Category Archives: Culture

When Worlds Collide #118: Astrology in Sri Lanka – Are we leaving it all to the stars?

Posted on 22 August 2014 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today newspaper on 22 August 2014 “Sri Lanka has many persons claiming to practise astrology with its professed powers of predicting the future. However, not one of them anticipated the … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Business & Commerce, Conspiracy Theories, Culture, Disaster, Film making, Public perceptions, Public policy, Religion, Sri Lanka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Worlds Collide #106: Probing Roots of Violence for Sustainable Peace

Posted on 9 May 2014 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today broadsheet newspaper on 9 May 2014 “Then to the rolling Heav’n itself I cried, Asking, ‘What Lamp had Destiny to guide Her little Children stumbling in the Dark?’ And – … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Evolution, History, Peace & Conflict, Public perceptions, Religion, Sri Lanka, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #105: Exploring Twentieth Century Time Capsules with British Pathé

Posted on 2 May 2014 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today broadsheet newspaper on 2 May 2014 Time travel is not a technological possibility – at least not yet. Right now, we can travel back and forth in time only in … Continue reading →

Posted in Archives, Broadcasting, Ceylon, cinema, Culture, Documentary Film, Documentary films, Generations, History, Media, Movies, Photography, Sri Lanka, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #101: Safely Riding the Social Media Dragon

Posted on 30 March 2014 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today broadsheet newspaper on 29 March 2014 “We have to start asking not what is wrong with Facebook but what is wrong with our society?” Those words, by Dr Harini Amarasuriya, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Education, ICT, Internet governance, Public perceptions, Social Media, Sri Lanka, Telecommunications, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #96: Before Malala came Meena…

Posted on 17 January 2014 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today broadsheet newspaper on 17 January 2014 Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager turned activist, was a key newsmaker of 2013. Having survived an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen in October 2012, … Continue reading →

Posted in Broadcasting, Cartoons, Communicating Development, Creative Writing, Culture, Education, Film making, Gender based violence, Innovation, Media, Movies, Poverty, Public health, South Asia, Sustainable Development, Television, Women's Rights, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

When Worlds Collide #90: Can Sri Lanka Cross Global Innovation Divide?

Posted on 3 November 2013 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday broadsheet newspaper on 3 November  2013 My favourite example of how not to support innovation comes from (James Bond creator) Ian Fleming’s children’s story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Written in … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Commerce, Communicating Development, Culture, Education, Employment, Innovation, Public policy, South Asia, Spirit of Enterprise, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #88: Counting Digital Natives: Easier said than done!

Posted on 20 October 2013 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday broadsheet newspaper on 20 October 2013 Chamara Pahalawattage had just turned 18 when we met him in early 2009. By then, he was already into his sixth mobile phone. An … Continue reading →

Posted in Business & Commerce, Culture, Current Affairs, Education, ICT, Public perceptions, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Telecommunications | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Worlds Collide #86: Haunted by Twenty-first Century Demons?

Posted on 6 October 2013 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday broadsheet newspaper on 6 October 2013 Meet the 21st Century Demons! That was how I started a recent talk to the annual scientific sessions of the College of Community Physicians … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Development, Conspiracy Theories, Culture, Education, Public health, Public perceptions, Sri Lanka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Worlds Collide #84: Have Lankans Suspended Disbelief Permanently?

Posted on 22 September 2013 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday broadsheet newspaper on 22 September 2013 A dozen years ago, a leading tele-drama director and I had a friendly debate live on national TV Rupavahini’s breakfast show. He argued that … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Communicating Development, Conspiracy Theories, Culture, History, ICT, Journalism, Media, Public health, Public information, Public perceptions, Science Journalism, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Worlds Collide #83: Exploring City Life in Lankan Imagination

Posted on 15 September 2013 by Nalaka Gunawardene

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday broadsheet newspaper on 15 September 2013 What makes real cities? Beyond urban infrastructure and administrative designations, what turns an urban area into a city proper? Is it bohemian lifestyle, bustling … Continue reading →

Posted in Ceylon, Creative Writing, Culture, History, Literature, Sri Lanka, Urban issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments