THE POLITICS OF READING NIETZSCHE

Over recent years, an extraordinary number of interpretations of Nietz sche's work has appeared. I ask why he has become such an important fi gure in contemporary political debate and whether any dominant concern s can be elicited from the diverse readings of his texts. My response to both questions is that because Nietzsche has been identified, by Ha bermas among others. as the founding father of poststructuralism, this is where debate between postmodernists and their critics is being sta ged. I distinguish between recent philosophical and political interpre tations but argue that in both cases, what is at stake are political q uestions regarding authority, legitimacy and consensus. In the latter part of the article I consider attempts at reconstructing a postmodern politics out of Nietzschr's philosophy, but express some doubts about such a project.