The obsessive search for an enemy is once again shaping our societies. Achille Mbembe examines this phenomenon of enmity and, drawing on the insights of Frantz Fanon, demonstrates how, as a consequence of the conflicts surrounding the decolonization of the 20th century, war has become the signature of our time. As a prolonged state of exception, it leads to the erosion of liberal democracy and the spread of authoritarian forms of governance. In light of global migration flows and the accompanying interconnectedness of the world, Mbembe offers a sharp critique of atavistic nationalism and advocates for a new politics of humanity.