In this impassioned argument, Étienne Balibar boldly confronts the insidious causes of violence, racism, nationalism, and ethnic cleansing worldwide. Through a novel synthesis of theory and empirical studies of violence drawn from contemporary life, Balibar tests the limits of political philosophy to formulate new, productive conceptions of war, revolution, sovereignty, and class. Balibar explores how the relationship between politics and violence effects the way violence continues to exist in our society, and further how "civility" presents itself within this contemporary dichotomy. Balibar introduces the need to view politics as "counter-violence" versus "anti-violence" and other conversions in power and authority to better aptly respond to cruelty and violence.