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Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.3/5)
Genre: Political Science / Constitutional Law / Buddhist Studies / South Asian Studies / Non‑Fiction

Book Review:
This book by Roshan de Silva Wijeyeratne offers a critical examination of the intersection between Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism, constitutionalism, and nation‑building in Sri Lanka. The author traces how Buddhism was ''captured'' by a fetishized form of Sinhalese nationalism during colonial and postcolonial periods. Juxtaposing premodern Buddhist cosmology (which allowed relative inclusion) with colonial modernity (which produced radical exclusion of non‑Buddhist ideas and people), the book reveals the emergence of modern Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism through shifts in discourse, power, and knowledge. Given the intensification of Sri Lanka's civil war from 2005 under President Mahinda Rajapakse's ultra‑nationalist platform, this analysis is highly timely. Essential reading for scholars of South Asian studies, anthropology, ethnicity, political science, and constitutional law.