Derrida

This biography of Jacques Derrida (1930 2004) tells the story of a Jewish boy from Algiers, excluded from school at the age of twelve, who went on to become the most widely translated French philosopher in the world a vulnerable, tormented man who, throughout his life, continued to see himself as unwelcome in the French university system. We are plunged into the different worlds in which Derrida lived and worked: pre-independence Algeria, the microcosm of the cole Normale Sup rieure, the cluster of structuralist thinkers, and the turbulent events of 1968 and after. We meet the remarkable series of leading writers and philosophers with whom Derrida struck up a friendship: Louis Althusser, Emmanuel Levinas, Jean Genet, and H l ne Cixous, among others. We also witness an equally long series of often brutal polemics fought over crucial issues with thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Jacques Lacan, John R. Searle, and J rgen Habermas, as well as several controversies that went far beyond academia, the best known of which concerned Heidegger and Paul de Man. We follow a series of courageous political commitments in support of Nelson Mandela, illegal immigrants, and gay marriage. And we watch as a concept deconstruction takes wing and exerts an extraordinary influence way beyond the philosophical world, on literary studies, architecture, law, theology, feminism, queer theory, and postcolonial studies. In writing this compelling and authoritative biography, Beno t Peeters talked to over a hundred individuals who knew and worked with Derrida. He is also the first person to make use of the huge personal archive built up by Derrida throughout his life and of his extensive correspondence. Peeters book gives us a new and deeper understanding of the man who will perhaps be seen as the major philosopher of the second half of the twentieth century.

This biography of Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) tells thestory of a Jewish boy from Algiers, excluded from school at the ageof twelve, who went on to become the most widely translated Frenchphilosopher in the world - a vulnerable, tormented man whothroughout his life, continued to see himself as unwelcome in theFrench university system. We are plunged into the different worldsin which Derrida lived and worked: pre-independence Algeria, themicrocosm of the École Normale Supérieure, the cluster ofstructuralist thinkers, and the turbulent events of 1968 and after.We meet the remarkable series of leading writers and philosopherswith whom Derrida struck up a friendship: Louis Althusser, EmmanuelLevinas, Jean Genet, and Hélène Cixous, among others. Wealso witness an equally long series of often brutal polemics foughtover crucial issues with thinkers such as Michel Foucault, JacquesLacan, John R. Searle, and Jürgen Habermas, as well as severalcontroversies that went far beyond academia, the best known ofwhich concerned Heidegger and Paul de Man. We follow a series ofcourageous political commitments in support of Nelson Mandelaillegal immigrants, and gay marriage. And we watch as a concept deconstruction - takes wing and exerts anextraordinary influence way beyond the philosophical world, onliterary studies, architecture, law, theology, feminism, queertheory, and postcolonial studies.In writing this compelling and authoritative biographyBenoît Peeters talked to over a hundred individuals who knewand worked with Derrida. He is also the first person to makeuse of the huge personal archive built up by Derrida throughout hislife and of his extensive correspondence. Peeters' bookgives us a new and deeper understanding of the man who will perhapsbe seen as the major philosopher of the second half of thetwentieth century.

Acknowledgements viiIntroduction 1PART I JACKIE 1930-19621 The Negus 1930-1942 92 Under the Sun of Algiers 1942-1949 193 The Walls of Louis-le-Grand 1949-1952 354 The École Normale Supérieure 1952-1956 595 A Year in America 1956-1957 806 The Soldier of Koléa 1957-1959 927 Melancholia in Le Mans 1959-1960 1088 Towards Independence 1960-1962 113PART II DERRIDA 1963-19831 From Husserl to Artaud 1963-1964 1272 In the Shadow of Althusser 1963-1966 1443 Writing Itself 1965-1966 1554 A Lucky Year 1967 1705 A Period of Withdrawal 1968 1866 Uncomfortable Positions 1969-1971 2077 Severed Ties 1972-1973 2308 Glas 1973-1975 2569 In Support of Philosophy 1973-1976 26710 Another Life 1976-1977 28811 From the Nouveaux Philosophes to the Estates General1977-1979 29812 Postcards and Proofs 1979-1981 30813 Night in Prague 1981-1982 33214 A New Hand of Cards 1982-1983 342PART III JACQUES DERRIDA 1984-20041 The Territories of Deconstruction 1984-1986 3552 From the Heidegger Aff air to the de Man Aff air1987-1988 3793 Living Memory 1988-1990 4024 Portrait of the Philosopher at Sixty 4175 At the Frontiers of the Institution 1991-1992 4406 Of Deconstruction in America 4517 Specters of Marx 1993-1995 4628 The Derrida International 1996-1999 4789 The Time of Dialogue 2000-2002 49510 In Life and in Death 2003-2004 518Notes 543Sources 593Bibliography 596Index 605