Pamoda Jayaweera

I’m currently undertaking my doctoral studies at the Department of Culture, Communication and Media, Institute of Education, University College London.

I have BA Honours Degree in English and an MPhil Degree in English both obtained from University of Peradeniya. My teaching and research concerns post-colonial literature, critical theory and sociolinguistics with a particular focus on language politics, language policies and pedagogical decisions affecting English language acquisition in post-colonial second language contexts. I have published some papers, presented at conferences and given some invited talks related to my teaching and research interests. I’m also a recipient of the competitive AHEAD Scholarship funded by the World Bank.

Being at Goodenough is a most coveted opportunity as it will not only provide me with decent accommodation, but also introduce me to its vibrant multicultural community. The opportunity to take part in the intellectual and social life of the Goodenough community will be immensely important to me as a postgraduate student. Also,  since my PhD research is on new varieties of English that have emerged in Commonwealth countries, such as Sri Lanka, networking with the diverse array of Scholars and postgraduate students from the Goodenough community, some of whom will also be from other Commonwealth countries, will be extremely beneficial for me.

Moreover, securing accommodation at Goodenough is highly desirable as it is a gateway to the kind of intellectually-stimulating and socially-enriching life I’m very much after. Since I haven’t lived in an academic community before, to live among the like-minded and talented scholars who constitute the Goodenough community will be a very exciting and gratifying experience for me. I’m positive that joining Goodenough will enable me to develop a network of colleagues and friends and overcome  the sense of loneliness I have been experiencing lately due to mobility and social gatherings being restricted during the present pandemic situation.

I’m truly grateful to the College and its generous donors for awarding me a Scholarship. Coming from a developing country, I do not have the means to live in expensive London without external financial support. My parents’ modest earnings had only been sufficient to see me and my sister through school and undergraduate education (which are provided free thanks to the free education policy of Sri Lanka). Therefore, getting a Goodenough Scholarship really means a lot to me and will further strengthen my resolution to succeed in life, despite the traumas I have been through and the many struggles I have fought in my past. Winning this Scholarship has enabled me to undertake my studies without being burned with too many financial difficulties. It has taken much of my stress away and turned my stay in London into something that I’m really looking forward to and will forever cherish.