How did Jacques Derrida become known to international audiences?

Jacques Derrida achieved international renown through his prolific output of books and essays, beginning in the 1960s, and his extensive global lecture tours at prestigious institutions such as Yale University and the University of California, Irvine. His rise to prominence was marked by a level of international celebrity comparable to that of Jean-Paul Sartre.1

His influence grew significantly as he became the principal exponent of deconstruction, a critical approach that challenged the fundamental conceptual distinctions in Western philosophy. In the 1960s, his work was embraced by thinkers interested in structuralism, and he was subsequently identified—particularly in the United States—as a leader of the poststructuralist movement. His 1967 publications, including Of Grammatology, were particularly instrumental in his emergence on the international philosophical scene. Despite facing intense criticism from some Anglo-American philosophers who questioned the clarity and validity of his work, Derrida remained a highly influential figure across philosophy and numerous other intellectual fields.12