Post-Structuralism and Deconstruction

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Post-Structuralism is a literary theory that emerged in direct response to structuralism in the 1960s which was a result of Roland Barthes’ ideas. There are certain aspects of it that can be necessary for you to understand in order to perform well and understand the theory from within.

Post-Structuralism

Post-structuralism is a philosophical movement that critiques structuralism and emphasizes the instability of interpretive structures.

A Few key aspects of Post-Structuralism include:

  • Rejection of binary oppositions and universal truths
  • Questioning the objectivity and stability of structures
  • Focus on power dynamics and biases in knowledge production
  • Emphasis on the playfulness and decentralization of meaning

Notable proponents of Post-Structuralism and their works:

  • Roland Barthes – “The Death of the Author” (1967)
  • Jacques Derrida – “Structure, Sign, and Play in the Discourse of the Human Sciences” (1966)
  • Michel Foucault – “The Archaeology of Knowledge” (1969)
  • Gilles Deleuze – “Difference and Repetition” (1968)
  • Jean Baudrillard – “Simulacres et Simulation” (1981)
Post-Structuralism

Major concepts in Post-Structuralism include:

  • Decentering: Challenging central authority and fixed meanings
  • Différance: The constant deferral of meaning in language
  • Power dynamics: Knowledge production as a product of power struggles
  • Playfulness: The fluid and creative nature of meaning and interpretation

What is Deconstruction?

Post-Structuralism

Deconstruction is a critical methodology in post-structuralism, developed by Jacques Derrida. It’s a process of analyzing texts to expose the underlying power dynamics, biases, and contradictions that shape their meaning. Deconstruction challenges the idea of a fixed, stable meaning and instead reveals the text’s inherent instability and multiplicity of interpretations.

Key aspects of Deconstruction include:

  1. Questioning the authority of the text and its author
  2. Identifying the underlying assumptions and biases
  3. Analyzing the relationships between words, meanings, and context
  4. Exposing the contradictions and ambiguities within the text
  5. Revealing the ways in which the text’s meaning is constructed and negotiated

Deconstruction is not about destroying or dismissing the text but rather about uncovering the complex web of meanings and power dynamics that shape its interpretation. It’s a way to challenge dominant discourses, uncover marginalized voices, and create new possibilities for meaning and understanding.

Jacques Derrida is known as the father of deconstruction and he is fame rests on his famous phrase, “there is nothing outside the text” which he used in “Of Grammatology” published in 1967 which was later translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak in 1976. In a later edition, the introduction to the translation was added by Judith Butler.

Some key terms in Deconstruction used by Derrida include:

  • Différance
  • Supplement
  • Trace
  • Aporia means confusion in the text or there’s a gap in the understanding of meaning in the light of deconstruction theory.
  • Iterability
  • Phallogocentric

Derrida called literature “a strange institution”.

Deconstruction has influenced various fields, including literature, philosophy, law, and cultural studies, and has been applied to a wide range of texts, from literary works to legal documents and cultural artifacts.

Post-Structuralism

Some important writers of Deconstruction are:

  • Jacques Derrida: A philosopher who developed the concept of deconstruction and published “Of Grammatology,” “Différance,” “Speech and Phenomena” and “Writing and Difference.”
  • Mikhail Bakhtin: Published “The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays.”
  • Geoffrey Bennington: Co-authored “Jacques Derrida Circumfession” with Jacques Derrida.
  • Catherine Clément: Co-authored “The Newly Born Woman” with Hélène Cixous.
  • Roland Barthes: “The Death of the Author.”
  • Gilles Deleuze: “Difference and Repetition.”
  • Jean Baudrillard: “Simulacres et Simulation.”
  • Ferdinand de Saussure: A linguist who influenced Derrida’s work.
  • Richard Rorty: A philosopher who commented on Derrida’s work.
  • Nietzsche: A philosopher who influenced Derrida’s work.

These above points would help you in understanding these concepts and theories better. It is a slight effort to provide you with all the important information from an exam point of view without adding fuel to your confusion.

You can also learn and understand the concept of Structuralism at 6 Important Pillars of Structuralism