Introduction: “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough
“Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough first appeared in Theory and Society in August 1992, published by Springer. Clough explores the intersections and tensions between poststructuralist theory, deconstruction, and postmodern ethnography, particularly critiquing the ways in which these paradigms challenge empirical social science and realism. She delves into how poststructuralism disrupts traditional Marxist frameworks by emphasizing psychoanalysis and the processes of unconscious desire, offering a critique of the totalizing tendencies within realist narrativity. Importantly, Clough highlights the ambivalence within postmodern ethnography, which, while aiming to transcend traditional scientific paradigms, risks reifying empirical positivities through its focus on subjectivity and multicultural identities. This paper is pivotal in literary and sociological theory as it reinforces the need for a critical re-reading of cultural narratives, urging scholars to scrutinize the power dynamics embedded in knowledge production and representation. Through this lens, Clough not only critiques realism but also offers a framework for understanding the discursive construction of authority in social sciences and cultural criticism.
Summary of “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough
Postmodern Ethnography and Its Ambivalence
- Postmodern ethnography is critiqued for its limited response to the radical challenges posed by poststructuralism and deconstructive criticism (Clough, 1992, p. 543).
- Clough identifies Michael Peter Smith’s interpretation of postmodern ethnography as emphasizing the interplay of local and global discourses, but she highlights its failure to deeply interrogate the subject’s authority and cultural identity (p. 544).
- Postmodern ethnography, as described, tends to valorize subjectivity and experience but often neglects deeper psychoanalytic and deconstructive engagements, leading to an ambivalent critique of realism (p. 547).
Poststructuralism’s Challenge to Marxism
- Poststructuralism critiques Althusserian Marxism, focusing on deferral, displacement, and condensation, which shifts the analysis toward psychoanalysis and away from the totalizing narratives of Marxism (p. 545).
- It rejects essentialist and teleological perspectives, instead engaging with unconscious processes and desire as central to the construction of identity and culture (p. 546).
Deconstruction and Ethnography
- Clough explores deconstruction as a tool to critique the construction of realism in ethnography. She argues that realist narratives often mask the processes of substitution and projection, constructing authority and empirical “truth” through invisible mechanisms of power and desire (p. 548).
- Postmodern ethnography’s reliance on experiential narratives is seen as insufficient because it fails to interrogate these deeper dynamics (p. 550).
Authority and Realism
- Realist narrativity is criticized for its “double inscription,” where it simultaneously claims empirical objectivity and engages in discursive construction (p. 548).
- Clough aligns with thinkers like Homi Bhabha to reveal how realism enacts displacements of desire, often under the guise of transparency (p. 547).
The Role of Psychoanalysis
- Psychoanalysis, particularly as revisited through poststructuralism, becomes a method to unravel the unconscious desires underpinning discourses of power and identity (p. 545).
- Clough emphasizes that cultural criticism must account for these processes to move beyond surface-level analyses of subjectivity and identity (p. 546).
Critique of Cultural Logics
- Clough critiques cultural logics that prioritize difference over duality without exploring the unconscious dynamics of “othering” and identity formation (p. 546).
- She advocates for a poststructural cultural criticism that exposes the itineraries of desire within knowledge and power systems (p. 550).
Multiculturalism and Subjectivity
- Postmodern ethnography, according to Clough, risks reducing multicultural subjectivities to simplistic narratives that align too closely with traditional realism (p. 549).
- True cultural criticism, she suggests, should interrogate the unconscious foundations of identity rather than merely celebrating border transgressions (p. 550).
Conclusion: The Need for Radical Critique
- Clough calls for a radical poststructural approach that challenges both scientific empiricism and cultural essentialism, emphasizing the critical role of psychoanalysis and deconstruction in uncovering hidden desires and power structures (p. 552).
- Such an approach redefines the aims of cultural criticism, situating it as a transformative practice capable of addressing the complexities of identity, realism, and authority in the postmodern age.
Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough
| Theoretical Term/Concept | Explanation | Relevance in Clough’s Argument |
| Poststructuralism | A theoretical approach emphasizing the instability of meaning, the role of language in shaping reality, and the critique of totalizing narratives. | Used to critique Marxism, realism, and essentialist interpretations, while advocating for an understanding of identity and authority as constructed through unconscious processes (Clough, 1992, p. 545). |
| Deconstruction | A critical methodology, developed by Jacques Derrida, that interrogates binary oppositions, defers meaning, and exposes the contradictions within texts. | Applied to critique the realist narratives in ethnography and cultural criticism, revealing their reliance on invisible mechanisms of desire and authority (p. 548). |
| Psychoanalysis | A theoretical framework, particularly Lacanian psychoanalysis, that explores unconscious processes, desire, and subjectivity in language and identity. | Central to poststructuralism’s critique of realism and Marxism; used to analyze how unconscious desire shapes discursive constructions of identity and authority (p. 545). |
| Realist Narrativity | The narrative structure that claims empirical objectivity while masking its own constructed nature. | Critiqued for its “double inscription,” where it presents itself as both fact and discursive construction, concealing the role of desire in constructing authority (p. 548). |
| Multicultural Subjectivity | The representation of subjectivity as shaped by intersections of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality in a multicultural framework. | Clough critiques postmodern ethnography for oversimplifying subjectivity, failing to address unconscious dynamics, and relying on realist methodologies (p. 549). |
| Difference vs. Duality | The poststructural critique of binary oppositions (duality) in favor of understanding multiplicities and deferrals of meaning (difference). | Clough emphasizes the importance of deconstructing oppositions, arguing that difference cannot simply replace duality without addressing unconscious processes like “othering” (p. 546). |
| Authorial Desire | The projection of unconscious desires onto the “author” or subject within discourses of knowledge and authority. | Used to critique the authority embedded in realist narratives and scientific knowledge, revealing how these are shaped by projections and displacements of desire (p. 547). |
| Ethnography | A research methodology traditionally associated with anthropology, focused on studying cultures and identities through observation and narrative. | Postmodern ethnography is critiqued for its reliance on realist narrativity and its ambivalence toward poststructural deconstruction, as it often fails to address unconscious processes (p. 547). |
| Knowledge/Power | A concept from Foucault emphasizing how knowledge systems are inherently tied to structures of power. | Clough applies this to critique how scientific and cultural narratives construct authority and truth through relations of power and unconscious desire (p. 546). |
| Differance | Derrida’s concept describing the simultaneous deferral and differentiation of meaning within language and identity. | Highlighted as a critical process for understanding the persistence of “othering” and unconscious dynamics in identity construction, which are often ignored in postmodern ethnography (p. 546). |
| Scientificity | The perceived objectivity and authority of science, often critiqued in poststructuralism for its reliance on constructed discourses. | Clough critiques the “will to scientificity” in both social sciences and realist narratives, arguing for a critical engagement with science as a constructed form of knowledge (p. 550). |
| Global and Local | The interplay between global systems of power and local cultural identities, often explored in postmodern ethnography. | Postmodern ethnography’s focus on the “local” is critiqued for neglecting the broader psychoanalytic and deconstructive implications of identity formation (p. 544). |
Contribution of “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Poststructuralism
- Clough integrates poststructuralist principles, particularly the critique of totalizing narratives and essentialism, into literary theory (p. 545).
- Highlights the importance of unconscious processes like displacement and condensation, emphasizing the fluidity of meaning in texts and cultural narratives (p. 546).
- Extends poststructuralism to critique the authority of realist narrativity in literature and social sciences, revealing its constructed nature (p. 548).
2. Deconstruction
- Clough applies Derrida’s deconstructive method to realism, exposing the “double inscription” of narratives that present themselves as both factual and discursive (p. 548).
- Emphasizes differance as a tool to understand the dynamics of “othering” and identity formation in textual and cultural representations (p. 546).
- Advocates for a deconstructive literary critique that unravels the unconscious desire embedded in narratives of authority (p. 550).
3. Psychoanalytic Literary Theory
- Incorporates Lacanian psychoanalysis into poststructural criticism, focusing on how unconscious desire and sexual difference shape language and identity (p. 545).
- Critiques realism in literature and social sciences as a projection of authorial desire, demonstrating how texts construct authority through fantasies of unified subjectivity (p. 547).
4. Feminist Literary Theory
- Draws on feminist critiques of Marxism and psychoanalysis to explore the intersections of gender, sexuality, and unconscious processes in cultural texts (p. 545).
- Advocates for a feminist materialist analysis of language and identity that resists essentialist or biologistic interpretations (p. 546).
5. Postmodern Ethnography
- Critiques the reliance of postmodern ethnography on realist narratives, suggesting it overlooks the unconscious dynamics of identity and cultural authority (p. 549).
- Contributes to postmodern literary theory by emphasizing the role of psychoanalysis and deconstruction in analyzing the plurality of subjectivities and cultural narratives (p. 550).
6. Cultural Studies and Critical Theory
- Extends cultural criticism by linking the textual construction of authority in mass media, film, and literature to broader power/knowledge dynamics (p. 546).
- Critiques the “will to scientificity” in realist representations, proposing a cultural criticism that interrogates the unconscious foundations of knowledge and identity (p. 550).
7. Realist Critique in Literature
- Challenges the transparency of realist narratives, arguing they conceal processes of substitution and projection through their “truth” claims (p. 547).
