Description: Postmodernism has become the buzzword of contemporary society over the last decade. But how can it be defined? In this highly engaging introduction, the mysteries of this most elusive of concepts are unraveled, casting a critical light upon the way we live now, from the politicizing of museum culture to the cult of the politically correct. The key postmodernist ideas are explored and challenged, as they figure in the theory, philosophy, politics, ethics, and artwork of the period, and it is shown how they have interacted within a postmodernist culture.
Brief description: Christopher Butler (1940-2020) was professor of English language and literature at Christ Church College, University of Oxford. His works include Pleasure and the Arts, Modernism: A Very Short Introduction, and Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction.