In a globalising world, cultural conflicts are inevitable, and judges are increasingly faced with the challenges posed by multiculturalism (p. xvi). The judiciary is, nolens volens at the epicentre of the tussle between religious and cultural minorities against the laws enforcing the dominant cultural values. Ruggiu relies on the concept of a ‘cultural defense’, initially theorised by Dundes Renteln, as an invocation to the court to consider the cultural background that underpins a person, a behaviour or an action. Ruggiu believes that a cultural defense must be a recognised right in legal proceedings—as part of the larger spectrum of ‘cultural rights’ that should be guaranteed to promote pluralism and mitigate the effects of neo-colonialism (p. xv)—but also delineates its limits. Ruggiu’s engaging and thought-provoking work situates itself at the forefront of the discussion of the judiciary’s treatment of conflicts arising from multiculturalism