Features

Truth, Media and Technology in the Digital Age

Published

5 months ago

2025/10/10

Truth, media and technology are notions often discussed in a flippant manner as if their meanings and politics are beyond confusion even in the digital age. It will be useful to reflect upon all three as the adverse consequences of not paying heed to them are evident, but often unknown and taken for granted.

Truth in the Digital Age

I will not take for granted the notion of ‘Truth’ in the digital age. This is partly because I know nothing of it. When the idea of the truth is flagged in any discourse, it seems to suggest there is something very tangible, concrete and singular called ‘The’ Truth even in the digital age. But both as an individual and as a sociologist, I have always been extremely weary of what is meant by the truth. For me, believing in the truth – and that too without reference to facts but on mere faith – is a matter for religion. Besides, in a world emerging within boundless parameters of the digital age, the truth – in whatever manner it is defined – becomes a difficult expectation to sustain. The idea of the truth in the digital age brings to mind the notion of the ‘original’ in post-modern thinking. Here, the original too was a form of truth. It was the genesis of everything else in various disciplines, discourses, fields of knowledge and even in religion and ethno-cultural identity.

In postmodern thought, the ‘original’ or whatever was thought to be the original in everything is deconstructed. Postmodernism rejects the idea that a singular truth, a fixed truth or origin exists in anything, arguing that meaning formation tends to be fluid, contextual, and constructed through language and discourse. That is, instead of a singular, original source for anything, postmodernism argues for the presence of multiple perspectives, fragmented narratives, and the blurring of boundaries between different forms of expression.

Does not a very similar situation come into being in the digital age? Perhaps ‘the truth’ in the digital age is even more tenuous than the ‘original’ in postmodern thought. The digital a age is defined and fed by the availability of ‘information’ which also includes forms of ‘misinformation.’ It essentially refers to the present time in human history marked by the widespread use of digital technologies, typified by the internet and smart devices. But to consider the digital age the great equalizer would be misplaced, as it is neither singular nor does it provide an even and democratised playing field across the world. The manner in which the digital world manifests itself in everyday life in this country is not the same as it might be experienced elsewhere where the digital infrastructure is better developed and the digital divide is minimal or non-existent among societal strata.

This moment in history has significantly impacted and morphed the way people communicate, access information, work, think and interact with the world. ‘Alternative’ facts in the Trumpian sense directly impact decisions that change the world – often in life-changing ways – in the hands of powerful leaders and their governments. This is the era teachers and students alike depend on free floating AI tools to do their work; translators ask AI to do their work, and fiction actually garners new meaning when lazy humans turn to AI for camouflaged authorship.

This is merely the tip of the iceberg. This is not the utopian future that seemed incredible and unattainable, but the dangerously dystopian present. If this is even a fragment of the digital age, how would one find the ‘truth’ in the first place? Or would one be looking not for the truth, but for truth-like situations as mere points of departure or reference points?

Media and Technology in the Digital Age

Similarly, can ‘media’ be understood in the linear ways they are often deployed? For instance, are ‘media’ and ‘technology’ mere technical ideas or products devoid of political meaning? Alternatively, how do we understand the layers of meaning associated with these ideas and the ways in which they manifest in society? Media is not simply a means of communication. Even if the meaning of media is restricted to communication alone, they are by no means mere unbiased technical services. They are impacted by the locations of their operation; the politics invested in these places and, importantly, the ownership of media services and products.

In this sense, the concept ‘media’ can be more reasonably understood by paying attention to its impact on individuals, society, and culture. But one also needs to be cautious about the frameworks or media theories popularly utilised to examine how media messages are created, disseminated, received, and the manner in which they might influence societal perceptions and behaviours, because theoretical categories and approaches are also location-specific despite their claims for universality.

Theories and philosophies meant to disentangle ways in which media works are products of very specific times, histories, and locations. Does one even reflect on the simple question if these tools will help disentangle the behavior of media in our location in the same way they would have in the places of their genesis? Would we not benefit by seeking to fine-tune these to read the specificities of our situations and histories?

