I think Bahktin and Benjamin are going to get me from the act of interpretation to the practice of democracy. Some folks to follow up on and/or revisit include:
Derrida, “On Democracy to Come”, here’s a critique, suggested by Briankle along with Jacques Ranciere and Etienne Balibar, who I was introduced to in the class on transnational citizenship last year. Here’s a 1999 lecture, At the Borders of Europe.
Stephen also mentioned Balibar, and had us reading Chantal Mouffe. I’ve got to back up and read her work with Ernesto Laclau too.