French philosopher-linguist, born in Algeria. He studied in Paris, and teaches at the Ecole Normale Supérieure there. His critique of the referentiality of language and the objectivity of structures founded the school of criticism called deconstruction.
Among his highly influential works are De la Grammatologie (1967, Of Grammatology), L'écriture et la différence (1967, Writing and Difference), and La dissémination (1972, Dissemination). The award of an honorary degreee by Cambridge University in 1992 was publicly contested, prompting attacks on and defences of his work.