Technology in the Digital Age

What about ‘technology’? It is often and popularly understood as innovations that are supposed to work for the betterment of human society. And, no doubt this is often the case. But do we really need technology-driven self-driving taxis? What about automated check-in counters at airports or ticket counters at train stations that eliminate the need for human presence? What happens to the workers and their dependents displaced by the proliferation of these technologies and their inventions?

These technologies are not always about human progress or better efficiency. Instead, much of this results from the relentless pursuit of profit dictated by avarice paying scant regard to their long-term consequences. I believe technology needs to be understood not only in terms of science, economics and business, but also philosophically and in terms of humanity and ethics by carefully examining its impact on society, its impact on values, and its role in shaping our understanding of reality. This would involve exploring the nature of technology itself, its connection to knowledge and human activity, its embeddedness in the idea of profit and finally, its ethical implications.

Unfortunately, the simple questions I have raised here regarding the truth in the digital age, the complexities of media and the ethicality and necessity of some technological innovations are not readily raised or sought to be answered by governments, businesses or even universities. This usually happens when we accept without question the judiciousness of hegemonic designs, received wisdom, powerful contemporary and popular ideas that percolate into our thinking and consciousness, and when the capacity or willingness on the part of both opinion and policymakers to reflect upon these notions is lacking. A more cautious examination of these ideas and their tentacular reach in and impact on the world we live in, can only benefit humanity.

(This essay is based on the plenary address titled, ‘Media, Technology and the ‘Truth’ in the Digital Age: An Invitation to Reexamine Received Wisdom’ delivered at the 18^th International Research Conference, Faculty of Management, Social Sciences and Humanities, Kotelawala Defense University, 30th September 2025)

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Features

Recruiting academics to state universities – beset by archaic selection processes?

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/3

Thilina Walpola

by Kaushalya Perera

Time has, by and large, stood still in the business of academic staff recruitment to state universities. Qualifications have proliferated and evolved to be more interdisciplinary, but our selection processes and evaluation criteria are unchanged since at least the late 1990s. But before I delve into the problems, I will describe the existing processes and schemes of recruitment. The discussion is limited to UGC-governed state universities (and does not include recruitment to medical and engineering sectors) though the problems may be relevant to other higher education institutions (HEIs).

How recruitment happens currently in SL state universities

Academic ranks in Sri Lankan state universities can be divided into three tiers (subdivisions are not discussed).

* Lecturer (Probationary)

– recruited with a four-year undergraduate degree. A tiny step higher is the Lecturer (Unconfirmed), recruited with a postgraduate degree but no teaching experience.

* A Senior Lecturer can be recruited with certain postgraduate qualifications and some number of years of teaching and research.

* Above this is the professor (of four types), which can be left out of this discussion since only one of those (Chair Professor) is by application.

State universities cannot hire permanent academic staff as and when they wish. Prior to advertising a vacancy, approval to recruit is obtained through a mind-numbing and time-consuming process (months!) ending at the Department of Management Services. The call for applications must list all ranks up to Senior Lecturer. All eligible candidates for Probationary to Senior Lecturer are interviewed, e.g., if a Department wants someone with a doctoral degree, they must still advertise for and interview candidates for all ranks, not only candidates with a doctoral degree. In the evaluation criteria, the first degree is more important than the doctoral degree (more on this strange phenomenon later). All of this is only possible when universities are not under a ‘hiring freeze’, which governments declare regularly and generally lasts several years.

Problem type 1

– Archaic processes and evaluation criteria

Twenty-five years ago, as a probationary lecturer with a first degree, I was a typical hire. We would be recruited, work some years and obtain postgraduate degrees (ideally using the privilege of paid study leave to attend a reputed university in the first world). State universities are primarily undergraduate teaching spaces, and when doctoral degrees were scarce, hiring probationary lecturers may have been a practical solution. The path to a higher degree was through the academic job. Now, due to availability of candidates with postgraduate qualifications and the problems of retaining academics who find foreign postgraduate opportunities, preference for candidates applying with a postgraduate qualification is growing. The evaluation scheme, however, prioritises the first degree over the candidate’s postgraduate education. Were I to apply to a Faculty of Education, despite a PhD on language teaching and research in education, I may not even be interviewed since my undergraduate degree is not in education. The ‘first degree first’ phenomenon shows that universities essentially ignore the intellectual development of a person beyond their early twenties. It also ignores the breadth of disciplines and their overlap with other fields.

