Jacques Derrida and the Respiration of the University

Abstract

In the university, the influence of Jacques Derrida's thought is immeasurable. Yet, his thoughts and 'Writings on the university remain somewhat unacknowledged. Derrida has 'Written and spoken extensively on the subject of the university with the hope of initiating a discussion that will, by questioning all aspects of the "university," create an opening toward its future. This thesis explores Derridean discourse on the university and suggests it as a useful and provocative means of(re)thinking the university. Chapter One ofthis thesis consists of a close reading of Derrida's essay "The Principle of Reason: The University in the Eyes of its Pupils." By following Derrida's historical, philosophical and political allusions, this chapter functions, in a certain sense, as a concordance to Derrida's essay. After exploring Derrida's discussion of how not to speak of the university, Chapter Two attempts to use Derridean discourse to understand the university as a "body." If the university were a body, what would it look like? In this chapter, I propose the existence of two quite different university bodies: the metaphysical university and the university incarnate. The metaphysical university body is infused with spirit and in fact rejects the body. By repressing its "body" (its historical, political and social determinants) the metaphysical university hallucinates its body as a unified, indestructible, inconsumable and uncontaminated whole. To preserve the university, the metaphysical university body suggests a return to "spirit." The university in-camate on the other hand, understands its body as wounded, parasitized, consumable, displaced and gaping. I suggest that this university body represents Derridean discourse on the university in its desire to think its body--its own constitution