Deconstruction at the Time of Post-Truth Politics

Abstract Deconstructionist depiction of fictionality within the relationship between truth and sovereignty helps to understand how time relates to post-truth politics and to counter its proliferation within politics. The article connects the philosophical arguments of Jacques Derrida and Giorgio Agamben to explore the pervasive nature of post-truth within politics. Their differing conceptualisations of the place of time are both fundamentally rooted in the ontological problem of sovereignty, though they yield significantly different implications for post-truth politics. Derrida’s deconstruction of the temporal dimension in politics highlights the intricate relationship between the temporal and epistemological aspects inherent in the fictional narratives reinforced by sovereignty—narratives that fuel post-truth politics. This approach contrasts Agamben’s archaeological political theory, which reveals fictionality by subsuming sovereignty over time. This illuminates the epistemic challenges posed by post-truth politics and contends that deconstructionist epistemological standards are essential heuristics to counter the rise and proliferation of post-truth politics.