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Rajith W. D. Lakshman (PhD, Melb) - Director

Rajith is a Research Fellow in the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in the UK. Before joining the IDS Rajith was a senior lecturer in economics in the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has a PhD in Economics from the University of Melbourne and has over 15 years of postdoctoral experience working on a broad range of migration related topics: forced/regular migration into and within cities, conflict/development displacement, international/internal labour migration.

During the 2013-2016 period Rajith led an IDRC-DfID funded multi-country study on forced displacement and violence in South Asia. He has experience working with household surveys such as DHS, MICS, and even larger datasets such as the census in Tanzania. His current research focusses on wellbeing of refugees, IDPs and irregular migrants within cities. He has experience working with organizations such as the UNHCR, the ILO, Plan International, the UK home office, COMCEC/OIC performing policy advice work and evaluations.



Rajith’s Publications

Journal Articles

  1. te Lintelo, D. J. H., T. Munslow, K. Pittore and R. Lakshman (2019) “Process Tracing the Policy Impact of ‘Indicators’”, The European Journal of Development Research
    [link]

  2. te Lintelo, D. J. H., J. Gupte, J. A. McGregor, R. Lakshman, F. Jahan (2018) "Wellbeing and urban governance: Who fails, survives or thrives in informal settlements in Bangladeshi cities?", Cities, 72 (Part B), pp. 391-402.
    [link]

  3. Cirera, X and R. W. D. Lakshman (2017) "The Impact of Export Processing Zones on Employment, Wages and Labour Conditions in Developing Countries", Journal of Development Effectiveness. 9(3), pp. 344-360.
    [link]

  4. Herath, D., R. W. D. Lakshman, and A. Ekanayake (2017) "Urban Resettlement in Colombo from a Wellbeing Perspective: Does Development-Forced Resettlement Lead to Improved Wellbeing?" Journal of Refugee Studies, 30(4), pp. 554-579.
    [link]

  5. Lakshman, I. M., A. Ekanayaka and R. W. D. Lakshman (2017) "Going to School from a Relocated Urban Community Struggling for Education within Imposed Walls", Migration and Development. 6(2), pp. 198-214.
    [link]

  6. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman, (2015) "Impact of Internal Displacement on Agricultural Livelihoods: Evidence from Sampur, Sri Lanka", Migration and Development, 4(1), pp. 143-162.
    [link]

  7. te Lintelo, D., and R. W. D. Lakshman (2015), "Equate and Conflate: Political Commitment to Hunger and Undernutrition Reduction in Five High-Burden.", World Development, 76, pp. 280-292.
    [link]

  8. te Lintelo, D., L. Haddad, J. Leavy and R. W. D. Lakshman (2014) "Measuring the Commitment to Reduce Hunger: A Hunger Reduction Commitment Index", Food Policy, 44, pp. 115-128.
    [link]

  9. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2013), "Impact of Displacement on Women and Female-headed Households: A Mixed Method Analysis with a Microeconomic Touch", Journal of Refugee Studies. 26(1), pp. 26-46.
    [link]

  10. Cirera, X., D. Willenbockel and R. W. D. Lakshman (2013), "Evidence on the Impact of Tariff Reductions on Employment in Developing Countries: A Systematic Review", Journal of Economic Surveys, 28(3), pp. 449-471.
    [link]

  11. Kulathunga, S. T. K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2013), "Responding to security threats: Livelihoods under protracted conflict", Disasters, 37(4), pp. 604−626.
    [link]

  12. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2012), "Impact of Displacement on Women and Female-headed Households: A Mixed Method Analysis with a Microeconomic Touch", Journal of Refugee Studies, 26(1), 26-46.
    [link]

  13. Lakshman, R. W. D. and M. S. Jayasinghe (2011) "Livelihood development with a gender perspective: A case study from Sri Lanka", Sri Lanka Economic Journal, 12 (1&2), pp. 82-116.
    [link]

  14. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2010) "Financing of Internal Displacement: Excerpts from the Sri Lankan Experience", Disasters: The Journal of Disaster Studies, Policy and Management, 34(2), pp. 402-425.
    [link]

