Jacques Derrida (15 July 1930 – 8 October 2004), a French philosopher, born in French Algeria. He is known for developing the critical theory of deconstruction, and his work has been associated both with post-structuralism and postmodern philosophy. His prolific output of more than 40 published books, together with essays and public speaking, has had a significant influence on the humanities, literary theory and continental philosophy in particular. His is best known for his assertion that "there is no outside-the-text. "

Derrida's work has had implications across many fields, including literature, architecture (in the form of deconstructivism), sociology, and cultural studies. Particularly in his later writings, he frequently addressed ethical and political themes, and his work influenced various activist and other political movements. His work has been seen as a challenge to the unquestioned assumptions of the Western philosophical tradition and Western culture as a whole.