Q.1 Who is considered one of the founding figures of post-structuralism?
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Michel Foucault
Auguste Comte
Max Weber
Explanation - Michel Foucault is a central figure in post-structuralist thought, particularly for his work on power, discourse, and knowledge.
Correct answer is: Michel Foucault
Q.2 Post-structuralism emerged primarily as a response to which intellectual movement?
Functionalism
Structuralism
Positivism
Marxism
Explanation - Post-structuralism arose as a critique of structuralism, challenging its fixed structures and deterministic assumptions.
Correct answer is: Structuralism
Q.3 Which concept is central to Derrida’s post-structuralist philosophy?
Archetypes
Deconstruction
Rational Choice
Social Contract
Explanation - Derrida’s method of deconstruction is key to post-structuralist thought, questioning fixed meanings in texts and discourse.
Correct answer is: Deconstruction
Q.4 Post-structuralism emphasizes that meaning in language is:
Fixed and universal
Created by divine will
Fluid and unstable
Rooted only in tradition
Explanation - Post-structuralists argue that language is unstable, and meanings shift depending on context, power, and interpretation.
Correct answer is: Fluid and unstable
Q.5 Foucault’s idea of 'power/knowledge' suggests that:
Power and knowledge are separate
Knowledge is objective
Power produces knowledge and vice versa
Power is irrelevant to knowledge
Explanation - For Foucault, power and knowledge are interdependent; knowledge is shaped by power relations, and power is exercised through knowledge.
Correct answer is: Power produces knowledge and vice versa
Q.6 Which thinker criticized structuralism for ignoring the role of human agency?
Derrida
Lyotard
Foucault
Althusser
Explanation - Foucault critiqued structuralist determinism, highlighting how individuals resist and negotiate power.
Correct answer is: Foucault
Q.7 According to Derrida, texts always contain:
Hidden absolute truths
Only one possible meaning
Contradictions and multiple interpretations
Pure objectivity
Explanation - Derrida emphasized that texts are open-ended and can be read in many ways, resisting singular interpretation.
Correct answer is: Contradictions and multiple interpretations
Q.8 Jean-François Lyotard is best known for describing postmodernism as:
The end of ideology
Incredulity toward metanarratives
The triumph of reason
Return to tradition
Explanation - Lyotard defined postmodernism as skepticism toward grand, universal explanations or ‘metanarratives.’
Correct answer is: Incredulity toward metanarratives
Q.9 Post-structuralists argue that identity is:
Fixed
Essential
Socially constructed
Predetermined by biology
Explanation - Post-structuralism sees identity as fluid, shaped by discourse and cultural context rather than fixed essences.
Correct answer is: Socially constructed
Q.10 In post-structuralism, 'discourse' refers to:
Random speech
Objective truth
Systems of knowledge and power
Linguistic grammar only
Explanation - Discourse, for post-structuralists, is a system of knowledge intertwined with power that structures reality.
Correct answer is: Systems of knowledge and power
Q.11 Who argued that history is not linear but shaped by discourses and power struggles?
Karl Marx
Emile Durkheim
Michel Foucault
Jean Baudrillard
Explanation - Foucault argued against linear history, focusing on ruptures and shifts in discourse shaped by power relations.
Correct answer is: Michel Foucault
Q.12 Post-structuralism challenges the idea of universal:
Culture
Truth
Change
Conflict
Explanation - Post-structuralists deny absolute or universal truths, arguing that truth is relative and context-dependent.
Correct answer is: Truth
Q.13 Derrida’s concept of 'différance' highlights:
The fixed meaning of signs
The endless deferral of meaning
The superiority of spoken language
The objectivity of science
Explanation - Derrida’s 'différance' suggests that meaning is always deferred, never final, and dependent on context.
Correct answer is: The endless deferral of meaning
Q.14 Which post-structuralist emphasized the fragmentation of the subject?
Durkheim
Lyotard
Saussure
Comte
Explanation - Lyotard stressed the fragmentation of the subject in postmodern, post-structuralist thought.
Correct answer is: Lyotard
Q.15 Baudrillard’s theory of simulacra suggests that modern society is dominated by:
Nature
Authenticity
Signs and images
Religion
Explanation - Baudrillard argued that in postmodern societies, simulations and signs replace and distort reality.
Correct answer is: Signs and images
Q.16 Post-structuralism sees social structures as:
Rigid and permanent
Natural and universal
Contingent and unstable
Predetermined by evolution
Explanation - Unlike structuralism, post-structuralism emphasizes instability and contingency in social structures.
Correct answer is: Contingent and unstable
Q.17 Which method is closely linked to Derrida’s post-structuralism?
Functional analysis
Deconstruction
Historical materialism
Survey research
Explanation - Deconstruction is Derrida’s approach for analyzing texts to reveal contradictions and multiple meanings.
Correct answer is: Deconstruction
Q.18 Foucault’s 'genealogy' method examines:
The origin of species
The evolution of language
The historical formation of power and knowledge
Universal laws of society
Explanation - Foucault’s genealogical method investigates how power and knowledge evolve historically without assuming linear progress.
Correct answer is: The historical formation of power and knowledge
Q.19 Post-structuralism challenges binary oppositions because they:
Create clear truths
Simplify understanding
Reinforce power hierarchies
Reveal natural order
Explanation - Post-structuralists critique binaries (male/female, truth/falsehood) as artificial constructs that uphold power.
Correct answer is: Reinforce power hierarchies
Q.20 Which thinker is associated with the idea of 'the death of the author'?
Roland Barthes
Jean Baudrillard
Anthony Giddens
Pierre Bourdieu
Explanation - Barthes argued that texts are open to multiple interpretations beyond the author’s intentions.
Correct answer is: Roland Barthes
Q.21 Post-structuralists argue that knowledge is always linked to:
Neutral observation
Power
Pure logic
Divine authority
Explanation - In post-structuralism, knowledge is inseparable from power relations in society.
Correct answer is: Power
Q.22 Which post-structuralist thinker focused on the role of discourse in sexuality?
Michel Foucault
Jacques Derrida
Roland Barthes
Jean Baudrillard
Explanation - Foucault analyzed how discourse regulates and shapes human sexuality in 'The History of Sexuality.'
Correct answer is: Michel Foucault
Q.23 Post-structuralism sees truth claims as:
Eternal
Context-dependent
Scientific facts only
Independent of culture
Explanation - Post-structuralism rejects universal truths, emphasizing context and interpretation in truth claims.
Correct answer is: Context-dependent
Q.24 Which of these is NOT associated with post-structuralist thought?
Deconstruction
Différance
Essentialism
Discourse analysis
Explanation - Post-structuralists reject essentialism, favoring fluidity and constructed identities.
Correct answer is: Essentialism
Q.25 Baudrillard’s concept of 'hyperreality' means:
A reality beyond space
A blending of reality and simulation
The return to authenticity
The dominance of nature
Explanation - In hyperreality, distinctions between reality and simulation disappear, leaving only constructed signs.
Correct answer is: A blending of reality and simulation