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Questions and Answers
What does poststructuralism reject in relation to truth?
What does poststructuralism reject in relation to truth?
What idea about language do poststructuralists emphasize?
What idea about language do poststructuralists emphasize?
Which of the following is a position associated with poststructuralism?
Which of the following is a position associated with poststructuralism?
How do poststructuralists view theories about events or fields?
How do poststructuralists view theories about events or fields?
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What do poststructuralists generally share with structuralists?
What do poststructuralists generally share with structuralists?
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What is a primary criticism of structuralism according to poststructuralists?
What is a primary criticism of structuralism according to poststructuralists?
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How do poststructuralists view the concept of 'presence' in language?
How do poststructuralists view the concept of 'presence' in language?
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What do poststructuralists mean by 'absence' in the context of meaning?
What do poststructuralists mean by 'absence' in the context of meaning?
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According to poststructuralist theory, what role does language play in relation to meaning?
According to poststructuralist theory, what role does language play in relation to meaning?
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What does the term 'play' refer to in poststructuralist thought?
What does the term 'play' refer to in poststructuralist thought?
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Which of the following distinguishes poststructuralism from structuralism regarding language?
Which of the following distinguishes poststructuralism from structuralism regarding language?
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What is implied by stating that language acts like a 'smudgy screen'?
What is implied by stating that language acts like a 'smudgy screen'?
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What term does Derrida use to describe the Western tendency of desiring a center of truth?
What term does Derrida use to describe the Western tendency of desiring a center of truth?
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What do poststructuralists argue about the relationship between central and marginal elements in a text?
What do poststructuralists argue about the relationship between central and marginal elements in a text?
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Why do poststructuralists seek to deconstruct binary oppositions?
Why do poststructuralists seek to deconstruct binary oppositions?
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In poststructuralist theory, how are binary oppositions typically viewed?
In poststructuralist theory, how are binary oppositions typically viewed?
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What does the concept of 'decentering' refer to in poststructuralism?
What does the concept of 'decentering' refer to in poststructuralism?
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How does poststructuralism view concepts like light and darkness?
How does poststructuralism view concepts like light and darkness?
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What do binary oppositions often perpetuate in society, according to poststructuralists?
What do binary oppositions often perpetuate in society, according to poststructuralists?
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Which of the following best characterizes poststructuralist thought?
Which of the following best characterizes poststructuralist thought?
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Which of the following pairs is not typically considered a binary opposition?
Which of the following pairs is not typically considered a binary opposition?
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What do structuralists believe about the relationship between signifier and signified?
What do structuralists believe about the relationship between signifier and signified?
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How do poststructuralists describe the nature of signs?
How do poststructuralists describe the nature of signs?
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What is an example of signifier and signified interaction given in the content?
What is an example of signifier and signified interaction given in the content?
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What do structuralists seek to find in a text?
What do structuralists seek to find in a text?
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What role do binary oppositions play for poststructuralists?
What role do binary oppositions play for poststructuralists?
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A 'transcendental signified' in poststructuralism is meant to:
A 'transcendental signified' in poststructuralism is meant to:
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What is a characteristic of signifiers as mentioned in the content?
What is a characteristic of signifiers as mentioned in the content?
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What are some examples of general sets of oppositional terms for structuralists?
What are some examples of general sets of oppositional terms for structuralists?
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Why might binary oppositions be implicit in a text?
Why might binary oppositions be implicit in a text?
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Study Notes
Poststructuralism Overview
- Poststructuralism emerged in the late 1960s as a response to structuralism.
- It comprises various perspectives and is particularly associated with Jacques Derrida's deconstruction.
- Derrida's work was a significant early contribution to poststructuralism in the US.
- Poststructuralism is intrinsically linked to structuralism, building upon and critiquing its fundamental principles.
- It aims to challenge the perceived scientific pretensions of structuralism.
Poststructuralist Theories/Versions
- Deconstruction is a key poststructuralist theory.
- Postcolonialism is another poststructuralist theory.
- African-American studies and gender studies are also connected to poststructuralism.
- New Historicism and feminism also fit within the broader framework of poststructuralism.
Poststructuralist Tendencies/Major Assumptions
- Truth is relative rather than absolute.
- Poststructuralists challenge the idea of absolute truth and view truth as constructed and provisional.
- Rejecting total theories or grand narratives that attempt to explain every aspect.
- Relativism is central to this philosophy, leading to an understanding that there's no such thing as universal truth.
- Language is not simply a reflection of the real world but actively creates it.
- Language shapes our understanding and speaks through us rather than us speaking through it.
- Meaning is not fixed but fluid, contingent, and ambiguous, especially in literary texts.
Poststructuralism & Structuralism
- Poststructuralism shares structuralism's anti-humanist perspective.
- It also follows structuralism's focus on language as a key to understanding ourselves and the world.
- Poststructuralism challenges and simultaneously builds on structuralism but critiques a fixed and stable meaning.
- Poststructuralism undermines structuralism by examining and dismantling its core assumptions.
Language for Structuralists
- Structuralists applied the idea of an underlying structure and the principle of difference to language.
- They saw no inherent link between a word and its referent in the real world.
- The word (signifier) and the thing it refers to (signified) are viewed as separate systems within the structure of language itself.
- Structuralism recognized a distinction between langue (abstract language system), and parole (actual utterances). Utterances arise from langue.
Language for Poststructuralists
- The 'Illusion of Presence' in language: Poststructuralists challenge the notion of direct contact with reality through language.
- They highlight the inherent instability and ambiguity of language, recognizing it's inherently fluid and non-static.
- Language implies difference, which also leads to a lack of presence (absence), and meaning isn't self-contained, immediate or present.
- Language plays havoc with meaning, not stable, and contingent, arising from differences and deferrals.
- Meaning is fluid, rather than fixed and relies on a system of differences.
Nature of Signification (Structuralists)
- Ferdinand de Saussure demonstrated that signifier (word) and signified (concept) are separate.
- He did not fully explain how their combination creates meaning.
Nature of Signification (Poststructuralists)
- The sign is a momentary fix between moving layers, and there's no inherent stability, or unit.
- Every signifier can have many signifieds (ex. "crib" is a bed, a manger, a job etc).
- Meaning arises from differences and deferrals.
- Meaning is constantly being renegotiated and reinterpreted.
Binary Oppositions (Structuralists)
- Structuralists looked for binary oppositions (good/evil, true/false, etc.) in texts to highlight their meaning.
- They highlight the ways that binary opposition organize and make sense of reality.
Binary Oppositions (Poststructuralists)
- Poststructuralists expose binary oppositions as a method of understanding the world and language.
- Deconstruction aims to break these oppositions to demonstrate contingent and unstable meanings.
- Poststructuralists recognize the importance of the interplay of terms. They argue they are not fixed or truly oppositional but dependent on difference.
Barthes
- Roland Barthes was a key figure, challenging the traditional view that authors are the sole meaning makers.
- He argued that meaning arises from the interplay of language and signs within a text.
- All texts are constructed; the belief in a singular authoritative truth/meaning is arbitrary and arbitrary.
- Meaning is not solely determined by the author, but resides and arises from the text itself and surrounding systems of language.
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Description
Explore the foundational concepts of poststructuralism that emerged in the late 1960s, including key figures like Jacques Derrida. This quiz delves into poststructuralist theories such as deconstruction and their relationships with various fields including gender studies and postcolonialism. Challenge your understanding of truth and its relativity as perceived by poststructuralists.
