Modules on Postmodernism
THE MODULES
in this section center around some of the postmodern theorists who have
defined this critical school and who have sought to make sense of our
own age, which has been dubbed by many "postmodern." One of
the striking things about critics studying our postmodern age is how
diametrically opposed they are from each other: some critics celebrate
aspects of postmodernism (Linda
Hutcheon) while others paint a rather bleak picture (Jean
Baudrillard, Fredric
Jameson). To have a strong grasp of this critical school, you should,
then, have a look at critics on either side of the debate. There is
no clearly logical progression across these modules; it does make sense,
however, to read my Introduction
to Postmodernism first.
The
Modules are designed to work aggregatively, so that each subsequent
module tends to build on the concepts discussed in the previous modules;
however, each is also designed to stand alone, and will sometimes be
hyperlinked in other sections of the Guide to Theory. In this way, the
modules seek to rethink the way most text-based introductions work.
Like a text-based introduction, the modules can work progressively,
as if one were thus turning the pages in a book. However, the structure
is actually more akin to Deleuze and Guattari's notion of the rhizome:
endlessly aggregative (at least in theory) and connected to each other
and to the rest of the site by multiple additional links. One can therefore
progress through the modules in alternate ways; in the postmodernism
modules, for example, one can concentrate on a single concept, postmodernity,
exploring how Hutcheon, Baudrillard, and Jameson each differ in significant
ways when it comes to making sense of our current age. One can also
explore connections between the modules on postmodernism and those found
in other locations in this site. The Jameson modules, for example, link
up logically with the various modules under Marxism, including, of course,
the Marxism Modules on Jameson; Baudrillard's understanding of
the "real" is usefully compared to Lacan's understanding of
the "real."
For a brief introduction to the critics discussed in the Modules, go
to the General Introduction.
The Modules for Postmodernism are on the left of this screen. If you
place your cursor on one of the categories, the module sub-categories
for each theorist will appear as a link. (Note that some browsers require
you to double-click on the link.)
Work
on these Modules has been supported by IHETS/IPSE (the Indiana
Higher Education Telecommunication System and the Indiana
Partnership for Statewide Education) and their Module
and Course Development Program.
