Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, cultural, and philosophical movements. It emerged in the mid-20th century as a skeptical response to modernism, emphasizing the instability of meaning, rejection of universal truths, and critique of grand narratives.
The postmodern view of language and discourse is due largely to the French philosopher and literary theorist Jacques Derrida (1930–2004), the originator and leading practitioner of deconstruction.
Rather, its differences lie within modernity itself, and postmodernism is a continuation of modern thinking in another mode. Finally, I have included a summary of Habermas's critique of postmodernism, representing the main lines of discussion on both sides of the Atlantic.
When you first encounter a novel that feels like a puzzle, a collage, or a conversation between different voices, you might wonder: is this a postmodern text? The answer lies in its distinctive blend of form, content, and attitude —an artistic rebellion against the tidy narratives of modernism.
What sets the Postmodern world view apart from older forms of skepticism is the radical attempt to open the dialogue to include those who have been systematically excluded: women, people of color, the poor, people who refuse standard gender identities.
Postmodern art replaced and responded to modernism, paving the way for the rise of contemporary art in popular culture. Emerging in the mid-20th century and lasting until the early 2000s, postmodern art is difficult to define given its penchant for variety and innovation.
The Postmodern period came up around the middle of the 20th century, and lasted for a few years until it advanced into the later movements that would supersede it in popularity.