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Reconciliation: From Invoking to Understanding The International Centre for Ethnic Studies is pleased to announce the launch of Working Paper No: 04 on the theme of Post War Reconciliation titled,‛On (Not) Knowing One's Place: A Critique of Cultural Relativism' by Qadri Ismail.Incited most immediately by the Bodu Bala Sena, the brutal record of Sinhala nationalism more generally, and also by the inadequacy of our response to it, whether liberal, Tamil nationalist, Islamist or leftist, this paper engages four thematics raised by the ICES conference titled “Ethical Futures: Dialogues on State, Society and Ethical Existence’ ethics, history, diversity and dissent. The invitation asks us to imagine the possibility of a Sri Lankan future from an explicitly, if not exclusively, ethical perspective, unburdened by both politics and what it terms “the weight of history.” It acknowledges, admires interventionist “politically engaged scholarship” on Sri Lanka, but asks this gathering to respond to a different charge. If one understands ethics, very crudely, as making a claim upon the good, and politics one upon the possible, the statement effectively challenges us not to be constrained by the could; rather, to imagine the should. To that end, it offers its own ideal of an ethical future: one that respects, even celebrates cultural diversity, enables dissent. Understanding these concepts as problems, not ends, as provocations for thought, this paper poses several questions to the Sri Lankan debate. They will be approached through a critique of cultural relativism, both in general and in the Sri Lankan Muslim instance.This paper can be downloaded via this linkBox: PDFScribd PDF (Facebook required for download)source: International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES)ColomboAddress: 2, Kynsey Terrace, Colombo 8, Sri LankaT:+94-11-2679745/ 2674884F:+94-11-2688929KandyAddress: 554/6A, Peradeniya Road,Mulgampola (Kandy), Sri LankaT:+ 94-81-2234892/ 2232381F:+94-81-2234892E-mail: ices@ices.lkwww.ices.lk/http://www.llrcarchive.org