Derrida and the Time of the Political

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An intellectual event, this volume marks the first critical assessment of Jacques Derrida’s political and ethical writings since his death in 2004. American critics have long expressed skepticism about the relevance of deconstruction to political thought, particularly since Derrida's work became widely available in English in the late 1970s. Despite his exploration of political themes from the late 1980s, there has been limited analysis of this later work and its connection to his overall philosophy. This collection fills that gap by providing diverse perspectives on Derrida's political turn, illustrating how deconstruction informs political theory and real-world politics. Contributors include scholars closely associated with Derrida and leading political theorists who engage with his ideas from various angles. The volume begins with an introduction by Pheng Cheah and Suzanne Guerlac, who contextualize Derrida’s later work within his broader corpus. Subsequent essays explore key issues arising from Derrida's political analysis, such as democracy, sovereignty, ethics, responsibility, committed political action, non-Western politics, and the future of nationalism amid globalization. The collection is enriched by original contributions from Hélène Cixous and Judith Butler, alongside essays from notable scholars like Étienne Balibar, Wendy Brown, and Jacques Rancière.