“Testimony Against the Whole”: Examining the Limits of Peace with Irigaray and Derrida

Communal, cultural, and religious differences are implicated in some of the most urgent issues facing humanity. Examples could include international terrorism, civil wars, legacies of colonialism and racial segregation, or the refugee crisis in Europe. These pressing concerns raise questions regarding the nature of social relations, why hostility develops between different social groups, and how they might instead be more hospitable. This chapter examines the work of Luce Irigaray and Jacques Derrida, specifically their insights into the ethics and politics of co-existing or living together in spite of our differences. In doing so, I seek to frame their work on this theme as contributing to an understanding of peace.