Institute of Geography

mLAB

Surangika Jayarathne

PhD Student

Sozial- und Kulturgeographie

Office: 313
Postal Address: University of Bern
Institute of Geography
Social and Cultural Geography
Hallerstrasse 12
CH-3012 Bern
Consultation Hour: Monday, 15:30-16:00

CV

Fields of Research

Transtional child adoption in South Asia
Global Baby Trade
Reproductive Technologies
Feminist Geography
Reproductive Justice

Education

2012-2014	Master of Arts in International Relations, South Asian University, New Delhi, India
2007-2017	Bachelor’s degree in Law, The Open University of Sri Lanka
2007-2011	Bachlor’s of Arts(Hon.) in Internationl Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Professional career

2021-ongoing	Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin in der Sozial- und Kulturgeographie, Universität Bern
2016-2018	Research Associate and lecturer in the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka
May to October 2016	Visiting Lecturer, Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
April to August 2012	Temporary Assistant Lecturer, Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
September, 2011 to April 2012	Temporary Tutor, Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Awards

2021	Havard Kennedy School full scholarship for the Leadership, Organizing and Action program
2020	Oxford Universityßs CEDAW Human Rights Fellowship
2019	Swedish Institute's Leader Lab Fellowship
2018	Sangat South Asoan Feminist Fellowship

Publications

2018

Co-authored Monograph, “Plight of Rohingyas:Absence of Universal Consensus on Statelessness”,BCIS monograph series, Volume 2, issue 2, February 2018.

Does She Travel Safe? Sexual Harassment in Public Transportation in Sri Lanka, URL:https://fempowermovement.com/does-she-travel-safe/

Celebrate Who You are With Pride: LGBTQI Rights in South Asia, URL: https://fempowermovement.com/the-more-you-refuse-to-hear-our-voice-thelouder-we-will-sing/

2017

Co-authored paper- “Normative behavior in regional affairs: a conceptual study on ‘ASEAN Way’,Annual Research Symposium 2017, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

“for all without distinction as to sex”: Bringing sexual orientation and gender identity into International Human Rights Law with a special focus on LGBTQ rights, BCIS Emerging Scholars Symposium 2017 August. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/0fa56f_a2c5c85da31e49508beb4cbcbfd67d5e.pdf

Key Actors in Agenda- Settings on LGBTQ rights: Positive and Negative Role, 10th International Research Conference- 03-04th, August, 2017 General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka. http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/handle/345/1872?show=full

“Be Bold For Change”:Is Sri Lankan Society Bold Enough?, Women’s Chapter Bangladesh,

25/03/2017. https://womenchapterenglish.com/be-bold-for-change-is-sri-lankan-society-bold-enough/

2016

“The more you refuse to hear our voice - The Louder we will sing" Bringing LGBTQI rights into International Human Rights Agenda : Challenges and Opportunities, International Conference on Human Rights, Citizenship, Democratization organized by the International Centre for Human

Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka,28th August,2016

2015

The Clash between implementation of Universal Human Rights Instruments and cultural practices: The case study of Female Genital Mutilation in Africa in 21st century. 2012 Research Symposium, Royal Asia Foundation, Sri Lanka.

2014

“New Regional Strategies to meet Environmental Sustainability in South Asia” International Conference on “Sri Lanka in World Affairs” by the Dept. of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Projects

“Global baby markets”:mapping the il/legal geographies of inter-country adoption between Sri Lanka and Switzerland

During	2021-2024
Funding	Swiss Government Excelleance Scholarship 2021
Description	Asking to what extent the adoption processes of children from Sri Lanka to Switzerland were entangled with transnational (black) baby markets, this project traces back the adoptees’ transnational linkages. It employs a multi-sited research design to grasp the transnational connections between Sri Lanka and Switzerland.
Link
Output

Presentations

2017	“Normative behavior in regional affairs: a conceptual study on ‘ASEAN Way’,Annual Research Symposium 2017, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
August	“for all without distinction as to sex”: Bringing sexual orientation and gender identity into International Human Rights Law with a special focus on LGBTQ rights, BCIS Emerging Scholars Symposium 2017 August. Key Actors in Agenda- Settings on LGBTQ rights: Positive and Negative Role, 10th International Research Conference- 03-04th, August, 2017 General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka.
2016
August	"The more you refuse to hear our voice - The Louder we will sing" Bringing LGBTQI rights into International Human Rights Agenda : Challenges and Opportunities, International Conference on Human Rights, Citizenship, Democratization organized by the International Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka,28th August,2016
2014	“New Regional Strategies to meet Environmental Sustainability in South Asia” International Conference on “Sri Lanka in World Affairs” by the Dept. of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
2012	The Clash between implementation of Universal Human Rights Instruments and cultural practices: The case study of Female Genital Mutilation in Africa in 21st century. 2012 Research Symposium, Royal Asia Foundation, Sri Lanka.

Conferences, Workshops, Sessions

2021
March	Harvard Kennedy School ‘s session on the Leadership, Organizing and Action program.
2020
February	“ Struggle for Health Equality”, The International Health University, Kathmandu, Nepal, 16-26 February, 2020
June	Oslo University Summer Programme on “ Human Rights”, The Oslo University, Norway, 26June- 25 July 2020
2019
August	Asian Cross Regional Feminist Convening 2019 at Bangkok, Thailand, 04th-o8th August, 2019.
October	Swedish Institute Leader Lab 2019 at Stockholm, Sweden,06-19th,October, 2019. “Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit 2019 at Oslo,Norway, 22-25, October, 2019.
2018
January	GIAN course on Gender and Sexuality on South Asia offered by Women’s Study Centre, Pune University, India, 08th January- 12th January,2018.
September	Sangat XXIII South Asian Feminist Capacity Building Course on Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods, Human Rights and Peace, Kathmandu, Nepal, 04th September-03rd October, 2018.