Democracies around the world are under pressure today. Democracies such as those
defined by Jacques Derrida as democracy to come are particularly under attack. The four
contributions take Derrida's understanding of democracy (introduced in particular in
“Specters of Marx”; “The Politics of Friendship”; “Rogues: Two Essays on Reason”) as the
starting point for their reflections and, based on this, ask what “defense” can mean. The
focus is hereby on the question of the role, function, and purpose of violence. Four
perspectives explore 1) the question of how democracy to come can be defended
democratically and what role violence plays in resistance to totalitarianism, 2) how
violence is framed, justified, or rendered intelligible within political orders, 3) how politics
and ethics can be kept in relation, and 4) what role the theater plays in this.
Contributions in the Panel:
The conference takes place from 13-17 July 2026 at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris.