Admission requirements
Admission to one of the following programmes is required:
MA Philosophy 60 EC: specialisation Modern European Philosophy.
MA Philosophy 120 EC: specialisation Philosophy of Humanities.
Description
Derridean deconstruction today
This course gives a critical overview of the thought of Jacques Derrida, in order to ascertain the philosophical relevance of deconstruction for our times. Each week we read a (selection from a) primary text by Derrida.
Along with Derrida’s own development, we move from texts that emphasize more theoretical questions concerning language, meaning and truth, to the more explicitly ethical and political works of the 1990’s.
Our focus in the course will be on: (a) the relation between the theoretical works on language and meaning to the more explicitly ethical and political works, and the extent to which there is (not) an “ethical turn” in Derrida’s writings from the 1980’s onwards; (b) the philosophical significance of Derrida’s radical experimentations with philosophical form.
Course objectives
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
the main works and phases in Jacques Derrida’s philosophical development;
the relation of deconstruction to ethics and politics;
the philosophical significance of Derrida’s radical experimentation with textual forms;
the philosophical relevance of deconstruction today.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
reconstruct, interpret, compare and critically evaluate the main ideas, concepts and problems relating to deconstruction;
propose and defend both in writing and orally, basic arguments pertaining to any section of the course;
write an independent paper.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
- Seminars.
Assessment method
Assessment
Active participation: attendance and active participation in the seminars is mandatory. If you miss more than two classes, you will be asked to write a paper in which you discuss the readings for the weeks you have missed. If, due to logistical or health-related reasons, you cannot come to the campus, please inform the lecturer;
Questions for discussion: everyone is required to submit a question for discussion on the readings for that week to the forum on Brightspace. Discussion-questions are meant for you to engage actively with the texts and formulate your thoughts, and for the professor to gauge what the main issues are and what we should be focusing on in class;
Midterm examination: the midterm examination is an in-class examination consisting of open essay-questions on the course material;
Final paper: end-of-term paper.
Weighing
Midterm examination (40%);
Final paper (60%).
Resit
Students qualify for a resit if they do not have a passing final grade but have fulfilled all (other) course requirements. The resit consists of a paper (5,000 words, including everything, +/- 10%). No separate resits will be offered for subtests. The grade for the resit will replace all previously earned grades for subtests.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
All texts will be made available through Brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.
Remarks
Not applicable.