On Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness

In On Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness, Jacques Derrida confronts two pressing problems : the explosive tensions between refugee and asylum rights and the ethic of hospitality ; and the dilemma of reconciliation and amnesty where the bloody traumas of history demand forgiveness. Throughout the book, Derrida makes use of compelling examples to argue that true forgiveness consists in forgiving the unforgivable.
These include the emotive issue of 'open cities' where migrants may seek sanctuary from persecution and exile, the widely publicised Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, and ethnic strife in France and Algeria. Derrida asks whether, in the face of these problems, cosmopolitanism and forgiveness are still possible. On Cosmopolitanism and Forgiveness is a bold and incisive example of how philosophy can help us understand contemporary issues and is essential reading for anyone interested in what makes an ethical society.
It also includes a short preface by Simon Critchley and Richard Kearney, clearly setting out the arguments of the two essays that make up this book.