**What is this Book?** This volume, _Signature Derrida_, is a collection of major essays by the renowned philosopher Jacques Derrida that were originally published in the journal _Critical Inquiry_ between 1980 and 2002. It's not a general overview of his entire philosophy, but rather a specific selection showcasing his relationship with this particular journal and highlighting key aspects of his intellectual evolution. Think of it as a curated exhibition of Derrida's engagement with a significant academic platform over more than two decades. **Why is this Book Significant Now?** The preface notes that we are currently witnessing a "new mode of attending to the work of Jacques Derrida". His work has been received in various ways throughout history – as required reading, as the embodiment of everything wrong with academia, as "dead" or "morally bankrupt," or fundamental to understanding other major thinkers. This new wave of reception is changing the general understanding of his work, marked by the publication of his lectures, biographies, dedicated journals, and new critical scholarship. This book, by collecting his essays from _Critical Inquiry_, contributes to this rereading effort, aiming to more accurately assess his place in the history of philosophy and critical theory beyond the "culture wars". It offers a chance to see how his ideas developed and were debated in a specific public forum. **Derrida's Relationship with _Critical Inquiry_** Derrida had a "long-standing, intense relationship" with _Critical Inquiry_. The journal served as one of his "principal outlets in the Americas". He often referred to the journal's "hospitality," describing it as inviting and generous. However, this concept of "hospitality" was also something Derrida explored as problematic. He saw the host (the journal) as being "inviting yet controlling, welcoming but exclusionary," while the guest (the writer) might feel "grateful yet reluctant, proud to be selected yet suspicious of the reasons". Derrida sometimes "chafes under these controls," seeing the host's management of the forum as determining who responds and who has the "last word". Despite this, he was "grateful to the editors" for publishing debates and inviting his responses. He even tested the journal at times, seeming to relish the arguments that ensued, even if they sometimes infuriated him. The journal is seen by Derrida as a "communal collaboration". **Key Themes and Concepts in the Essays (as described in the excerpts):** The essays in this collection span what the introduction delineates as the "three large periods" in Derrida's writing, although these are rough outlines and themes often overlap. The collection emphasizes his later writings, where he functioned more as a "public intellectual". 1. **Context and the "Outside-the-Text"**: One of the most crucial ideas discussed is Derrida's famous, often-misunderstood phrase: "there is no outside-the-text". The excerpts explain that this doesn't mean only books or paper documents exist. Instead, "text" in Derrida's usage is a generalized concept that includes "institutional, economic, political, pulsive (and so on) 'realities'". He argues that you can never access a text without relating it to its "contextual opening," meaning context is fundamental. He saw this concept as often misunderstood by his critics. 2. **Deconstruction**: The introduction highlights that Derrida did not view "deconstruction" as a single "signature move" or even a rigid "method". He often pluralized the term or found ways to avoid using it in later work. Instead, he deployed "various tactics of reading specifically called for by the text at hand". Deconstruction aimed to expose what seemed straightforward as ambiguous or even contradictory. It suggested that an author's intended meaning was often beyond their control and that texts could mean in "multiple (and sometimes outlandish) ways". Importantly, Derrida firmly believed that deconstruction was "not only far from ahistorical; it is a call to struggle—whether philosophical or political or both". He saw it as a series of "political and institutional interventions". It's described as a "very differentiated movement". 3. **Signature, Proper Name, and Biodegradability**: The title of the book, _Signature Derrida_, points to a concept Derrida explored in multiple ways. In the most obvious sense, "signature" refers to what is "typical of Derrida’s work," such as starting with a single interrogation or deploying specific reading tactics. It also signifies the "responsibility" of an author, the need to "own up to one’s words". Beyond the ordinary, the concept of the signature "explodes" in his work, marking the author's separation from the time of writing and the text itself. This separation leads to reflections on "mortality". The proper name, like a work, survives its author. This links to the idea of "nonbiodegradability". The concept of "(bio)degradability" is complex and appears in relation to arguments, memory, archives, culture, and the survival of texts. A text must be biodegradable to nourish culture, but also resist assimilation to endure. What resists degradation is the singular event, that which exceeds interpretation. 4. **Critical Responses and Polemics**: A significant portion of the excerpts details Derrida's engagement with critiques of his work published in _Critical Inquiry_. He responded forcefully, sometimes with "cold corrective" or "outraged sarcasm", and even "cold rage". He pushed back against accusations of being ahistorical or promoting harmful ideas. He saw many of the critiques as "aggressive and mediocrity", "disastrous (weak, ridiculous, violent, indecent, in bad faith)", or demonstrating critics' inability to truly read. He felt that critics often misunderstood fundamental concepts like "text" and "deconstruction". While he often defended himself and deconstruction, he also stated that he never initiated polemics, only responded when invited. He felt responding was necessary to keep a space for discussion open, despite the flaws in the critiques. 5. **The De Man Affair**: A major point of controversy discussed is Derrida's essay on Paul de Man's wartime journalism. The excerpts detail the background: the discovery of de Man's anti-Semitic texts, the invitation from _Critical Inquiry_ for Derrida to respond, and the ensuing "numerous attacks" he faced for his essay. Derrida defended his approach, arguing that his essay was a "first reflection," a "narrative, some hypotheses, a call to responsibility". He stated that he did not try to be "severe or indulgent" but rather to analyze the texts in their historical context. He argued against simplistic judgments or totalizations of de Man's life or work. He explicitly stated that he did _not_ feel he had the right to "pardon" the wartime writings, not because he was a judge, but because pardoning would usurp the place of victims. He saw the attacks on him and deconstruction as misplaced, arguing that critics often failed to read carefully or engaged in "hypocrisy" and "amnesia". He rejected the idea that "Deconstruction" itself was on trial or "in ruins" because of this affair. 