Postmodernism has been a buzzword in contemporary society for the last decade. But how can it be defined? In this Very Short Introduction Christopher Butler challenges and explores the key ideas of postmodernists, and their engagement with theory, literature, the visual arts, film, architecture, and music. He treats artists, intellectuals, critics, and social scientists 'as if they were all members of a loosely constituted and quarrelsome political party' - a party which includes such members as Cindy Sherman, Salman Rushdie, Jacques Derrida, Walter Abish, and Richard Rorty - creating a vastly entertaining framework in which to unravel the mysteries of the 'postmodern condition', from the politicizing of museum culture to the cult of the politically correct.
| ISBN | 0192802399 | | Volumes | 1 | | ISBN13 | 9780192802392
(What's this?) | | Weight (grammes) | 137 | | Publisher | Oxford University Press | | Published in | Oxford | | Imprint | Oxford University Press | | Series ISSN | 74 | | Format | Paperback | | Series title | Very Short Introductions | | Publication date | 10 Oct 2002 | | Height (mm) | 174 | | Library of Congress | 2002027051 | | Width (mm) | 111 | | DEWEY | 306 | | Spine width (mm) | 9 | | DEWEY edition | DC21 | | Academic level | General | | Pages | 152 | |
|
|
|
| | | List of illustrations | | |
| 1 | | The rise of postmodernism | | 1 |
| 2 | | New ways of seeing the world | | 13 |
| 3 | | Politics and identity | | 44 |
| 4 | | The culture of postmodernism | | 62 |
| 5 | | The 'postmodern condition' | | 110 |
| | | References | | 129 |
| | | Further reading | | 133 |
| | | Index | | 135 |
"A pre-eminently sane, lucid, and concise statement about the central issues, the key examples, and the notorious derilections of postmodernism. I feel a fresh wind blowing away the miasma coiling around the topic."--Ihab Hassan, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
"The most intellectually incisive, coherent and comprehensive meditation upon the history and significance of postmodernism that I have yet encountered."--Patricia Waugh, University of Durham
"Easily the best introduction to postmodernism currently available."--Hans Bertens, Utrecht University
Be the first to write a customer review
Enlarge
