Neoliberal shifts and strategies of religious adaptation in post-war Sri Lanka

Abstract

ABSTRACT Neoliberal shifts have brought about a centring of market logics and a new focus on the individual as consumer. Some religious groups are better able to adapt to these shifts than others, which reveals the changing role of religion in people’s daily lives. This article explores how the adaptive strategies of religious groups in response to neoliberalisation can trigger a reimagination of the role and value of religion in/to society. I illustrate these ideas through a comparative exploration of the way Buddhist élites and evangelical Christians engage with theology, tradition, and the market in Sri Lanka. While Buddhist élites struggle to overcome a sense of disjuncture in the way Buddhist principles relate to the market, evangelicals have always been more integrationist in their approach. Comparing these approaches reveals the extent to which neoliberalisation shapes the (trans)boundary modernities of religious leaders seeking to make the most of opportunities for expansion in post-war Sri Lanka.