Deconstructionist: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when referring to someone who critically analyzes texts, often literary, to reveal hidden meanings and contradictions.

• The deconstructionist approach to literature can uncover layers of meaning that traditional analyses might miss.
• As a deconstructionist, she questioned the inherent biases in the text.

More generally used to describe a broader theoretical movement that critiques structuralism and emphasizes the complexity of meaning-generation in texts, language, and culture.

• Post-structuralist scholars argue that meaning is not fixed and can vary based on context.
• Her post-structuralist essay challenges the notion of objective truth in historical narratives.

Specifically relevant when referring to ideas or methods associated with the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, who founded deconstruction.

• His derridian analysis of the novel reevaluated its themes of identity and power.
• In line with derridian philosophy, the critique dismantles the binary oppositions within the text.

Typically used to describe someone who applies deconstruction, a critical approach that seeks to expose the hidden assumptions and contradictions in texts. This term is often used in literary theory and philosophy.

• The deconstructionist analysis revealed underlying biases in the author's work.
• As a deconstructionist, she questioned the traditional interpretations of the text.

Describes someone who supports or follows postmodernism, a broad intellectual movement that emerged in the mid-20th century. Postmodernism is characterized by skepticism towards grand narratives and objective truths. This term is used in various fields such as art, literature, philosophy, and architecture.

• The postmodernist artist challenged traditional ideas of what constitutes art.
• His postmodernist approach to literature breaks away from conventional plot structures.

Refers specifically to the followers or adherents of the philosophy of Jacques Derrida, who is considered the father of deconstruction. This term is used in academic and philosophical contexts relating to Derrida's theories.

• The derridean perspective offers a unique lens through which we can view the concept of language.
• Her approach to philosophy is heavily influenced by Derridean thought.