Dinesha Fernando

Supervisors: Dr Jeremy Smith and Dr Xiaoli Jiang
School of Arts
nfernando@students.federation.edu.au 
Doctor of Philosophy

“A model for coping mechanisms in post-war study”

The 30-year Sri Lankan civil war has been a classical example for studying phase transformations during resettlement and regaining normalcy. For many years, war has caused serious loss of life, assets and property, and beside these losses, the majority of people have been survived either directly or indirectly affected. It is incomprehensible that over the past decades, the people, especially in the north were significantly affected economically, socially and culturally (ESC) who had to cope with multiple challenges.

The study focuses on the importance of meanings individual attribute and specifically, the aim is on participants’ thoughts, feelings, values, viewpoints, and assertions, rather than gathering facts and describing acts. In an effort to chart and examine experiences of selected vulnerable groups on ESC rights related challenges, the researcher found, surprising and interesting coping mechanisms by the community to push back and secure those lights. Therefore, the purpose here is to introduce a model whereby certain community behaviours may be conceptualised in positive terms. The proposed model illustrates on how people sacrifice, seek support and negotiation of arrangements in order to exhibit a strong sense of belonging in the community.

Dinesha Fernando is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Fee-Offset Scholarship
through Federation University.