LONDON – 20th May 2013 – With a view to further advancing theoretical and practical engagement with dialogue, the Dialogue Society is launching a new book introducing the ideas of ten diverse contributors to thought in this area. Dialogue Theories, by Frances Sleap and Dr Omer Sener, edited by Prof Paul Weller, is intended to inform and inspire anyone with a personal, professional or academic interest in dialogue. A series of launch events will be held in the course of the year (details below).

The thinkers considered in the book, deliberately drawn from diverse intellectual and cultural backgrounds, range from quantum physicist David Bohm to social theorist Jürgen Habermas to Islamic scholar and peace advocate Fethullah Gülen. As well as introducing the key ideas of each thinker, the book discusses the relation of those ideas to practice, discussing a wide range of practical dialogue organisations and projects. It can be purchased via Amazon for £7.99.

Ozcan Keles, Executive Director of the Dialogue Society, said, “We are delighted to be launching this new book. We hope that, together with the Journal of Dialogue Studies which will be launched this summer, and the Dialogue Studies MA co-delivered with Keele University, it will contribute to the development of ‘Dialogue Studies’ as a distinct academic field. The study of dialogue would seem to have a natural place in a society oriented towards peace and inter-group respect. Perhaps it may also contribute to nurturing that orientation and creating that society.”

Professor Weller, editor of the book, said, “I am very pleased to be associated with Dialogue Theories as editor. Through it, the Dialogue Society is seeking to contribute not only to the practice of dialogue, but also to the study of it. The aim of this book is both to fill a lacuna in the literature on dialogue in a way that can contribute to the academic study of it, while also being accessible to a wider public that is concerned about and (in different ways) engaged in dialogue.” We will continue to work to instil this truth through our work, outreach and publications, be it directly or through example.

Launch events (with independent reviewers speaking alongside the authors and editor):

• Hull, 19th June
• Birmingham, 25th June
• London, 2nd July
• Southampton 22nd October

For press enquiries please contact Ilknur Kahraman, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or telephone 020 7619 0361

The Dialogue Society is a registered charity, established in London in 1999, with the aim of advancing social cohesion by connecting communities through dialogue. It does this by bringing people together through discussion forums, courses, capacity building publications and outreach. It operates nation-wide with regional branches across the UK. Other recent publications include Dialogue in Islam, which explores Islamic arguments for engagement in dialogue, and Making Dialogue Effective, which brings together the ideas of diverse practitioners and academics on the role of dialogue and how it can be done well. For more information see www.dialoguesociety.org.