ENGL 64.03 Deconstruction: An Introduction to the Work of Jacques Derrida

This course is an introduction to the work of Jacques Derrida, an Algerian-French philosopher, whose thought has been important for a number of disciplinary formations, including the study of literature. In the course, we will engage with Derrida’s archive by reading some of the interviews that he gave over the course of his life, from the very early interviews on philosophy, philosophical heritage, and the status of writing in western thought to his late interviews, which focus more on ethics, the political, sexual difference, the animal, and the death penalty. Throughout the course of the term, we will study the method of deconstruction, placing Derrida’s thought within a philosophical and literary archive and exploring the potentiality of deconstruction towards an ethical and political project. Readings will oftentimes be supplemented with filmic texts.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV; WCult:W

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Department-Specific Course Categories

Junior Colloquium: Course Group IV