Term Paper

LITS3304 CONTEMPORARY CRITICAL THEORY:
(POST-)STRUCTURALISMS AND POST-COLONIALISMS

TERM PAPER, SEMESTER II, 2008-2009

The term paper is based on Module One; answer ONE (1) of the following questions.

In each case, you should refer closely to the text(s) of the theorists in question:

1. "Saussurean semiology represents a radical departure from the dominant trends of nineteenth century linguistics." In the light of this comment, compare the views expressed in Saussure's Course in General Linguistics with those of ONE of his most important precursors in the field (e.g. Humboldt) with whom you might be familiar.

2. Referring closely to the views expressed in one essay by Benveniste and one essay by Jakobson chosen from the list below, say why both are normally classified as Structuralist linguists:

Émile Benveniste "The Nature of the Linguistic Sign"
Émile Benveniste "Subjectivity in Language"
Roman Jakobson "Linguistics and Poetics"
Roman Jakobson "Two Types of Language and Two Types of Aphasic Disturbances"

3. Would you agree that Part II of Volosinov's Marxism and the Philosophy of Language "represents an important critique of both Romantic and Structuralist views on language"? How is this relevant in turn to the critique of both mainstream and Marxist approaches to psychology in Part I?

4. "Althusser's career was largely devoted to criticising many of the assumptions cherished by, above all, so-called Hegelian Marxists." Discuss this claim with reference to his "Contradiction and Overdetermination: Notes for an Investigation" and "Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses."

5. "Foucault's career is often described as divided into an earlier 'archaeological' phase (represented by his The Archaeology of Knowledge and 'The Discourse on Language') and a later 'genealogical' phase (announced in particular by his 'Nietzsche, Genealogy, History')." What do you understand by this distinction?

6. Discuss the theoretical affiliation of ONE of the African American / Postcolonial theorists listed below by comparing his views to those of ONE theorist studied earlier in this Module:

Stuart Hall "Encoding / Decoding"
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The Signifying Monkey: Chapter 2 "The Signifying Monkey and the Language of Signifyin(g)"
Edward Said Orientalism

DEADLINE: 5 pm, Thursday, April 2, 2009

LENGTH: 7 pages maximum (typewritten, double-spaced)

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