A New Statesman Best Book of the YearA Church Times Book of the YearWe are facing a crisis of civility, a war of words polluting our public sphere. In liberal democracies committed to tolerating active, often heated disagreement, the loss of this virtue appears critical. Most modern appeals to civility follow arguments by Hobbes or Locke by proposing to suppress disagreement or exclude views we deem âuncivilâ? for the sake of social harmony. By comparison, mere civilityâ¿a grudging conformity to norms of respectful behaviorâ¿as defended by Rhode Islandâ¿s founder, Roger Williams, might seem minimal and unappealing. Yet Teresa Bejan argues that Williamsâ¿s outlook offers a promising path forward in confronting our own crisis, one that challenges our fundamental assumptions about what a tolerantâ¿and civilâ¿society should look like. âPenetrating and sophisticated.â?â¿James Ryerson, New York Times Book ReviewâWould that more of us might learn to look into the past with such gravity and humility. We might end up with a more (or mere) civil society, yet.â?â¿Los Angeles Review of BooksâA deeply admirable book: original, persuasive, witty, and eloquent.â?â¿Jacob T. Levy, Review of PoliticsâA terrific bookâ¿learned, vigorous, and challenging.â?â¿Alison McQueen, Stanford University