The Author Meets the Critics panel, coordinated by the Ethos Observatory, is devoted to a discussion of Valentina Gentile's book Freedom With Religions. Rethinking Civility through Political Inclusivism in Liberal Democracies (Routledge, 2026). The book offers a re-reading of political liberalism aimed at addressing the deep forms of religious pluralism that characterise contemporary democracies, steering a middle course between orthodox defences and radical critiques of this project. At the core of the argument lies the concept of political inclusivism, a normative framework that remains faithful to the principles of public reason while expanding their interpretation in light of the lived experiences of religious citizens. On this basis, the book introduces the notion of a culture of civility, understood as a socially embedded complement to the duty of civility and as a bridge between public justification and the ethical life of civil society. Through these conceptual innovations, the book advances a more inclusive vision of the ethos of liberal democracies. The panel will be introduced and chaired by Sebastiano Maffettone (Ethos Luiss). The book will be discussed by Aakash Singh Rathore (Ashoka University & Jindal Global University), Mohammed Hashas (University of Rome Tor Vergata), Carla Bagnoli (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia & National Academy of the Lincei), Debora Spini (New York University in Florence), and Tom Bailey (John Cabot University, tbc). The author will respond to the discussants' comments.

Philosophy, Politics, Law and Religion