In the final episode of A Curious Disputation, Lauren talks about structuralism and post-structuralism from her two scholar-friends Kelsey Wallace and Michael Anderson. She then shares her conversation with Hunter Bragg about deconstruction in a Derridean sense versus its colloquial meaning. Theme music by Alex Mrakovich. All other music from Epidemic Sound.

Here’s list of all the scholars Michael names in the episode: David Foster Wallace, Roland Barthes (structuralist-turned-post-structuralist literary theorist), Chela Sandoval (Methodology of the Oppressed), Hélène Cixous (The Laugh of the Medusa), Jacques Derrida (The Politics of Friendship, The Work of Mourning), Luce Irigaray, Julia Kristeva, and Jacques Lacan.

{03:43} That is, a post-structuralist is someone who is a deconstructionist but doesn’t want to be called a deconstructionist.

{07:17} “Well narratives.”

{12:50} “Not to jump ahead…” Last year I also talked to Kelsey and Michael about Queer Theory and Feminism. You can listen to that episode on Spotify (Season 1, Episode 9)

{17:30} TERF = trans-exclusionary radical feminist. These feminists believe that there is something “essential” about being born female, so therefore trans women do not “count” as women.

{18:05} Put our gal Mary Wollstonecraft in this camp, too.

{22:57} Here’s that truly brilliant article on Luce Irigaray by Jules Gill-Peterson (author of Histories of the Transgender Child)—completely, totally worth the read: https://www.e-flux.com/journal/117/382426/the-miseducation-of-a-french-feminist/

{23:16} Kelsey, in the throes of her early Ph.D. work, could be found around campus saying such phrases as, “F--k Derrida!”

Here is Kelsey’s website: http://kelseyerinwallace.com Here’s Michael’s Twitter: twitter.com/lonelygeryon