  15. Amirthalingam, K., and Lakshman, R. W. D. (2009). Displaced Livelihoods in Sri Lanka: An Economic Analysis. Journal of Refugee Studies, 22(4), 502–524.
    [link]

  16. Lakshman, R. W. D. (2008) "Regional Coordination of Development Projects in Sri Lanka: A Case Study", Sri Lanka Economic Journal, 8(2), pp.21-46.
    [link]

  17. Henry, O, N. Olekalns, and R. W. D. Lakshman (2007) "Identifying Interdependencies between Southeast Asian Stock Markets: A non-linear approach", Australian Economic Papers, 46(2), pp.122-135.
    [link]

Chapters

  1. Lakshman, R. W. D., and S. Irudaya Rajan. (2019). ’Pathways to inclusive urban development: Contrasting perspectives of relocated men and women from Colombo and Kochi’. In Jennifer Erin Salahub, Markus Gottsbacher, John de Boer and Mayssam D. Zaaroura (Eds.), Reducing Urban Violence in the Global South: Towards Safe and Inclusive Cities, pp. 200-220, Routledge and IDRC.
    [link]

  2. Jayatilaka, D., R.W.D. Lakshman and I. M. Lakshman (2018), "Urban community profiles: Safe relocation and resettlement in post-war Sri Lanka", in J. Salahub, M. Gottsbacher, and J. de Boer (Ed.), Social Theories of Urban Violence in the Global South, pp. 79-95, Routledge.
    [link]

  3. Amirthalingam, K., D. Jayatilaka, and R. W. D. Lakshman (2015) "The other side of migration and development nexus: The Sri Lankan experience in trafficking" in T. T. Yong and M. M. Rahman (ed) International Migration and Development in South Asia, pp.218-234, Routledge.
    [link]

  4. Lakshman, R. W. D. and S. Perera, P. Sangasumana, (2014) "The children left behind by international migrants from Sri Lanka: victims or beneficiaries of globalization" in Angela Veale and Giorgia Dona (eds) Child and Youth Migration: Mobility-in-Migration in an Era of Globalization, pp.162-185, Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-28066-4
    [link]

  5. Dayaratne, D. A. I. and R. W. D Lakshman (2012), "The Inter-links between Stock Market Volatility and Crises: Evidence from Colombo and New York Stock Exchanges." in S. S. Bhakar, T. Singh, K. K. Yadav, and A. Methra (eds) Transformation and Survival of Business Organisations: Challenges and Opportunities. Macmillan Advanced Research Series. pp. 116-124. Macmillan Publishers, New Delhi. ISBN 978-935-059-061-4.

  6. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2011), "Agriculture Livelihoods and IDPs in Sri Lanka". in W. Wimalarathana (ed), Agriculture and Rural Development in Sri Lanka: A Felicitation Volume in Honour of Dr. S.M.P. Senanayake, pp.309-340, Development Resource Centre (DRC), Department of Economics, University of Colombo.
    [link]

  7. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2009), "Displacement and livelihoods: A case study from Sri Lanka", in Priyanthi Fernando, Karin Fernando and Mansi Kumarasiri (eds), Forced to move: Involuntary Displacement and Resettlement- Policy and Practice, pp:57-82, CEPA, Colombo, ISBN: 978-955-1040-55-0

  8. Amirthalingam, K. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2009), "Women’s Assets and their role in surviving displacement and impoverishment in the context of the war and the tsunami in eastern Sri Lanka’. in N. de Mel, K. N. Ruwanpura and G. Samarasinghe (eds), After the Waves: The Impact of the Tsunami on Women in Sri Lanka. Social Scientists Association (SSA), Colombo

  9. Amirthalingam, K., and Lakshman, R. W. (2009). Displacement and Livelihoods: A Case Study from Sri Lanka. In P. Fernando, K. Fernando, and M. Kumarasiri (Eds.), Forced to Move: Involuntary Displacement and Resettlement - Policy and Practice (pp. 57–82). Colombo, Sri Lanka: Centre for Poverty Analysis.