This can be helped (not solved) by a simple fix, which can also reduce brain drain: give precedence to the doctoral degree in the required field, regardless of the candidate’s first degree, effected by a UGC circular. The suggestion is not fool-proof. It is a first step, and offered with the understanding that any selection process, however well the evaluation criteria are articulated, will be beset by multiple issues, including that of bias. Like other Sri Lankan institutions, universities, too, have tribal tendencies, surfacing in the form of a preference for one’s own alumni. Nevertheless, there are other problems that are, arguably, more pressing as I discuss next. In relation to the evaluation criteria, a problem is the narrow interpretation of any regulation, e.g., deciding the degree’s suitability based on the title rather than considering courses in the transcript. Despite rhetoric promoting internationalising and inter-disciplinarity, decision-making administrative and academic bodies have very literal expectations of candidates’ qualifications, e.g., a candidate with knowledge of digital literacy should show this through the title of the degree!

Problem type 2 – The mess of badly regulated higher education

A direct consequence of the contemporary expansion of higher education is a large number of applicants with myriad qualifications. The diversity of degree programmes cited makes the responsibility of selecting a suitable candidate for the job a challenging but very important one. After all, the job is for life – it is very difficult to fire a permanent employer in the state sector.

Widely varying undergraduate degree programmes.

At present, Sri Lankan undergraduates bring qualifications (at times more than one) from multiple types of higher education institutions: a degree from a UGC-affiliated state university, a state university external to the UGC, a state institution that is not a university, a foreign university, or a private HEI aka ‘private university’. It could be a degree received by attending on-site, in Sri Lanka or abroad. It could be from a private HEI’s affiliated foreign university or an external degree from a state university or an online only degree from a private HEI that is ‘UGC-approved’ or ‘Ministry of Education approved’, i.e., never studied in a university setting. Needless to say, the diversity (and their differences in quality) are dizzying. Unfortunately, under the evaluation scheme all degrees ‘recognised’ by the UGC are assigned the same marks. The same goes for the candidates’ merits or distinctions, first classes, etc., regardless of how difficult or easy the degree programme may be and even when capabilities, exposure, input, etc are obviously different.

Similar issues are faced when we consider postgraduate qualifications, though to a lesser degree. In my discipline(s), at least, a postgraduate degree obtained on-site from a first-world university is preferable to one from a local university (which usually have weekend or evening classes similar to part-time study) or online from a foreign university. Elitist this may be, but even the best local postgraduate degrees cannot provide the experience and intellectual growth gained by being in a university that gives you access to six million books and teaching and supervision by internationally-recognised scholars. Unfortunately, in the evaluation schemes for recruitment, the worst postgraduate qualification you know of will receive the same marks as one from NUS, Harvard or Leiden.

The problem is clear but what about a solution?

Recruitment to state universities needs to change to meet contemporary needs. We need evaluation criteria that allows us to get rid of the dross as well as a more sophisticated institutional understanding of using them. Recruitment is key if we want our institutions (and our country) to progress. I reiterate here the recommendations proposed in ‘Considerations for Higher Education Reform’ circulated previously by Kuppi Collective:

* Change bond regulations to be more just, in order to retain better qualified academics.

* Update the schemes of recruitment to reflect present-day realities of inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary training in order to recruit suitably qualified candidates.

* Ensure recruitment processes are made transparent by university administrations.

Kaushalya Perera is a senior lecturer at the University of Colombo.

(Kuppi is a politics and pedagogy happening on the margins of the lecture hall that parodies, subverts, and simultaneously reaffirms social hierarchies.)

Features

Talento … oozing with talent

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/3

Thilina Walpola

Talento: Gained recognition as a leading wedding and dance band

This week, too, the spotlight is on an outfit that has gained popularity, mainly through social media.

