Derrida'S Politics of Friendship: Amity and Enmity

This edited collection examines Jacques Derrida's Politics of Friendship and its relevance to contemporary politics, exploring its potential for nationalist and anti-nationalist political programs. It includes two contributions on Geschlect IV, Heidegger's Ear: Philopolemology, and offers an interdisciplinary perspective from philosophy, comparative literature, and French studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Introduction:

In his influential work, "Politics of Friendship," Jacques Derrida explores the complex dynamics of friendship as a political concept. While this text has received significant attention in philosophical circles, it has been relatively understudied in comparison to other key texts in Derrida's oeuvre. This edited collection seeks to rectify this by bringing together 23 critical chapters that revisit and analyze Derrida's Politics of Friendship.

Revisiting Derrida's Politics of Friendship:

The contributors to this collection engage closely with Derrida's text, exploring its themes, arguments, and implications. They analyze the ways in which Derrida challenges traditional notions of friendship, such as its exclusivity, loyalty, and sincerity. They also consider the ways in which friendship can be used as a tool for political resistance and transformation.

One of the key contributions of this collection is its analysis of Derrida's concept of "philopolemology." In this chapter, Derrida explores the relationship between philosophy and politics, particularly the ways in which philosophical concepts can be used to justify political violence. The contributors to this collection offer diverse interpretations of this concept, exploring its implications for contemporary politics.

In addition to its analysis of Derrida's Politics of Friendship, this collection includes two contributions on Geschlect IV, "Heidegger's Ear: Philopolemology," which were published in the French edition of Derrida's work but excluded from the English translation. These chapters provide valuable insights into Derrida's reading of Heidegger and his engagement with the politics of friendship.

Resonating with Issues in Contemporary Politics:

The themes and arguments explored in this collection are particularly relevant to contemporary politics. The rise of nationalist and anti-nationalist political programmes has brought to the forefront the complexities and perils of political friendship. The contributors to this collection offer insights into the ways in which political friendship can be used as a tool for resistance and transformation, as well as the ways in which it can be undermined by political ideologies and power structures.

This collection brings together early career, established, and emeritus scholars from philosophy, comparative literature, and French studies. The interdisciplinary perspective offered by these scholars allows for a rich and nuanced analysis of Derrida's Politics of Friendship and its implications for contemporary politics.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this edited collection offers a valuable contribution to the study of Derrida's political philosophy. By revisiting and analyzing Derrida's Politics of Friendship, the contributors to this collection shed light on the importance of this relatively understudied key text in Derrida's oeuvre. They also offer insights into the limits of friendship as a political concept and its potential for contemporary politics. This collection will be of interest to scholars and students of philosophy, comparative literature, and French studies, as well as those who are interested in the complexities of political friendship and its implications for our contemporary world.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474486743