Conclusion: Religious and political terrain of the monologic imagination

The book concludes by arguing that religious and political discourse is often characterized by the naturalization of monologue. In such discourse, monologism is treated as natural and dialogism becomes the project that requires the most effort-the emergent, fragile attempt that can never fully succeed. It offers examples from sources as diverse as John Wesley’s advice for preaching, Kim Jong-il’s lethal efforts to make all North Koreans speak in a single voice, a wistful Papua New Guinea man’s claim that in the old days people did not speak so much, and an Australian archbishop’s puzzling declaration that dialogue does not require a willingness to compromise.