Despite its popularity, civil society remains a troubling concept for many. It has been variously critiqued for masking the operation of power, for universalising a situated normative order, and for homogenising the diversity of bodies, things and affects that comprise political and social lives. In this special issue we seek to probe these debates through a specific engagement with the concept of ‘civility’. As populist and right-wing political movements gain in strength and prominence across the globe, it seems a suitable moment to consider the role of civility in both political contestation and everyday lives, while reflecting on what the implications for concepts in political geography. In this introduction we outline these debates while introducing the specific contribution of each of the papers.