The philosophy of human rights? : Derrida's deconstructionist approach

Abstract

Derrida's work has for decades been associated with the term 'deconstruction'. This term has been used and misused by many philosophers and thinkers since its inception. In chapter 1, I will try to analyze the term 'deconstruction', applying it to a broader sphere than the exclusive domain of literary criticism that it is frequently associated with. Without being a fixed system, method or structure, deconstruction changes the way we look at things. In the first chapter I try to put forward the idea that deconstruction has always been political, in the sense that it could be regarded as subversive of the received idea of politics. Here, I take politics to mean the web of relationships that a person uses to deal with him/herself; the Other and society. This includes law, justice, democracy and rights.