Professor Shanti Nandana Wijesinghe

Professor Shanti Nandana Wijesinghe, is a Sociologist, researcher as well and social activist who has been serving as a Professor in Sociology, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Lecturer in Sociology at the Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka since 1985. He has studied at the Department of Peace and Development Research, School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg, Sweden since 2003 to 2010. He received a MA in Health Social Sciences in 1996 from the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Mahidol University, Thailand. Prof Wijesinghe obtained his BA in Sociology with Second Class Upper Division Honours in 1985 from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He has served as the Director of Social Development Affairs to His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2015.

He teaches both undergraduate and post-graduate degree courses on sociological theories, peace theories, human rights, population and society / development, medical sociology / anthropology and sociology of reproductive health, sociological perspectives, classical sociological theory, advanced sociological theories, and sociology of religion.

He has conducted research and training in the fields of social reconciliation, peace, conflict, and health.

He has served for nearly twenty years as the editor of Samaja Vimasuma (Social Analysis), the annual publication of the Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya, and he is currently serving as the chief editor of an international journal titled, Social Affairs, which is a free, peer-reviewed, bi-annual academic journal for the Social Sciences. Social Affairs has also launched two affiliated journals in Sinhala and Tamil titled, Samaja Sameeksha (Social Analysis) and expects to launch Samooga Charlaram (Social View Points), which consists of both original types of research generated in Sinhala and Tamil, as well as translations of the works that appear in the Social Affairs Journal in order that the vernacular audience may access such works with ease.

He is also the Executive Director of World University Friends (WUF), which is a collective group that has comprised university undergraduates, graduates and professionals e.g. scientists, social scientists, doctors, and engineers, etc. since 1995.

Since 1985, besides teaching, research in the Department of Sociology, and various social and community work in Sri Lanka, Prof Wijesinghe has participated in developing training programs in Sri Lanka as a training officer and resource person. He also organized a workshop titled, “Decentralization: Theory and Practice” for the members of the Central Provincial Council in 1998. He has also organized national and international projects, workshops under the Enhancing Knowledge and Virtues: Student Empowerment National Programme for ten years since 2006, and worked as a committee member in the 5th Asia-Pacific Social Science and Medicine Conference (APSSAM) in 2000 in Kandy. He has worked as a Steering Committee member in the Asia-Pacific Network of the International Forum for Social Sciences in Health (APNET) since 2002-2008 and also as a Coordinator for South Asia and Country representative of Sri Lanka in APNET. Prof Wijesinghe has actively served as senior Student Counselor for two years at the Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and Voluntary Student Counselor for many years.