Considering the hérisson (hedgehog/porcupine): Writing-designing the context essay

Fairfax, Duncan and Rosenberg, Terry E.. 2012. Considering the hérisson (hedgehog/porcupine): Writing-designing the context essay. Journal of Writing in Creative Practice, 5(3), pp. 343-364. ISSN 1753-5190 [Article]

No full text available

Abstract or Description

This paper initially articulates Derrida’s attempt to overcome the distantiation of writing from the thing written about - which, he addresses in his essay-poem ‘Che cos’è la poesia?’ (‘What is poetry?’). Thereafter, using the hérisson (hedgehog/porcupine) of this essay-poem as touchstone, the paper goes on to describe the nature and role of the ‘context essay’ which is written as part of final projects on both UG and PG degrees in Goldsmiths Design Department. The context essay challenges the borders between different types of writing and design practice, and is an essential part of the design process of the students’ final projects. The last part of the paper sketches the different ideational stratagems that may be used in the content and in the form of the context essay; stratagems that inter-ventilate different theories (accounts), different practices (acts), inter-splice theories and practices and, of course, also utilise the technicity of writing itself (applied
grammatology) to open up the possibilities of design practice.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1386/jwcp.5.3.343_1

Keywords:

grammatology, speculation, disjunctive synthesis, context, act, account

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Design
Research Office > REF2014

Dates:

DateEvent
December 2012Published

Item ID:

8851

Date Deposited:

13 Sep 2013 12:31

Last Modified:

23 Jun 2017 11:15

Peer Reviewed:

Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/8851

Edit Record Edit Record (login required)