"This book is short, but its length belies the complexity and range of its ambition. A Violent Peace tackles the technological and cultural ruptures of the interwar era in truly original fashion, making a valuable addition to the growing literature assessing the League in its own right as an experiment in international order."

International Affairs

“With bold originality and a keen eye for the telling detail, Biltoft recasts the history of the League of Nations, dedicated to elevating the word over the sword, as a quest for symbolic capital in the chaotic interwar world. Focusing on questions of language, money, and the control of information flows, she shows how the challenges faced by the League continue to bedevil us today.”

Martin Jay, University of California, Berkeley

“Fascinating and utterly original, A Violent Peace is an impressive study of superior scholarship. Biltoft offers a fresh perspective on this topic by shifting the lens from an investigation into the geopolitical coordinates of the League of Nations to the more ephemeral but equally important role of media and communication strategies that underlay the project. Accessible to both specialists and generalists, this exciting book will find a wide cross-section of readers in history, critical theory, government, and beyond.”

Ethan Kleinberg, Wesleyan University