6. **Specific Essay Topics (Sampling)**: The introduction briefly describes the focus of several essays included in the collection: - **"The Law of Genre"**: Explores the boundaries of genre, seeing the law of genre as threatened by a counterlaw. Connects the question of literary genre to the idea of law in general, generation, identity, difference, and the masculine/feminine. Engages with ideas in narratology (récit, histoire, fabula, sjuzet) and figures like Genette, Barthes, Ricoeur, and Chatman. It also touches on the question of the subject and hints at connections to Lacan. - **"The Linguistic Circle of Geneva"**: Discusses the origins of language and thought, reading thinkers like Rousseau, Chomsky, and Condillac. Uses a deconstructive approach to show connections between seemingly opposing views. Alludes to the Geneva and Prague schools of criticism. - **"Of Spirit"**: Examines Martin Heidegger's politics and use of the concept of "spirit," particularly in the context of Nazism and the destiny of Europe. - **"Given Time: The Time of the King"**: Questions the very possibility of the "gift" as an "aneconomic" act that cannot participate in the economy of exchange. Connects to Marcel Mauss and Charles Baudelaire's concept of "counterfeit money". - **Eulogies (for Foucault, Marin, Levinas)**: Reflections on the intellectual legacies of deceased colleagues and friends. Engage with themes of history of madness (Foucault), the power of the image in relation to death and mourning (Marin), and ethics "beyond ethics," duty to the other, and the impossibility of judging the dead (Levinas). These essays show Derrida grappling with sorrow and the continuance of thought after loss. - **"What Is a 'Relevant' Translation?"**: Explores the stakes and difficulties of translation, arguing that it cannot be transparent. Uses Shakespeare's "When mercy seasons justice" as a case study, connecting translation to concepts like Hegel's _Aufhebung_, debt, forgiveness, anti-Semitism, and mourning for the lost original. Suggests prayer as a potential space for the gift beyond law. - **"The Animal That I Therefore Am"**: Questions the distinction between human and animal, playing on the Cartesian "I think". Discusses concepts like "limitrophy" (the edge between life and death), consciousness of mortality, and uses the neologism "animot" to capture the complex multiplicity of living things. Raises Jeremy Bentham's question: do animals suffer? Connects this to animal rights and human subjectivity. It is described as an essay reflecting on suffering, loss, and sorrow in Derrida's later work. 7. **Responsibility**: The theme of responsibility appears frequently. It involves the author taking ownership of their words ("signature"), responding to the "unforeseeable appeals" of the other, and the complex "ordeal" of responding for a deceased friend like de Man. Responsibility is seen as unsettling and not a matter of "calm and assured" good conscience. There's a responsibility towards the "third party" (the reader or listener) in academic exchanges. Derrida questions who has the right to judge or condemn others. 8. **Friendship, Gift, and Mourning**: These are described as "major themes" that appear throughout the volume. Friendship is linked to salvation in the face of mortality. The gift is presented as a problematic, "impossible," aneconomic concept. Mourning is connected to death, the power of the image, and the space of potential. These themes intertwine, particularly in the eulogies, where Derrida explores intellectual legacies, debt to others, and the grief of loss. **Derrida's Style and Approach (as described in the excerpts):** Derrida's writing is characterized by starting with simple interrogations, showing the "inexhaustibility of a text", and exposing ambiguity and contradiction. He doesn't impose his will on a text but reveals how the text itself "wanted to mean" in multiple ways. He is noted for using shifting rhetorical registers, including "comedy, seriousness, semiparody". He employs tactics like quoting inconspicuous passages from interlocutors, turning the tables on his critics, and analyzing concepts from multiple angles simultaneously. While some critics found him verbose or elliptical, the introduction suggests that works that "best resist time are those which are simultaneously eloquent and enigmatic, generously abundant and inexhaustibly elliptical". His essays often contain footnotes, which are described as "nonmarginalized place[s] in his texts". **In Summary:** _Signature Derrida_ offers a valuable collection of essays from a key period of Derrida's career, particularly showcasing his engagement with public issues and academic debate in _Critical Inquiry_. It highlights his evolving thought, his vigorous defense of deconstruction against misunderstanding, and his deep engagement with themes of text, context, responsibility, mortality, friendship, and the challenges of reading and judgment [passim]. By focusing on these specific engagements, the book provides insight into both Derrida's intellectual trajectory and the academic landscape of his time. --- **Further Ideas and Questions to Explore:** Based on this glimpse into _Signature Derrida_, here are some avenues for deeper thought: - How does the "hospitality" dynamic of academic publishing (journals inviting writers, forums for debate) shape the production and reception of complex ideas? - Given Derrida's emphasis on "context" and the expansive definition of "text", how might we apply this to understanding contemporary political or cultural debates? - Considering Derrida's concept of "biodegradability", what makes certain texts, ideas, or even digital content "survive" or resist cultural "erosion"? - Derrida's reflections on responsibility, particularly in the de Man affair, raise difficult questions about judging historical figures and texts. How do we balance analysis, critique, and the ethics of speaking about the past and those who are no longer here to respond? - How does the concept of the "proper name" as something that survives the author influence our understanding of legacy and intellectual history? - Can exploring Derrida's analysis of genre help us better understand how we categorize and interpret different forms of communication today? - What are the ethical implications of translation, especially when dealing with sensitive or controversial texts, considering Derrida's analysis of the compromises and losses involved? - Derrida's turn towards themes of suffering, mourning, and the question of the animal in his later work suggests a shift in focus. How does this later emphasis connect with or diverge from his earlier deconstructive projects? We hope this briefing document gives you a helpful starting point for engaging with the essays in _Signature Derrida_. Enjoy the journey of rereading and discovering the many layers within Derrida's work!