Background
Born to Sri Lankan parents at Walasmulla, Hambantota district. He has one sister in Sri Lanka. Married to Lalani Gamage(weerasekera).Two children Chaturi and Chamira. Lives in Armidale, NSW Australia.
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Siri Gamage
Edit ProfileSenior Lecturer in Sociology University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka(until 1986) Senior Lecturer,University of New England Australia until 2018.
Taught pre-service education courses in areas of social justice in education, cultural and language differences. Previously taught professional studies courses to students from the Australian army and polices.g. globalization and work, images of Australia. Did a Ph.D. in Anthropology, Monash University; M.A. in Sociology, the University of Hawaii at Manoa., B.A. Hons sociology, University of Ceylon, Sri Lanka.
Education
Lived in Walasmulla until going to the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka in 1968. Primary education in Horewela School(Sinhala medium).High school education at Walasmulla Maha Vidyalaya. He went to school to ride a bicycle. Father was a small businessman who did buying and selling(i.e. coconuts, paddy). I also ran a tea shop at Ethpitiya. School education encouraged to look at the world beyond village life and its limitations. Enjoyed political and social discourses at father's shop with the village residents. Radio and newspapers had great influence in forming future visions and attitudes. Admired father's simplicity, patience, and consideration to the who sought support.
Career
After graduating from the University of Ceylon, Siri assisted a sociologist (Sunimal Fernando)and a British anthropologist in their research in Sri Lanka before joining the department of sociology academic staff in late 74 as a visiting lecturer. He quickly moved to a probationary assistant lecturer position teaching sociology and anthropology courses in Sinhala and English media. His time in Honolulu, Hawaii(1977-80) on an eWC scholarship was the most memorable period in an early career where he was exposed to professional and cultural interactions with a cross-section of those from the Asia-Pacific region including the USA. After spending a few years at the University of Ceylon he moved to Monash University in Melbourne in 1984 to spend a year starting the Ph.D. program. During March 1985-October1986 he conducted field research in Urapola, Kandy district. Returned to Melbourne in October 1986 with wife Lalani and daughter Chaturthi. Dr. Rashmi Desai who had supervised Sri Lankan, Indian, and Southeast Asian students previously were his academic supervisor and mentor. Other contemporary students included Sultana Begum(Bangladesh), Suriyani Suratman(Singapore), Pambang Pranao(Indonesia), Meong Sok(S.Korea), Shireen Lateef(Fiji), It was a period of intense reading, reflection and trying to integrate theory with collected data to make it meaningful. Again a memorable period supported by a scholarship offered by Monash University. The move to Armidale to take. up a Lecturer position at the dept of Aboriginal and Multicultural Studies, the University of New England in 1990 with his family(with son Chamira also)was a life-changing event. Moving from Melbourne to a country town like Armidale was particularly interesting and challenging. But it allowed Siri to develop as Australian academic teaching mainly Australian students who themselves came primarily from country towns. It also allowed him to familiarise himself with issues facing Aboriginal and migrant/multicultural communities and policy responses. Supervision of postgraduate students opened up further avenues of research and interaction. His colleagues in the department included Anne Eckerman, Helen Andreoni, Jim Miller, Graham Patterson, Ruth Nichols, Margaret Sharp. Colleagues from the dept of social sciences included Jim Maher, Graham Wilson, Christine Stafford, and others.
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Born
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Nationality
Australian -
Ethnicity
Education
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1968 - 1972
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1977 - 1979
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1984 - 1989