Academic Conferences

  1. Herath, D., R.W.D. Lakshman and A. Ekanayaka. (2014), "Development Forced Displacement and Resettlement in Colombo from a Perspective of Well Being", 2nd International Conference on Urban Design ’Cities, People and Places’, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

  2. Jayatilaka, D., K. Amirthalingam and R.W.D. Lakshman (2014)"Development Induced Displaced and Conflict Induced Displaced: Are there significant differences between DID and CID in terms of social and economic impact and well-being," Coherence and Incoherence in Migration Management and Integration: Policies, Practices and Perspectives / Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS), University of Montreal, Canada.

  3. Jayatilaka, D., K. Amirthalingam and R.W.D. Lakshman. (2014), "Post-conflict trafficking vulnerabilities in Sri Lanka: an insight into victims, perpetrators and ways for protection" Coherence and Incoherence in Migration Management and Integration: Policies, Practices and Perspectives / Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS), University of Montreal, Canada.

  4. Karunaratne, I.M., R.W.D. Lakshman and A. Ekanayaka. (2014), "Going to school from a relocated urban community: Struggle for education within imposed walls", Conference on "How do education systems shape educational inequalities",University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

  5. Jayasinghe, M. and R. W. D. Lakshman (2011) "Gender Inequality in Rural Livelihoods – A Case Study from Sri Lanka through a Longitudinal Lens", Annual Conference of the British Association for South Asian Studies (BASAS), held at the University of Southampton, UK.

  6. Jayasinghe, M., and R. W. D. Lakshman (2011), "Gender Mainstreaming and the Sustainable Livelihood Approach", Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) Colloquium on Poverty Research 2011: Current Imperatives in Understanding Poverty, Ceylon Continental Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

  7. Jayasinghe, M., and R. W. D. Lakshman (2011), "Gendered Impact of Rural Livelihood Development Interventions—a Case Study from Sri Lanka through a Longitudinal Lens", 2011 annual conference of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE), held in Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China.

  8. Vithanagama, R., and R. W. D. Lakshman (2011), "Disaster-induced displacement and gender: a study on four villages in Weligama, Sri Lanka", 2011 annual conference of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE), held in Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, China [funded by the IAFFE]

Other publications

  1. Lakshman, R. W. D., S. Kulatunge, D. Jayatilaka (Forthcoming), ’Migration and Capabilities Among Low Income Dwellers’, Colombo: Centre for Migration Research and Development.

  2. Lakshman, R.W.D. and K. Amirthalingam (2020), Influence of diasporas on post-war social mobility: The case of Sri Lanka, Colombo: Centre for Migration Research and Development.
    [link]

  3. Sida, L., Ferdous Jahan, Mamun-ur-Rashid, Tina Nelis and Rajith Lakshman (2018) Independent Evaluation of UNHCR’s Emergency Response to the Rohingya Refugees influx in Bangladesh August 2017-September 2018, No: ES/2018/08, UNHCR Evaluation Service.
    [link]

  4. te Lintelo, D.J.H., Lakshman, R.W.D., Mansour, W., Soye, E., Ficcarelli, T., Woodward, W. (2018) Wellbeing of Urban Refugees: Syrians and Hosts in Jordan and Lebanon. Institute of Development Studies, Brighton, UK.
    [link]

  5. Tranchant, Jean-Pierre, Catherine Mueller, Rajith Lakshman, Jessica Meeker and Katherine Pittore (2017) "Malnutrition and poverty in OIC countries: A trap for poverty", COMCEC Coordination Office.
    [link]

  6. Apland, K., B. K. Blitz, C. Hamilton, M. Lagaay, R. Lakshman, and E. Yarrow (2014), Birth Registration and Children’s Rights: A Complex Story, Woking: Plan International.
    [link]

  7. te Lintelo, D., Haddad, L., Lakshman, R., and Gatellier, K. (2014). The Hunger And Nutrition Commitment Index (HANCI 2013) Measuring the Political Commitment to Reduce Hunger and Undernutrition in Developing Countries. IDS Evidence Report 78.
    [link]

  8. Lane, M, D. Murray, R. Lakshman, C. Devine and A. Zurawan (2013) Evaluation of the Early Legal Advice Project, Final Report, UK Home Office.
    [link]