Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalist Ideology: Implications for Politics and Conflict Resolution in Sri Lanka (Policy Studies 40)

DeVotta's canonical academic statement of the 'ethnic outbidding' thesis applied to Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism. Argues that the political incentive structure of post-1956 Ceylon/Sri Lanka rewards parties that move toward more exclusivist Sinhala-Buddhist positions and punishes parties that compromise with Tamils, Muslims or Christians. Provides the formal social-science basis for treating Article 9 plus the 1956 Official Language Act plus the 1972 Constitution as a co-evolved system rather than as separate events. Cite alongside Stepan twin tolerations + Brubaker nationalising state for the comparative frame.