Structuralism & Post-Structuralism (Week 4)

Before I get into the topic of Post-Structuralism, the very definition and other philosophical leaders behind this idea, I would like to create a state that there are two variations on how one would write Post-Structuralism, that is with a hyphen in the middle that signifies the literary movement and one without the hyphen refers to the features and its traits (Karwa, 2019). However, I will not follow any of that but one can interpret it as one would like. Let us define Structuralism:

(Structuralism, n.d.) Structuralism was developed around the 20th-century and Ferdinand de Saussure was a prominent figure in the movement (Philosophybasics, n.d.).

A very generic definition but just like every other definition, Structuralism boils down to linguistics and semiotics. In Structuralism, there is a structure, or some kind of linear movement that sets the way for the viewers to interpret it in a certain manner (Nicholas, 2019-a). A common way of interpreting Structuralism is the ‘Binary Opposites’ which was first theorized by Claude Lévi-Strauss (Poststructuralism, 2019).

(Poststructuralism, 2019) It is a way of identifying something and creating it based on a certain methodology or “genre”. For example, there is a certain aesthetic in creating Lo-Fi music, a particular kind of genre, or a romantic novel, a tragedy.

It is a linguistic-based approach, it defines how we use language as the fundamental bases of giving an object its meaning and innate quality (Philosophybasics, n.d.), where an apple means an object primarily (commonly) red in color, quasi-rounded figure that is edible in nature. We imagine this idea as we create the word either in our minds or through speech.

(Hasa, 2020) On the other hand, Post-Structuralism is:

(Post-Structuralism, n.d.)

Post-Structuralism disapproves of the basis of language and human thought, it goes on to say how language can mean many different things and with our knowledge through history, the meanings have changed over time. For example, the linguistic form of semantic shift where meanings of words have changed throughout history (Nicholas, 2019-b).

Some notable figures of Post-Structuralism are (Poststructuralism, 2019):

Michel Foucault,

Jacques Derrida,

Roland Barthes's and

Judith Butler

The text in Post-Structuralism does not mean a definite end to the subject, art, form or idea but must be allowed another step of personal interpretation that can vary in cultural norms, ethics, and one’s history. Taking a piece of art and having another “twist” to it would mean the same thing as it’s original form or idea (Poststructuralism, 2019).

We use these ideologies daily in our lives, sometimes we infer certain topics to be Structuralist while the other discussion to be Post-Structuralist. But the basis of these topics I have mentioned is only the tip of the iceberg. There will be some links to refer to if one would like to venture into these philosophical ideas and topics. REFERENCES:

Hasa. (2020). Structuralism in Linguistics, American, Structuralism, European Structuralism [Image]. Retrieved from https://pediaa.com/what-is-the-difference-between-american-and-european-structuralism/

Karwa, A. (2019, May 17th). Post-Structuralism Literary Theory: Crash Course for UGC NET English [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utt8_wuduwk

Nicholas, T. (2019, July 25th-a). Structuralism and Semiotics [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkDb9Nt1EBQ

Nicholas, T. (2019, Nov 3rd-b). Poststructuralism [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2eb52fUgTk

Philosophybasics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.philosophybasics.com/movements_structuralism.html

Post-Structuralism. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lexico.com/definition/post-structuralism

Poststructuralism [Image]. (2019). Retrieved from https://moodle-dubai.axis.navitas.com/mod/page/view.php?id=142317

Structuralism. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/structuralism APPENDIX: Bolton, C. (2012, Nov 8th). Animating Poststructuralism [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a2dLVx8THA Karwa, A. (2019, April 25th). Structuralism Literary Theory: Crash Course for UGC NET English [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6q_wJFtZYE New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement. (2013). Ethics And Philosophy, Volume 3 [PDF]. Retrieved from https://www.hfph.de/hochschule/lehrende/prof-dr-dominik-finkelde-sj/artikel-beitraege/poststructuralism.pdf Runciman, W. (1969). What Is Structuralism? The British Journal of Sociology, 20(3), 253-265. doi:10.2307/588951 The School of Life. (2016, Sep 2nd). PHILOSOPHY: Jacques Derrida [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0tnHr2dqTs