Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Synopsis This is an introductory subject on the writings of Jacques Derrida and their connections and relevance to issues in contemporary feminist theory. The subject is divided into three parts: in the first, his earliest deconstructive concepts (the trace, writing, dissemination, the sign) are outlined and assessed; in the second, we will focus on those of his texts where he deals with the concept or metaphor of woman (woman as truth, woman as metaphor, sexual difference), primarily through his readings of Nietzsche, Levinas and feminist issues. And in the final section, we will explore the ways in which his work has been utilised and criticised in contemporary feminist and political theory (eg through the work of Gayatri Spivak, Vicki Kirby, Dianne Elam and others).
Assessment (8 points) One or two essays (6000 words): 100%
Assessment (12 points) One or two essays (9000 words): 100%