1. Jacques Derrida’s Deconstruction /Poststructuralism
Course Instructor
Raj Thakur

2. Deconstruction
Linguistic turn in theory: Linguistic invasion and epistemological break with universal Western metaphysics, center, origin
Challenging the “structurality of structure” in Structuralism / Saussure’s closed sign system
Decentring of all meaning making exercise : Idealist (Platonic) and humanistic
Slipperiness of language ; Inherent contradiction in any piece of writing

3. Breaking the centric: i) Logocenricism (Transcedental signifier)
ii) Metaphysics of Presence
iii) Phonocentricism (Speech over writing)
iv) Suggests Graphocentric model : “marks on blanks”
v) Ecriture writing

4. Writing and Differance
Portmanteau word ; Difference to differ (binary opposition) and to defer (postponement of meaning, put under erasure)
They don’t mean but differ : impasse, aporia, trace
Archewriting: a form of language which can not be conceptualised within the metaphysics of presence and is not derived from speech

5. Paradox of “Supplement”
Its a finite field of infinite substitution
Replacement (absence center) and addition (new to structure itself)
Derrida’s “play”, play of substitution as there is always an unpresentable absence, floating signifier, galaxy of signifiers
Undecidability of meaning : Hymen (membrane both inside and out), Pharmakon (both cure and poison)