Dawne McCance is a distinguished professor whose work delves into the philosophical underpinnings of literature and the modern university. She is recognized for her deep engagement with the writings of Jacques Derrida, particularly examining his perspectives on academic institutions. Her scholarship critically analyzes complex issues of interpretation and the structures of knowledge within the university setting. McCance's writing offers a unique lens through which to understand the intersection of philosophy, literature, and higher education.
This book offers an in-depth examination of essential theoretical frameworks and significant issues within the field. It provides a thorough analysis that highlights various perspectives, making it a valuable resource for students and scholars seeking to understand complex concepts and debates. The content is designed to foster critical thinking and encourage exploration of diverse viewpoints, ensuring a well-rounded grasp of the subject matter.
Focusing on Jacques Derrida's influential life and extensive body of work, this volume provides an insightful overview of his writings from the 1960s until his death in 2004. It highlights key themes, significant philosophical concepts, and the religious figures that shaped his thought, making it an essential resource for undergraduate students seeking to understand Derrida's impact on contemporary philosophy.
Exploring the intersection of ethics and textuality, this collection of original essays delves into how texts function as posts or messages. It presents innovative analyses through the lenses of reconstruction, psychoanalysis, and genealogy, raising critical questions about reading and writing in a context devoid of a clear sender or predetermined audience. The work challenges conventional notions of communication and invites readers to reconsider the implications of authorship and interpretation in contemporary discourse.
Exploring the Medusa-effect, the author critiques the modern research university's philosophy through an audiocentric lens. By examining the historical discourse initiated by Kant and extending through Hegel and Heidegger, she highlights how fear of a deaf and mute feminine figure leads to a metaphorical silencing of the institution itself. McCance connects this phonocentrism to aural imagery, revealing how foundational texts reflect a deep-seated anxiety that ultimately stifles communication and understanding. The book also discusses contemporary attempts to overcome this petrification.
Based on archival translations of Derrida's as-yet untapped (1975-76) La vie la mort seminar, McCance's The Reproduction of Life Death offers an unprecedented study of Derrida's engagement both with the logic of reproduction held by 1970s molecular biology and genetics and with reproductivity as theorized and performed by Freud in Beyond the Pleasure Principle.