Last week we had MISTER Band in our scene, and on 10th February, Yellow Beatz – both social media favourites.

Talento is a seven-piece band that plays all types of music, from the ‘60s to the modern tracks of today.

The band has reached many heights, since its inception in 2012, and has gained recognition as a leading wedding and dance band in the scene here.

The members that makeup the outfit have a solid musical background, which comes through years of hard work and dedication

Their portfolio of music contains a mix of both western and eastern songs and are carefully selected, they say, to match the requirements of the intended audience, occasion, or event.

Although the baila is a specialty, which is inherent to this group, that originates from Moratuwa, their repertoire is made up of a vast collection of love, classic, oldies and modern-day hits.

The musicians, who make up Talento, are:

Prabuddha Geetharuchi:

Geilee Fonseka: Dynamic and charismatic vocalist

Prabuddha Geetharuchi: The main man behind the band Talento

(Vocalist/ Frontman). He is an avid music enthusiast and was mentored by a lot of famous musicians, and trainers, since he was a child. Growing up with them influenced him to take on western songs, as well as other music styles. A Peterite, he is the main man behind the band Talento and is a versatile singer/entertainer who never fails to get the crowd going.

Geilee Fonseka (Vocals):

A dynamic and charismatic vocalist whose vibrant stage presence, and powerful voice, bring a fresh spark to every performance. Young, energetic, and musically refined, she is an artiste who effortlessly blends passion with precision – captivating audiences from the very first note. Blessed with an immense vocal range, Geilee is a truly versatile singer, confidently delivering Western and Eastern music across multiple languages and genres.

Chandana Perera (Drummer):

His expertise and exceptional skills have earned him recognition as one of the finest acoustic drummers in Sri Lanka. With over 40 tours under his belt, Chandana has demonstrated his dedication and passion for music, embodying the essential role of a drummer as the heartbeat of any band.

Harsha Soysa:

(Bassist/Vocalist). He a chorister of the western choir of St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, who began his musical education under famous voice trainers, as well as bass guitar trainers in Sri Lanka. He has also performed at events overseas. He acts as the second singer of the band

Udara Jayakody:

(Keyboardist). He is also a qualified pianist, adding technical flavour to Talento’s music. His singing and harmonising skills are an extra asset to the band. From his childhood he has been a part of a number of orchestras as a pianist. He has also previously performed with several famous western bands.

Aruna Madushanka:

(Saxophonist). His proficiciency in playing various instruments, including the saxophone, soprano saxophone, and western flute, showcases his versatility as a musician, and his musical repertoire is further enhanced by his remarkable singing ability.

Prashan Pramuditha:

(Lead guitar). He has the ability to play different styles, both oriental and western music, and he also creates unique tones and patterns with the guitar..

Features

Special milestone for JJ Twins

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/3

Thilina Walpola

Twin brothers Julian and Jason Prins

The JJ Twins, the Sri Lankan musical duo, performing in the Maldives, and known for blending R&B, Hip Hop, and Sri Lankan rhythms, thereby creating a unique sound, have come out with a brand-new single ‘Me Mawathe.’

In fact, it’s a very special milestone for the twin brothers, Julian and Jason Prins, as ‘Me Mawathe’ is their first ever Sinhala song!

‘Me Mawathe’ showcases a fresh new sound, while staying true to the signature harmony and emotion that their fans love.

This heartfelt track captures the beauty of love, journey, and connection, brought to life through powerful vocals and captivating melodies.

It marks an exciting new chapter for the JJ Twins as they expand their musical journey and connect with audiences in a whole new way.

Their recent album, ‘CONCLUDED,’ explores themes of love, heartbreak, and healing, and include hits like ‘Can’t Get You Off My Mind’ and ‘You Left Me Here to Die’ which showcase their emotional intensity.

Readers could stay connected and follow JJ Twins on social media for exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes moments, and upcoming releases:

Instagram: http://instagram.com/jjtwinsofficial

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@jjtwinsmusic

Facebook: http://facebook.com/jjtwinssingers

YouTube: http://youtube.com/jjtwins