Abstract

This article examines Derrida’s concept of hospitality. Unlike friendship, which involves an affective bond and thus cannot find a truly democratic society, hospitality, as defined by Derrida, requires welcoming the stranger without expecting reciprocity. I suggest that Derrida’s focus on hospitality, rather than friendship, aligns with his vision of a truly democratic society. However, Derrida often relies on a domestic model of hospitality. I explore moments where he transcends this framework, emphasizing that hospitality entails bracketing all familial community, including that of the host.