In 2019, Sri Lanka experienced a severe economic crisis, triggered by a combination of political instability, the Easter Sunday bombings, and a collapse in tourism revenues. The crisis led to a currency devaluation, a sharp rise in inflation, and a debt default, forcing the government to seek assistance from the International Monetary Fund. The event highlighted the vulnerability of small island economies to external shocks and the importance of economic diversification.

The Sri Lankan crisis was reflected in the island's rich poetic tradition, with poets like Anne Ranasinghe and others writing about the social and emotional toll of economic collapse. The crisis also influenced the work of South Asian diaspora writers, who explored the intersections of economics, politics, and identity in their poetry and prose.