Deconstruction and postmodernism have been misunderstood. In this provocative book, Christopher Norris challenges the widespread idea of deconstruction as merely an offshoot of the various trends and cultural phenomena grouped under the label of "postmodernism". Through an analysis of the key theorists in the field - Derrida, Foucault, De Man, Habermas and Levinas - Norris argues that deconstruction is the "unfinished project" of modernity, a project whose interests and values it upholds precisely by continuing to question them in a spirit of enlightened self-critical enquiry. Assessing the impact of postmodernist theorizing across a range of disciplines, the book presents a lucid analysis and guide to the future of critical theory.