Best known for the development of "deconstruction," Jacques Derrida was trained as a philosopher, but his work engages and transverses numerous other discourses such as literature, politics, law, religion, psychoanalysis, and ethnography. Ranging from his early work as a student to his recent seminars, the material in the archive spans from circa 1946 to 2000. This collection is comprised of manuscripts, typescripts, recordings, photographs, and an extensive clippings file documenting his professional career. It provides comprehensive documentation of his activities as a student, teacher, scholar, and public figure. In addition, Derrida's files on the 1988 controversy regarding Paul de Man's World War II-era writings are also included. The collection contains numerous pages of notes and written reports that reflect Derrida's academic training under the tutelage of figures such as Louis Althusser and Michel Foucault. His commitment to teaching is documented by a full collection of teaching notes for the multitude of seminars that he has taught over the course of his career. The more public side of Derrida is also well represented by notes, working drafts, final drafts, and other materials related to his vast published output. With the exception of the photographs, the collection contains no material that might be described as "personal," such as private correspondence. The vast majority of the materials are in French.