Introduction Many changes in the Up-country in recent years were caused by broader technological changes and globalisation processes rather than by local political and economic processes. The spread of mobile phones, digital television, and internet access throughout Sri Lanka, even to Up-country tea estates, has dramatically changed Up-country Tamil society and culture. Migrants to Colombo are now able to maintain contact with their friends and family in the Up-country much more easily than before. Up-county Tamils now have access to a range of Tamil-language news and entertainment avenues, unlike in the past when they were limited to popular Tamil cinema. This global access has not necessarily led to cultural homogenisation, though it has forced Up-country Tamil leaders to be more proactive in protecting and promoting Up-country Tamil musical, literary and other artistic traditions. In the face of rapid changes, many communities try to reinforce and reinvest in those aspects of culture that make them distinctive from their neighbours. This process alters cultural practices, changing everyday activities into expressions of cultural traditions and ethnic identification. Plan of the Book This book is based on a conference titled “Up-country Tamils: Charting a New Future”, held at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies in Colombo, 2-3 August 2017. Some, but not all, of the chapters were initially presented as papers as part of this conference. The chapters in this book are organised into three sections: The Politics of Place, The Gender of Labour, and Beyond the Plantations. xix