ABSTRACT
Algerian-born French philosopher Jacques Derrida, known as the inventor of deconstruction, published prolifically on many subjects, including language, literature, ethics, politics, religion, and death, leaving us numerous books, published seminars, and interviews to understand his work. Derrida wrote about death in a wide range of contexts. This chapter focuses on his articulation of death and dying, his deconstruction of the death penalty, and his discussion of mourning, and their political implications. Two crucial ideas we need to review in this context are Derrida’s notions of differance and his practice of deconstruction. He suggests that not all state-sanctioned killings count as capital punishment; for example, the Shoah and other genocides did not involve a trial or official announcement as a punishment. Derrida’s concern about the way the death penalty violates the essence and humanity of the Other is also reinforced by his account of friendship and mourning.
