A Derrida Dictionary

This Dictionary offers points of entry into Derrida's complex and extensive works.

• This Dictionary offers points of entry into Derrida's complex and extensive works.
• From 'aporia' to 'yes', the Dictionary suggests ways into Derrida that show what is at stake in his work.
• Demonstrates that Derrida is not just about philosophy, but also about politics and pop music.
• Explains why deconstruction matters, and how Derrida can change the way you think.
• The A-Z entries are framed by essays on the inherent interdisciplinarity of Derrida's work and on Derrida's relationship to a range of other thinkers.

List of Terms viii

List of Abbreviations x

Preface xii

Dictionary 1

References (Image – Music – Print) 168

Index 174

"Writing for fans of Dylan, Eastwood, Eminem, and Lou Reed, no less than for readers of Freud, Heidegger, and Nietzsche, Lucy catalogues the ways Derrida has rocked words to their alphabetic core. There is sharpness, wit, and high seriousness in every entry." Peggy Kamuf, University of Southern California

"Niall Lucy has written a witty, incisive, timely and highly topical dictionary that deftly characterizes the most important entries in Derrida's lexicon. The book is chock full of references to contemporary film, music and politics and spares us the tediousness of trying to formalize ideas whose very idea is that they cannot be formalized. In addition to making for an insightful read and a pleasurable ride, Lucy does a good job of redefining what a “dictionary” is supposed to mean. A saucy, sparkling success." John D. Caputo, Villanova University

"Lucy brings and ironic, iconoclastic, and earthy approach to his teask... Entries are cleverly focused so that major terms and concepts get full attention ... Lucy is unpretentious and plain speaking... This is a well worthwhile purchase for the library where Derrida comes as new and rather threatening to students." Reference Reviews

Niall Lucy teaches in English and Philosophy at Murdoch University. His previous books, which have been translated into several languages, are Debating Derrida (1995), Beyond Semiotics: Text, Culture and Technology (2001) and (for Blackwell) Postmodern Literary Theory: An Introduction (1997) and the accompanying Postmodern Literary Theory: An Anthology (2000). He is also editor of the Philosophy and Cultural Studies issue of Continuum (1998). Derrida’s terminology is notoriously difficult for readers to understand, and indeed defining Derridean terms runs counter (in a sense) to the spirit of his intellectual project. However, A Derrida Dictionary can offer points of entry into Derrida’s complex and extensive works. From 'aporia' to 'yes', this Dictionary suggests ways into Derrida that show what is at stake in his work in the areas of justice, ethics, democracy, literature, philosophy, religion and how to live. It is a book not just about philosophy, but also about politics and pop music; a book which explains why deconstruction matters, and how Derrida can change the way you think.