• M. Res. International Relations (Distinction) Lancaster University, UK (2002-2003)

• B.A. European and International Studies (Upper Second Class Honours), University of Central Lancashire, UK (1999-2002)

• University Prize for European Studies, University of Central Lancashire (2002)

• Distinction Awarded, Masters in Research, Lancaster University (2003)
  Masters Dissertation on Security Communities awarded mark of excellence (2003)
  Undergraduate Dissertation on Post-Conflict Yugoslavia awarded mark of excellence (2002)
  

TRAINING COURSES COMPLETED

• Summer Course on Refugee Issues, Centre for Refugee Studies, York University, Toronto, June 10-18, 2006.
  • Internationally acclaimed intensive postgraduate training course.
• Sessions included roots of forced migration, transnationalism and diaspora, post-conflict reconstruction, humanitarian and refugee law, and international human rights
• Asian Thematic Workshop 2006 on “From Conflict to Peace: Do Human Rights Matter,” Office of Human Rights Studies and Social Development, Mahidol University, Bangkok, November 29 – December 3, 2006.
• Workshop undertaken by international and Thai scholars/practitioners on human rights focusing on the nexus between human rights and conflict.

• July 2005 – Present, Research Associate – Governance and Civil Society Programme, International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • Project on State Reform and Federalism. Developed research submission on the Politics of State Reform taken up by the World Bank for funding under the Post-Conflict Fund 2006/7. Project aims at analyzing reason for failure in past state reform attempts at an elite and subaltern level, including an intended countrywide survey and extensive primary qualitative research.
  • Project on Diaspora, Transnationalism and Global Engagement. Duties including supporting role in a research study aimed at analyzing the impact of the diaspora on kin-state peacebuilding.
  • Project on Interim Arrangements in Societies in Transition from Conflict to Peace. Duties comprised of co-authoring pilot study on the Politics of Interim Arrangements in Sri Lanka, including extensive primary and secondary research. Interviews were conducted with leading actors in the Sri Lankan peace process.
  • Facilitated a dialogue between members of the NGO and donor communities aimed at analysing and reformulating the NGO-Donor ‘partnership’. Presented paper on the ‘Effects of NGO-Donor Relations’ at a closed-door workshop encompassing leading NGO/donor figures. Compiled final report on proceedings.
  • Represented ICES at civil society meetings aiming to place a coordinated representation to the Government Panel of Experts tasked with finding solutions to the ethnic conflict.

  January 2007 – Present, Research Consultant, FRIDE (Fundacion para les Relaciones Internationales y el Dialogo Exterior), Madrid.
  
  April – August 2006, Lecturer, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo
  August 2005 – April 2006, Research Support for Chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
  
  January – July 2005, Researcher, International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Colombo.
  

• “The Politics of Interim Arrangements in Sri Lanka,” (forthcoming, 2007), co-authored with Ambika Satkunanathan, Colombo: ICES and Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies

• “Sri Lanka Country Review” for the FRIDE Project on “Promoting Empowerment in Post-Conflict Scenarios,” (forthcoming, March 2007), Madrid: FRIDE

INVITED PRESENTATIONS AT CONFERENCES/SEMINARS

• “Constructing State from Nation: The Tamils and the Creation of a Metanarrative in a Globalised Era,” SEPHIS workshop on “The Master Narrative Challenged: Dominant Histories and Emerging Narratives”, Cebu City (Philippines), 31st January – 2nd February 2007 (selected papers to be published in 2007).
   
  “Long Distance Nationalism: Contestations of Ethnicity, Diaspora and Transnationalism,” paper accepted for presentation, University of Toronto conference on “Transnationalism, Activism, Art,” University of Toronto, 8th – 11th March 2007.
  

• 2006
  [8 August] Panellist, Discussion on Internally Displaced People and Humanitarian Issues (Council for Public Policy), Colombo (proceedings published by CPP, September 2006).