The Intruder

Jean-Luc Nancy's heart was grafted from a stranger in 1991, leading to complications and illnesses. This experience led him to articulate how intrusion is not antithetical to identity but constitutive of it. Claire Denis adapted Nancy's novel into a film in 2004, emphasizing the struggle against exoticism, enforced assimilation, and confidence in self-identity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2024
Publisher: Fordham University Press

Jean-Luc Nancy's life took an unexpected turn in 1991 when his heart failed. In a pioneering medical procedure in France, he received a stranger's heart transplant. However, the journey was not without its challenges, as Nancy faced numerous complications, including additional surgeries and the development of lymphatic cancer. Through these experiences, he gained a profound understanding of the complexities of bodily existence and the challenges of navigating the stranger within himself.

At the same time, Europe was experiencing a shift in its immigration policies, closing its borders to those seeking refuge from war and poverty. This trend deeply concerned Nancy, who had always been fascinated by the concept of strangeness. In his book "The Intruder," he explored how intrusion, whether it be of a body or a border, does not undermine one's identity but rather becomes an integral part of it.

In 2004, Claire Denis adapted "The Intruder" into a film that has since been recognized as one of the most significant works of the 21st century. This edition of the book includes Nancy's and Denis's accounts of translating philosophy into film and a shorter collaboration between the two. Throughout, Nancy and Denis urge us to confront the dangers of exoticism, forced assimilation, and the temptation to rely on our own self-identity. They remind us that true hospitality requires a continuous struggle against these forces and an openness to the Other.

Jean-Luc Nancy's life and work continue to inspire and challenge us to think deeply about the nature of existence, the boundaries between self and other, and the importance of hospitality in a world that is increasingly interconnected. His exploration of the stranger within us reminds us that we are all fundamentally connected and that the journey toward understanding and acceptance is a lifelong one.

Weight: 200g
Dimension: 203 x 127 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781531506179