Abstract
Sri Lanka endured a devastating civil war from 1983 to 2009, which severely disrupted the lives and livelihoods of its people, particularly in the Northern Province. After the conflict ended, the primary focus for returnees in this area was on rebuilding their household livelihoods. However, during this period, formal institutions were weak, overburdened, and lacked the capability to provide the necessary support to these returnees. However, in this context, social capital emerged as a crucial factor in helping returnees rebuild their livelihoods in post-conflict Northern Sri Lanka. Moreover, returnee communities placed their trust in producer cooperatives as a viable mechanism for restoring their livelihoods. Hence, this study aims to examine the role of social capital in the process of rebuilding the livelihoods of returnees in post-conflict Northern Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on members of revitalised producers’ cooperatives. For this inquiry, a qualitative research methodology was employed, utilising a collective case study design, which involved semi-structured interviews and participant observation for primary data collection. The Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts in the Northern Province were chosen as the geographical focus due to the extensive damage inflicted by the civil war. Producers' cooperatives were selected as social structures from the various types of cooperatives in these districts for the case study, as they are directly linked to people's livelihoods. Four revitalised producers' cooperatives that benefited from post-war local economic recovery projects were chosen for the case study, representing four livelihood sectors: fisheries, farming, livestock farming, and women's entrepreneurship cooperatives. All of these benefited from post-conflict local economic recovery projects. Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the empirical evidence. The findings indicate two distinct social groups that faced challenges in rebuilding household livelihoods during the initial stages of post-conflict recovery. The first group consisted of individuals who had engaged in livelihoods before the civil war. In contrast, the second group consisted of individuals who had not participated in economic activities either before or during the conflict. This study highlights that communities engaged in livelihoods before the civil war faced significant challenges in post-conflict recovery due to losses in physical, financial, and social capital. Marginalised groups, such as war widows and ex-combatants without prior livelihoods, struggled even more to rebuild due to a lack of access to essential resources. Bonding social capital was crucial in restoring livelihoods among these two social groups. Neighbourhood ties, shared experiences of the civil war, and the desire to restore household livelihoods after returning encouraged communities to re-establish cooperatives and form self-help groups to seek sustainable incomes. Relationships between post-war marginalised communities and the members of these social structures supported them in joining these groups and rebuilding their household livelihoods. These social structures were linked to the government and post-conflict local economic recovery projects, which are implemented in collaboration with the Sri Lankan government and international development organisations to obtain revitalisation support. This connection facilitated their access to funding, technical aid, and market opportunities. Consequently, these producers' cooperatives partnered with private sector companies, enhancing their operations and expanding their market reach. By collaborating with other cooperatives at various levels and local businesses, they addressed their issues, which supported their survival. These efforts contributed to the revival of livelihoods, including fishing, farming, and women-led microenterprises in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts. Consequently, members of the revitalised communities were able to achieve positive livelihood outcomes, including improved income opportunities, strengthened social networks, and enhanced resilience in the post-conflict context. Hence, this study argues that three forms of social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) played a crucial role in rebuilding livelihoods among returnee social groups in post-conflict Northern Sri Lanka.