ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the origin and development of the term 'deconstruction' in the context of linguistics and the power of language to shape meaning. It discusses deconstruction in the context of institutions and systems of thought, and analyses the emergence of the concept of 'differance' that is central to deconstruction. The chapter also explores Jacques Derrida's work on the nature of law, and on the relationship between law and justice that makes law essentially deconstructible. It examines how theory can contribute to people's understanding of transitional justice. The chapter highlights the indeterminate nature of the approach, and the fact that 'deconstructing' transitional justice involves introducing uncertainty into the model. Deconstruction seeks to introduce uncertainty into the rigid categories upon which the field is founded, and in so doing to bring new insight into the origin and the consequences of the oppositional structure of meaning.
