Given below are two statements about Structuralism/Structuralists:

Statement I: Structuralism is concerned with discovering the things that are real and important in social life by looking beneath the taken-for-granted socio-economic categories.

Statement II: Structuralists appreciated human creativity and intentionality related to individuals' lives.

In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

Statement I is correct:

• Structuralism is an intellectual movement that seeks to analyze underlying structures in culture, society, and language.
• It examines deep-rooted patterns that shape human thought, behavior, and institutions.
• Structuralists look beyond socio-economic categories and seek universal structures that define how societies function.
• Key figures include Ferdinand de Saussure (linguistics), Claude Lévi-Strauss (anthropology), and Louis Althusser (Marxist structuralism).

Statement II is incorrect:

• Structuralists do not emphasize individual creativity or agency.
• They argue that human actions are shaped by deep structural forces (e.g., language, culture, social institutions).
• In contrast, existentialists and post-structuralists (e.g., Foucault, Derrida) emphasize human agency, creativity, and intentionality.
• Structuralism sees human behavior as largely determined by external structures, not individual choice.

Thus, Statement I is true, and Statement II is false. 

Information Booster:

• Structuralism focuses on deep structures in society, language, and culture.
• It is associated with thinkers like Saussure, Lévi-Strauss, and Althusser.
• Structuralists believe human actions are shaped by social systems, not personal choices.
• Post-structuralism challenges structuralism, arguing for individual agency and subjective interpretation.
• Key critics of structuralism include Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and Jean-Paul Sartre.