Modern/Postmodern: Society, Philosophy, Literature offers new definitions of modernism and postmodernism by presenting an original theoretical system of thought that explains the differences between these two key movements. Taking a contrastive approach, Peter V. Zima identifies three key concepts in the relationship between modernism and postmodernism - ambiguity, ambivalence and indifference.
Zima defines modernism and postmodernism as problematics, as opposed to aesthetics, stylistics or ideologies. Unlike modernism, which is grounded in an increasing ambivalence towards social norms and values, postmodernity is presented as an era of indifference, i.e. of interchangeable norms, values and perspectives.
Taking an historical, interdisciplinary and intercultural approach that engages with Anglo-American and European debates, the book describes the transition from late modernist ambivalence to postmodern indifference in the contexts of philosophy, literature and sociology. This is the ideal guide to the relationship between modernism and postmodernism for students and scholars throughout the humanities.
Table of Contents:
Preface \ I. Defining Modernity and Postmodernity \ 1. Problems of Construction: Modernity and Postmodernity as Periods, Ideologies, Styles and Problematics \ 2. Key Concepts: Modernity, Modernism, Postmodernity, Post-histoire and Post-industrial Society \ 3. Modernity, Modernism and Postmodernity as Problematics \ II. Modernity and Postmodernity in a Sociological Perspective \ 1. Critiques of Modernity: Universalism, Particularization and Social Movements \ 2. Feminist and Ecofeminist Critiques \ 3. A Conservative Postmodernity? \ 4. Marxist Critiques: For and against 'Postmodernity' \ 5. Pluralism, Indifference and Ideology \ 6.. The Case of Baudrillard: Indifference without Ideology \ III. Postmodern Philosophies as Critiques of Modernity \ 1. Nietzsche' Heirs \ 2. Postmodern Social Philosophies and the End of Meta-Narratives: From Foucault, Deleuze and Lyotard to Vattimo and Rorty \ 3. Postmodern Epistemology I: Foucault, Deleuze, Vattimo and Rorty \ 4. Epistemology II: Language, Concept, Particularity - from Deleuze and Derrida to Vattimo \ 5. Epistemology III: Lyotard vs. Habermas \ 6. Ethics: From Lyotard and Bauman to Rorty \ 7. Aesthetics: Heterotopy and the Sublime, Allegory and Aporia \ IV. Modernism and Postmodernism: Literary Criticism \ 1. Construction Attempts \ 2. The Problematics of Modernism and Postmodernism: Ambiguity, Ambivalence and Indifference \ 3. Avant-garde, Popular Culture and postmodern 'De-differentiation' \ 4. Postmodernism as Poststructuralism : Iterability, Aporia and Intertextuality \ V. From Modern to Postmodern Literature: Ambivalence, Indifference and Ideology \ 1. Modernist Literature and Ambivalence: Between Nietzsche and Freud \ 2. Linguistic Aspects of Ambivalence \ 3. Critique of Truth, System and Subject: Critique of Modernity \ 4. Modernism and Critical Theory: Epilogue I \ 5. Postmodern Literature and Indifference: Critique of Metaphysics \ 6. Linguistic Aspects of Indifference \ 7. Beyond Truth and the Subject: Pluralism, Particularism, Indifference and Ideology \ 8. Postmodern Literature, Deconstruction and Pragmatism: Epilogue II \ VI. Dialogical Theory: Between the Universal and the Particular \ 1. Theory between Ideology and Indifference \ 2.The Theoretcial Dialogue: Language, Sociolect and Discourse \ 3. Conclusion: The Particular and the Universal in Postmodernity \ Bibliography \ Index.
About the Author :
Peter V. Zima is Professor of General and Comparative Literature and Director of the Institute of General and Comparative Literature at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria.
Review :
"Peter V. Zima's Modern/Postmodern presents a valuable synthesis and overview of the debates surrounding the postmodern in the fields of philosophy, social theory, the arts, and history. Systematically making distinctions between the modern and the postmodern, Zima provides a comprehensive analysis of existing debates and his own original contributions in a book rich with insight." - Douglas Kellner, University of California, Los Angeles, USA, author of Jean Baudrillard: From Marxism to Postmodernism and Beyond and co-author with Steven Best of The Postmodern Adventure.
