Deconstruction

Although it is used in a wide variety of senses, deconstruction generally refers to the process of breaking down conventionally accepted concepts, categories, and oppositions. Deconstruction is often loosely used to refer to critiques that show the artificial or arbitrary nature of categories that seem natural. In a narrow sense, deconstruction refers to an intellectual project initiated by Jacques Derrida that involves philosophical claims and a specific methodology. This method first gained widespread popularity in literary studies ...