- Advocates for a poststructural critique of realism, emphasizing its role in constructing empirical positivities and managing contradictions within identity (p. 548).
8. Multiculturalism in Literary Theory
- Explores the implications of multicultural subjectivities, arguing that postmodern approaches risk oversimplifying identity by failing to account for unconscious dynamics (p. 549).
- Highlights the need for literary and cultural criticism to address how identities are shaped by intersections of race, class, gender, and unconscious processes (p. 550).
9. Authority and Desire in Narrative Construction
- Examines how narratives construct authority through the projection of unconscious desires, offering a framework for analyzing authorial presence in texts (p. 547).
- Contributes to the understanding of narrative desire as a critical element in both realist and postmodern literature (p. 550).
10. Interplay of Global and Local in Literary Theory
- Investigates how global restructuring and local identities intersect in cultural narratives, offering a framework to analyze texts addressing globalization and multiculturalism (p. 544).
Examples of Critiques Through “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough
| Literary Work | Aspect Critiqued | Application of Clough’s Framework | Relevant Concept |
| Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness | The construction of colonial authority and identity. | The narrative’s realist form masks its constructed nature, presenting imperialism as a natural order. Clough’s critique would expose the unconscious projection of European authorial desire onto the colonized “other,” revealing how the narrative consolidates authority through mechanisms of “othering” (p. 547). | Realist Narrativity, Othering, Authorial Desire |
| Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse | The fragmented subjectivity of characters and resistance to traditional realist structure. | Woolf’s deconstruction of linear narratives aligns with Clough’s emphasis on psychoanalytic deferral and displacement. Clough’s framework highlights how Woolf critiques the unified subject and instead explores unconscious dynamics of identity and familial desire (p. 545-546). | Psychoanalysis, Differance, Deconstruction |
| Toni Morrison’s Beloved | The representation of identity and trauma in the context of slavery. | Morrison’s narrative foregrounds multicultural subjectivity and the persistence of trauma as an unconscious force shaping identity. Clough’s critique would focus on how Morrison’s use of fragmented timelines and haunting narratives challenges realism and exposes the interplay of power, memory, and unconscious desire (p. 549). | Multicultural Subjectivity, Unconscious Desire, Power/Knowledge |
| Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale | The critique of totalitarianism and gendered oppression. | Atwood’s dystopian narrative critiques the power structures of realism in its portrayal of a patriarchal society. Clough’s framework would analyze the text’s depiction of authority and resistance as constructed through unconscious desires and psychoanalytic projections of control and identity (p. 546-547). | Authority and Desire, Feminist Psychoanalysis, Realist Critique |
Key Insights from the Table
- Realist Narrativity: Works like Heart of Darkness are critiqued for using realist structures to mask colonial power dynamics and project authorial desires.
- Psychoanalytic Processes: To the Lighthouse demonstrates Clough’s emphasis on deferral and unconscious processes in literary narratives.
- Multicultural Subjectivity and Power: Beloved exemplifies Clough’s critique of identity construction in the intersections of trauma and power.
- Authority and Desire: The Handmaid’s Tale aligns with Clough’s focus on the construction of authority and gendered oppression through narrative.
Criticism Against “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough
1. Overemphasis on Psychoanalysis
- Critics may argue that Clough places excessive focus on psychoanalysis, particularly Lacanian theory, which can limit the applicability of her framework to texts and contexts that do not prioritize unconscious dynamics (p. 545).
- The insistence on psychoanalytic processes such as displacement and desire may neglect other interpretative frameworks, such as materialist or historical approaches.
2. Ambiguity in Addressing Multiculturalism
- Clough critiques postmodern ethnography for oversimplifying multicultural subjectivities but does not offer a clear alternative framework for analyzing identity within multicultural narratives (p. 549).
- Her critique risks being perceived as abstract or overly theoretical, without providing practical tools for engaging with real-world cultural diversity in texts.
3. Abstract Nature of Deconstructive Critique
- The reliance on deconstruction may appear overly theoretical or inaccessible to some readers, as it does not always offer concrete methods for textual analysis (p. 548).
- Clough’s emphasis on the “double inscription” of realist narrativity might not resonate with readers looking for more tangible critiques of realism.
4. Insufficient Engagement with Postmodernism
- While Clough critiques postmodern ethnography, she does not fully engage with postmodernism’s contributions to literary theory, such as its emphasis on fragmentation and plurality (p. 544).
- Her work could be seen as dismissive of postmodernism’s potential to challenge traditional forms of authority and representation.
5. Limited Scope of Realist Critique
- The critique of realism in narrative forms may appear too generalized, without addressing the diversity of realist strategies in literature across different genres and time periods (p. 547).
- Some may argue that realism’s capacity for self-reflexivity and subversion is underestimated in her analysis.
