The crisis of liberalism is in its claim to endorse neutral procedures that allow individuals and groups to pursue their own good, when the very possibility of such neutrality is affected by the growth of plural societies, and resulting divisions of loyalty. This collection explores this crisis.

Richard Bellamy is Professor of Politics and International Relations at theUniversity of Reading. His many publications include Liberalism andModern Society (Polity, 1992), and (as co-editor with DarioCastiglione) Constitutionalism in Transformation (Blackwell, 1996).He is currently completing a book on 'Liberalism and Pluralism:Towards a Politics of Compromise' (Routledge, forthcoming). Martin Louis was Professor of Philosophy at the University of EastAnglia, Norwich from 1992 until his death in February 1998. AFellow of the British Academy, his numerous publications includedThe Cunning of Reason (Cambridge University Press, 1989),Philosophy of the Social Sciences (Cambridge University Press,1994), and Trust within Reason (Cambridge University Press, 1998).

Preface -- From Value Pluralism to Liberalism/George Crowder -- Liberal Legitimacy, Reasonable Disagreement and Justice/Simon Caney -- Neutrality and Recognition/Anna FJisabetta Gakotti -- Consensus, Neutrality and Compromise/Richard Bellamy and Martin Hollis -- Multiculturalism, Secularism and the State/Tariq Modood -- Imposing Liberal Principles/Andrew Mason -- Pluralism within the Limits of Reason Alone? Habermas and the Discursive Negotiation of Consensus/Samantha Ashenden -- Identity and Multicultural Politics/John Arthur -- The Idea of Cultural Patrimony/Timothy O'Hagan -- Notes on Contributors -- Abstracts -- Index.