Professor Kanchana N. Ruwanpura is a co-founder of IPE and volunteer. She is a Professor of Development Geography at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and Fellow at the Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Her research focuses on the intersection between labour, feminism, ethnicity and post-war development, with a regional focus on Sri Lanka and South Asia – and has published extensively on these topics. She holds a PhD from Newnham College, University of Cambridge
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Ruwanpura, K. N. and Gunawardena C. A. (2025). “Grounding Economic Policies in Tumultuous Times” The Island, April 27th 2025
Ruwanpura, K. N. (2024). “A Feminist Politician, Political Furore: Feminist Analysis for a New Age” Groundviews October 8th 2024
Kelegama, T. and Ruwanpura, K. N. Ruwanpura. (2024). “Sri Lanka’s New President faces uphill battle to revive debt-ridden economy” The Conversation October 2nd 2024
Republished in: Asia Times, BizzBuzz News, Daily Financial Times – Sri Lanka , Yahoo Finance
Ruwanpura, K. N., Kumarage, A., Lingham J., Gunawardana, S. and Wickramasingha, S. (2024). “May Day, May Day! Collective Rights versus Individual Rights” Daily Financial Times April 30th 2024.
Ghosh, J. and Ruwanpura, K. N. (2023). “Sri Lanka’s Dangerous Domestic Debt Restructuring” Project Syndicate. September 13th 2023
Republished in: Monthly Review Online, Janata Weekly India, Bangkok Post Thailand, Island Sri Lanka, IPS Journal EU, Jamaica Gleaner, Oman Observer
Ruwanpura, K. N. (2023): “Debt Crisis, Corporate Culpability and the Apparel Sector: Labour Reforms in Perspective” Groundviews June 20th 2023
Media: Broadcast
2025: “Renegotiate our Debt Repayments” on Face-to-Face Television Programme on News 1st Sri Lanka. December 29th 2025
2025: “Seize the moment, Now” on People’s Platform National Television Programme on News 1st Sri Lanka. February 7th 2025
2024: “Economic Stability: Myth or Reality?” Panellists on Face the Nation – Sri Lanka National Television Programme on News 1st Sri Lanka. February 14th 2024
2024: “IMF, Geo-Politics and Sri Lanka: Assessing debt and economic sovereignty in Sri Lanka” Host and discussant on RIU Webinar. February 8th 2024
2023: “IMF in Sri Lanka: Beyond Ticking Boxes” Special Episode of the People’s Platform Co-Produced with Charith Gunawardena and Sonali Wangibaduge (anchor)
2023: “Ushering in Economic Recovery in an Inclusive Manner”. Special International Edition of People’s Platform Co-Produced with Charith Gunawardena and Sonali Wangibaduge (anchor). March 20th 2023
2024: “Bread and Butter issues dominate the Lankan Presidential Election” Daily News – Sri Lanka September 10th 2024
2022: “Hållbarhet stod tillbaka under materialjakt” by Olof Axelsson Inkösprådet
2022: “Sri Lanka has a deep-seated relationship with buyers JAAF-SG says” by Jayampathi Jayasinghe Sunday Times – Sri Lanka
2020: “Amid CoVID-19 should apparel industry continue to choose competitive prices over ethical production?”by Devana Senanayake and Janik Sittampalam Daily Financial Times – Sri Lanka
2016: “How Much it Sucks to be a Sri Lankan Worker Making Beyonce’s New Clothing Line” by Siri Kale Broadly Vice
2012: “Study to Understand Ethical Trading (Sri Lanka)” hosted by Business and Human Rights Resource Centre May 2 2012
2012: “Patchy Record at Garment Factories on Allowing Worker Unions – Apparel Sector Study” by Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera Sunday Times – Business Times April 18th 2012