6. Ambivalence Toward Scientific Knowledge
- Clough critiques the “will to scientificity” but does not fully reconcile how scientific frameworks might coexist or align with poststructuralist approaches (p. 550).
- This tension leaves her stance on the role of empirical methodologies in cultural criticism somewhat ambiguous.
7. Neglect of Reader Reception
- The framework focuses heavily on authorial desire and narrative construction but does not sufficiently address the role of readers in interpreting and interacting with texts (p. 547).
- This oversight may limit the applicability of her theories to reception studies and reader-response criticism.
8. Theoretical Density
- The dense and abstract nature of Clough’s writing can make her arguments difficult to access for those unfamiliar with poststructuralism, psychoanalysis, or deconstruction (p. 546).
- The lack of practical examples or simplified explanations may hinder the broader application of her critique.
9. Potential Neglect of Interdisciplinary Insights
- While Clough engages with sociology and anthropology, her analysis may not fully incorporate insights from disciplines such as political economy or historical materialism, which could enrich her critique of cultural authority (p. 549).
Representative Quotations from “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “Poststructuralism breaks up the relationship of Marxism and psychoanalysis, breaking with Marxism by pitting psychoanalysis against the totalization and teleology of a Marxism analysis.” (p. 545) | Highlights poststructuralism’s rejection of grand narratives like Marxism by emphasizing the fragmented and unconscious processes central to psychoanalysis. |
| “The poststructural rereading of these texts restores to psychoanalysis its capacity to be a profound criticism of totalistic, biologistic, or essentialist interpretations.” (p. 545) | Shows how poststructuralism reclaims psychoanalysis as a tool for critiquing reductive or deterministic frameworks, such as those seen in traditional Marxism or realism. |
| “Realist narrativity produces the real in invisible relays between what nevertheless remains apparently opposed, such as fact and fiction, content and form.” (p. 548) | Critiques realism for its “double inscription,” where it conceals the constructed nature of reality by presenting oppositions as natural. |
| “Deconstructive criticism, like psychoanalysis, refers representation to ‘a knot’ of words, things, and desire that can neither be definitively combined nor indefinitely separated.” (p. 548) | Explains how deconstruction reveals the interconnectedness and instability of language, desire, and representation, mirroring psychoanalytic processes. |
| “Postmodern ethnography, as Smith describes it, is something more like a politicized or, better, oppositional ethnomethodology or phenomenology.” (p. 547) | Critiques postmodern ethnography for lacking the critical depth of deconstruction, reducing its methodology to a form of phenomenological opposition. |
| “Multicultural subjectivity cannot refer only to the crossing of social, political, cultural, and economic borders. They must also be referred to itineraries of unconscious (authorial) desire.” (p. 549) | Argues that identity in multicultural contexts must account for unconscious dynamics, not just external social or cultural factors. |
| “Realism constitutes a certain form of reading and writing in which a ‘split-perception’ is required between actual experience-out-there and the narrative or discursive construction of it as such.” (p. 547) | Critiques realism for its reliance on the illusion of transparency, which disguises the constructed nature of its narratives. |
| “Oppositions or dualisms can only be temporarily deconstructed by means of critical interpretation that wedges itself between, deferring the act of opposing.” (p. 546) | Emphasizes that deconstruction does not destroy oppositions but reveals their instability, encouraging critical interpretation to explore their dynamics. |
| “Cultural criticism must go beyond reducing border transgressions in and of identity to cultural logics or structural imperatives.” (p. 550) | Suggests that cultural criticism needs to address unconscious processes and the symbolic dynamics of identity, rather than just focusing on sociopolitical structures. |
| “The authority of realism is constituted through fantasmatic substitutions, projections, displacements, etc., which nonetheless appear as empirical positivities, as the facticity of actual experience.” (p. 547) | Analyzes how realism creates an illusion of factuality by concealing the subjective and unconscious processes behind its narratives. |
Suggested Readings: “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism” by Patricia T. Clough
- Clough, Patricia T. “Poststructuralism and Postmodernism: The Desire for Criticism.” Theory and Society, vol. 21, no. 4, 1992, pp. 543–52. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/657709. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
- Agger, Ben. “Critical Theory, Poststructuralism, Postmodernism: Their Sociological Relevance.” Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 17, 1991, pp. 105–31. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2083337. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
- FAWCETT, BARBARA. “Disability and Social Work: Applications from Poststructuralism, Postmodernism and Feminism.” The British Journal of Social Work, vol. 28, no. 2, 1998, pp. 263–77. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23714814. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
- Caplan, Jane. “Postmodernism, Poststructuralism, and Deconstruction: Notes for Historians.” Central European History, vol. 22, no. 3/4, 1989, pp. 260–78. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4546152. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.