By Siri Gamage –

Dr. Siri Gamage

Societies are human collectives shaped by distinctive histories, identities, social institutions, and ways of knowing and doing that are specific to their contexts. Conscientious leadership is essential if societies are to navigate change and move from the present into the future. Such leadership requires deep knowledge and understanding of the people, social institutions, and cultural idioms that have evolved over decades—if not centuries—while remaining alert to political and economic dynamics at regional and global levels.

In this context, social engineering becomes an important concept. I was introduced to this idea during my studies in sociology at the University of Ceylon (later the University of Peradeniya). Simply put, just as individuals set goals and devise strategies to achieve them, societies too require leaders who articulate collective goals across different sectors and develop appropriate methodologies to realise them. Social engineering represents an active approach to resolving social and economic problems, in contrast to a passive approach that relies uncritically on existing institutions, frameworks, and practices to maintain the status quo. At its core, social engineering is about system change—whether partial or comprehensive.

Sociologists and other social scientists traditionally aim to understand societies and explain how they function. Many are trained in Western contexts such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe, or in major Eastern societies such as India and China. Much of their work serves disciplinary interests, where knowledge production is valued primarily for theory-building rather than for application to real-world problems. This tendency is particularly evident in former colonial societies in South Asia.

This raises several important questions. Is it sufficient to understand and explain societies while devoting entire academic careers to such pursuits? To what extent should social science knowledge be mobilised to address concrete social problems faced by people? How far should social scientists commit their time and resources to developing solutions, including the formulation of social engineering methodologies appropriate to their own societies? These questions remain highly relevant today.

Goals, Humanitarian Values, and Governance Reform

In any social engineering project, setting clear goals for change or reform is a crucial first step. These goals should be grounded in humanitarian principles rather than narrowly defined economic rationality. Societies are composed of human beings, not merely economic units. Yet modern marketing practices—and increasingly, government policies shaped by corporate logic—tend to conceptualise individuals primarily in economic terms. In such frameworks, people are often viewed as resources to be exploited rather than as citizens to be served.

If social engineering is to be meaningful, the entire machinery of government may need to be reconceptualised in line with humanitarian goals. Where institutions have become irrelevant, corrupt, outdated, or dysfunctional, serious reforms must be both envisioned and implemented. Public service should function as a vehicle for service rather than control.

Some lessons can be drawn from contemporary experiments elsewhere. For example, recent reforms within the New York City administration—guided by democratic socialist ideals—aim to address residents’ needs in areas such as housing, childcare, transport, law enforcement, employment, and education. The administration has created avenues for citizen participation and consultation, reflecting an approach that involves people in decision-making rather than treating them as passive recipients of policy directives.

Education in Context

Equally important is reflection on the nature of education and its relationship to social context. Education operates at two levels. The first is formal education provided through schools and universities. The second is broader and less formal, encompassing learning acquired through social institutions such as family, religion, community, and the media. Human beings learn continuously from their social environments, and this contextual knowledge is no less valuable than formal academic knowledge.

However, in post-colonial societies, there has been a tendency to devalue knowledge rooted in local social contexts while privileging knowledge produced in schools and universities—particularly that originating in Western societies. Today, such knowledge is often delivered at high cost by Western higher education institutions, reinforcing global hierarchies of knowledge and power.

Leadership, Ethics, and Participation

Leadership training is essential for cultivating a new generation of public servants who are not only familiar with public policies and programmes but also committed to ethical administration. Corrupt practices continue to persist within various government offices. Services that should be provided as a matter of right are sometimes treated as commodities for sale, particularly when actions escape public scrutiny.

Robust mechanisms are required to eliminate such practices, alongside public education on how to report corruption safely and effectively. Leadership at regional and provincial levels is equally critical. Societies can no longer function effectively under administrative systems and mentalities inherited from colonial rule.

Mechanisms for meaningful public participation—such as advisory committees and consultative forums—are essential. Valuable lessons can be learned from reforms undertaken by institutions like the New York City Council, which has sought to align governance practices with social democratic principles and resident-centred administration. Pay particular attention to the terminology used by Mayor Zoran Mamdani.

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