global politics.

In addition to the panel discussion, a workshop on “Body as a site of South Asia” was conducted by Ms. Kanchana Malshani, Contemporary Movement Artist and Visiting Lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, Sri Lanka.  Students did several activities including a drama on how powerful the human body is inside every discipline. Ms. Kanchana also highlighted the importance of understanding each other through physical behaviour and body movements. The panel discussion and workshop provided a new understanding of geopolitics of South Asia to the undergraduates.