Post-structuralism

K. M. Newton

pp. 122-191

in: K. M. Newton (ed), Theory into practice, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 1992

Abstract

Post-structuralism has had a major impact on literary criticism, particularly in America. One of the main reasons for this was the influence of Jacques Derrida's writings on a group of critics based at Yale who became known as the "Yale School" despite important differences between them. Some have argued that Derrida's work has been "domesticated" by such critics in their efforts to adapt Derridean deconstruction to an American literary critical situation. It has been suggested, for example, that critics have tended to ignore the philosophical roots of Derrida's thinking and have adapted his ideas too freely in order to reconcile them with literary critical interests.

Cited authors

Derrida Jacques