For our Essays series, Maeve Cooke and Sebastiano Maffettone discuss the philosophical-political tools required by liberalism in order to address the challenge posed by pluralism: openness to inclusive citizenship, a dialogue between cultures and governing fear in post-secular society. Cooke critically reanalyzes the Habermasian perspective presenting us with a more precise consideration of the burden posed by “translation” within the framework of an intercultural dialogue, while Maffettone addresses the nihilist consequences of post-modernism that make “impossible the construction of a post-colonial discourse through which discontent is transformed into a basis for a reasonable political action.” Earlier versions of both articles were presented at Istanbul Seminars 2010.