--- product_id: 36220558 title: "In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka (The Ethnography of Political Violence)" price: "¥13987" currency: JPY in_stock: true reviews_count: 2 url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/36220558-in-my-mothers-house-civil-war-in-sri-lanka-ethnography store_origin: JP region: Japan --- # Published 2013, contemporary analysis of post-war Sri Lanka 6 x 9 inches, perfect for on-the-go reading 320 pages of deep ethnographic insight In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka (The Ethnography of Political Violence) **Price:** ¥13987 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the hidden stories of Sri Lanka’s civil war—because understanding history is the ultimate power move. ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka (The Ethnography of Political Violence) - **How much does it cost?** ¥13987 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.jp](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/36220558-in-my-mothers-house-civil-war-in-sri-lanka-ethnography) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Compact & Portable:** A sleek 6 x 9 inch paperback designed for busy professionals who crave knowledge anytime, anywhere. - • **Contemporary Relevance:** Published in 2013, this book offers fresh, post-conflict insights essential for understanding modern Sri Lankan identity politics. - • **Unmatched Ethnographic Depth:** Dive into 320 pages of firsthand accounts and nuanced minority perspectives rarely documented elsewhere. - • **Essential for Thought Leaders:** A must-read for scholars, policymakers, and professionals seeking to grasp the socio-political aftermath of civil war. - • **Intraminority Dynamics Explored:** Discover the complex relationships between displaced Tamil and Muslim communities reshaped by decades of conflict. ## Overview In My Mother's House is a 320-page ethnographic study by Sharika Thiranagama that explores the impact of Sri Lanka’s civil war on displaced Tamil and Muslim minorities. Published in 2013, this paperback offers a rare, detailed look at intraminority relations, identity transformations, and the enduring effects of political violence, making it an essential resource for anyone seeking a nuanced understanding of post-conflict Sri Lanka. ## Description 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 jarring: 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 people: 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 themes: 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. Review: If you're interested in the Sri Lankan Civil War this book is an absolute must read. - It's hard to capture my ambivalence about this book. On the one hand, this is the work of a sharp, sophisticated, young anthropologist. She knows the Civil War in Sri Lanka intimately, and she has gathered material that is invaluable. You won't be able to find anything like it anywhere (on the fate of the Northern Muslims, for instance). For those interested, her analyses are generally convincing and original ( i.e. on how events produce shifts in identity). Her politics are primarily anti-LTTE, understandably since her mother was murdered by the Tigers. Even so, her politics are never simplistic, always allowing the reader to see the world from the perspective of individualized actors. If, like me, you're a general reader, not confident of your grasp of the complex history of Sri Lanka, rest assured that Thiranagama provides enough background information. What's frustrating about this book, is the unnecessary academic sludge which has been poured throughout the text, most of it very unhelpful. Have you ever spilled coffee on a book? It's sort of like that. Who really needs to be told that human relations are complex and filled with ambivalent emotions, sometimes repressed? And then, a bunch of references to authorities who have discussed the fact that things are complicated. Finally, the author begins to tell of her best friend's teenage relationship with an 'inappropriate' boy amidst fluctuating caste sentiments, but instead of developing what happened, the story is truncated with some academic reflections about displacement, etc. To be fair, I suspect that the author sort of agrees with me, that she feels like she was forced to follow conventions she doesn't particularly care for. I picture some evil personified Anthropology (like the LTTE?) standing over her and ordering her to write in the approved fashion. Review: Four Stars - incredible detail and insider knowledge from a writer and scholar who understands jaffna. ## Features - Page Count: 320 - Dimensions: 6 x 9 inches - Illustrations: 6 - Binding: Paperback - ISBN: 9780812222845 - Publication Date: October 16, 2013 ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,957,131 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #2,244 in Violence in Society (Books) #2,663 in General Anthropology #152,764 in Biographies (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 10 Reviews | ## Images ![In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka (The Ethnography of Political Violence) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/716II2GyTVL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you're interested in the Sri Lankan Civil War this book is an absolute must read. *by J***R on February 24, 2014* It's hard to capture my ambivalence about this book. On the one hand, this is the work of a sharp, sophisticated, young anthropologist. She knows the Civil War in Sri Lanka intimately, and she has gathered material that is invaluable. You won't be able to find anything like it anywhere (on the fate of the Northern Muslims, for instance). For those interested, her analyses are generally convincing and original ( i.e. on how events produce shifts in identity). Her politics are primarily anti-LTTE, understandably since her mother was murdered by the Tigers. Even so, her politics are never simplistic, always allowing the reader to see the world from the perspective of individualized actors. If, like me, you're a general reader, not confident of your grasp of the complex history of Sri Lanka, rest assured that Thiranagama provides enough background information. What's frustrating about this book, is the unnecessary academic sludge which has been poured throughout the text, most of it very unhelpful. Have you ever spilled coffee on a book? It's sort of like that. Who really needs to be told that human relations are complex and filled with ambivalent emotions, sometimes repressed? And then, a bunch of references to authorities who have discussed the fact that things are complicated. Finally, the author begins to tell of her best friend's teenage relationship with an 'inappropriate' boy amidst fluctuating caste sentiments, but instead of developing what happened, the story is truncated with some academic reflections about displacement, etc. To be fair, I suspect that the author sort of agrees with me, that she feels like she was forced to follow conventions she doesn't particularly care for. I picture some evil personified Anthropology (like the LTTE?) standing over her and ordering her to write in the approved fashion. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Four Stars *by N***A on November 3, 2017* incredible detail and insider knowledge from a writer and scholar who understands jaffna. ## Frequently Bought Together - In My Mother's House: Civil War in Sri Lanka (The Ethnography of Political Violence) - Tamil Tigress: My Story As a Child Soldier in Sri Lanka's Bloody Civil War --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.jp/products/36220558-in-my-mothers-house-civil-war-in-sri-lanka-ethnography](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/36220558-in-my-mothers-house-civil-war-in-sri-lanka-ethnography) --- *Product available on Desertcart Japan* *Store origin: JP* *Last updated: 2026-11-04*