Paper short abstract:

The paper attempts to critically engage with the issue of Halal certification in Post War Sri Lanka to understand critical questions on the Muslim factor, the politics of ‘othering’, trust deficit, reconciliation and the nature of majoritarian state.

Paper long abstract:

The issue of Halal certification in a post war environment in Sri Lanka provides an interesting analytical lens to understand critical questions on 'othering', insecurity, trust deficit and competing nationalisms among different ethno-religious groups and specifically on the Muslim factor in post war Sri Lanka. The analysis assumes relevance from the standpoint of debates on reconciliation and the politics of majoritarian state in post war Sri Lanka.

The available literature in IR largely remains divorced from 'politics of food' and 'politicization of food' and more importantly on how it can speak to broader indicators of trust, security, state and reconciliation.

This paper will attempt to interrogate the case of Halal certification in Sri Lanka from four critical standpoints: How has the case of Halal certification contributed to a process of dehumanization and 'othering' in an already polarized Sri Lanka? What are the motives for this process of 'othering ' and dehumanization both at the grass root and political level? How is the case of Halal certification in Sri Lanka linked to trust deficit, security dilemma, competing nationalisms? What is the relevance of critical posturing by State and civil society on Halal certification to the debates on reconciliation in post war Sri Lanka?