Phallogocentrism
From Geography
Contents |
Phallogocentrism
Phallogocentrism is a poststructuralist feminist concept based on the concept of logocentrism by Jacques Derrida.
logocentrism
Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) was the founder of the method of deconstruction within the poststructuralist tradition. One of the concepts he used in his efforts to deconstruct reality is logocentrism. With this term he referred to the so called “western pattern of producing meaning through a binary structure of positive and negative” (Gibson-Graham, 2000, p. 98)(good-bad, white-black, positive- negative). Meaning is constructed by thinking in binaries in which the second of the binary is seen in reference to the first. The second concept only exists in reference to the first which gains a higher status for the first of the binary. So the first concept is positive in relation to the second (which is than negative). Through this discourse of binary thinking opposition and exclusion are (re-) constructed. There is a metaphysics of valuation created, with a master signifier (the first binary) that operates to stabilize relations of difference (Ibid).
phallogocentrism
Phallogocentrism signalizes the privileging of masculinity in the construction of meaning (Reinolds, 2002). It states that logocentrism has been genderized by a masculinist and patriarchal agenda. The male-binary can be recognised mostly as the ‘master signifier’. So the meaning of the concept is fixed by the first -male- binary and the second –female- binary is seen only in reference to the first (male). Also creating a positive (male) and negative (female) side. This produces whole chains of male-female binaries in dominant terms within western Enlightenment thought. Which by their socio-linguistic structures and associations reproduce patriarchy (Ibid).
An example of a chain of male-female binaries:
- Man - woman
- Mind - body
- Strong - weak
- Reason - emotion
- Objectivity - subjectivity
- Self - other
- Production - reproduction
- factory - household
In all examples above it is clear that the so called male-counterpart, that is made up in mainstream gender-discourse, is given a higher value in modern western society. So these dominant terms reinforce each other and this way reproduce patriarchal structures.
By poststructural thinking, and especially by deconstruction, these binaries could be turned around. But this would keep the hierarchical binaries in existence. So, more radically, by deconstructing and de-gendering, the borders between the so called (male-female) binaries could be blurred and hierarchy contested (Ibid.).
references
- Gibson-Graham, j. K. (2000), poststructural interventions. In E. Sheppard & T. A. Barnes (Eds.), companion to economic geography (pp. 95-110) Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd
- Reynolds, J. (2002). Jacques Derrida (1930—2004). Vinddatum 11 september op
http://www.iep.utm.edu/derrida/
contributions
page created by Marron Borroka, 17:30, 11 september 2011 (UTC)
