poststructuralism

poststructuralism — noun

1. A 20th-century intellectual movement in philosophy, literary theory, and the soc

1.名詞C1
釋義

A 20th-century intellectual movement in philosophy, literary theory, and the social sciences that challenges the idea that meaning in language, culture, and society depends on fixed, stable systems. Instead, it argues that meaning is never final — it shifts depending on context, power relations, and the way people use language.

例句

Wei's seminar explored how poststructuralism shows the meaning of 'family' shifts across historical periods.

uncountable noun as field of study; used as subject

Fatima used poststructuralism to argue that news reports create reality, not simply reflect it.

use + poststructuralism + to-infinitive expressing purpose

同義詞
  • deconstruction

    A specific method within poststructuralism, not a synonym for the whole movement. Deconstruction analyses how texts undermine their own apparent meanings.

  • postmodernism

    A broader cultural and artistic movement; poststructuralism is one of its theoretical foundations.

反義詞
  • structuralism

    The earlier movement that poststructuralism grew out of and reacted against; structuralism assumed meaning comes from a stable system of differences.

用法筆記

Frequently paired with terms like 'theory', 'thought', or 'critique'. Poststructuralism is not a single unified doctrine but a loose set of approaches shared by thinkers such as Derrida and Foucault.

常見錯誤

❌Poststructuralism says there is no meaning at all.
✅Poststructuralism argues that meaning is not fixed or universal, but always depends on context.
💡It does not reject meaning; it questions claims of absolute or stable meaning.
❌Postmodernism and poststructuralism are exactly the same thing.
✅Postmodernism is a broader cultural trend in art and architecture, while poststructuralism is a specific academic movement in philosophy and critical theory.
💡The two terms overlap but are not interchangeable.