At a time of widespread political turmoil and violence, critics have labeled the notion of dialogue idealistic, naïve, rhetorical, even dangerous. Yet, the dialogue of cultures, religions and civilisations is probably the only way forward. Without dialogue, it is hard to see how we can make sense of the present, let alone plan for the future. Put simply, dialogue is an idea whose time has come. By bringing together some of the leading scholars in the field, the book comes at a very critical moment in the debate on civilization by responding to the lack of scholarly attention by international relations and political theorists as to how the discourse of dialogue of cultures, religions and civilizations can contribute to the future of world order.

Dr Michális S. Michael is a Research Fellow at La Trobe University’s Centre for Dialogue, an Honorary Research Fellow at its School of Social Sciences, and a Fellow at the Contemporary European Research Centre, University of Melbourne. He was taught extensively on international relations and is involved in various research projects such as ‘Europe and Asia: Between Islam and the United States’, ‘Australia’s handling of tensions between Islam and the West since September 11’, ‘International Conflict, Religion and Culture: Implications for Southeast Asia and Australia’ as well as heads the ‘Diaspora Dialogue Programme’ and the ‘Interfaith / Intercultural Network for Melbourne’s Northern Region’ project. His publications include: Cyprus in the Modern World (co-editor, 2005), Asia-Pacific Geopolitics: Hegemony versus Human Security, (co-editor, , 2007), Europe between Islam and the United States (co-editor, Global Change, Peace & Security 2008), Negotiating History: Resolving the Cyprus Conflict (forthcoming).

Dr. Fabio Petito is Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Sussex. He also teaches at the University ‘L’Orientale’ in Naples, Italy, and has been in recent years Fellows at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London University, Visiting Professor at the ESCP-EAP in Paris and editor of Millennium: Journal of International Studies. He is co-editor of Religion in International Relations: The Return from Exile (Palgrave, 2003; Italian translation, 2006), The International Political Thought of Carl Schmitt Terror, liberal war and the crisis of global order (2007) and is working at the moment on a monograph entitled Dialogue of Civilizations as International Political Theory.

Introduction:  Imperial Monologue vs. Dialogue of Civilizations--Michális S. Michael & Fabio Petito * PART I: Dialogue of Cultures, Religions and Civilizations: Theoretical Reflections * Justice and Cross-Cultural Dialogue: From Theory to Practice--Fred R. Dallmayr * Terror, Counter-terror, and Self-destruction: Living with Regimes of Narcissism and Despair--Ashis Nandy *  Anti-Cosmopolitanism, the Cosmopolitan Harm Principle and Global Dialogue--Richard Shapcott * Finding Appropriate Forms of Dialogue for Engaging with the Politics of Security--Phillip Darby * Dialogue among and within Faiths for the Weaving of a Culture of Peace--Toh Swee-Hin * The Impact of Religious Diversity and Revitalisation on the Possibility of Dialogue--Gary D. Bouma & Rod Ling * PART II: The Relevance of Dialogue for ‘World Order’ in the Post 9/11 Context * The Dialogue of Civilisations in the Era of Imperial Decline--Joseph A. Camilleri * Monologue of Empire versus Global Dialogue of Cultures: The Branding of ‘American Values’--Manfred B. Steger * Quo Vadis--the Dialogue of Civilizations?--Chandra Muzaffar * Dialogue among Civilizations as an Alternative Model for World Order--Fabio Petito * European Civilization and the Muslim World: Clash, Dialogue, What Else?--Armando Salvatore * History, Memory, and the Dialogue of Civilizations: The Case of Northeast Asia--Michael T. Seigel * Speaking the Truth: Openness and Dialogue of Civilizations--Zhang Longxi