The proof is alreadyin the puddiing, but I present theirvery own INTRODUCTION to this new dimension of citizen journalism as it is vested in Groundviews with the observation that my own articles tend to be on the long and too-long side of the equation. Michael Roberts.
Dear all,
I am pleased to formally announce the launch of Long Reads on Groundviews. This section brings to the site long-form journalism found in publications such as the Economist’s fantastic Intelligent Life quarterly, Foreign Policy, The New Yorker and the New York Times. Inspired by the Longreads blog, these articles offer more in-depth deliberation on key issues covered on Groundviews. See http://groundviews.org/category/issues/long-reads/page/2/ Articles currently published include:
- Some reflections on reading Dayan Jayatilleka and Dharmeratnam Sivaram (Taraki), Anapayan
- Red Lines and Historical Realism, Dayan Jayatilleka
- Lanka’s Left, the State and the Present as History, Kumar David
- Political Opposition in a Nihilistic Sinhala Society, Kusal Perera
- Reconciling Sri Lanka, Kanishka Ratnapriya
- Prospects For Post Conflict Reconciliation And Development In Sri Lanka: Can Singapore Be Used As A Model?, Prof John Richardson
- Securing Media Freedom in National Security States, Jude Fernando
There’s some way to go before we get to the quality of say a Hitchens writing about the art of making tea, but I hope that even if these articles are comparatively, on account of their length, less well read than others on the site, they capture a different set of readers and indeed, voices to the site. I have longed to read solid, reflective, engaging pieces of journalism in Sri Lanka, and this is a first crack at publishing quality writing in this country. I think we have the voices – just that the economics of mainstream print media just doesn’t afford the space or platform.
Please spread the word, and of course, please write in.
Best regards,
Sanjana Hattotuwa