University of Kerala

Department of Political Science

Modern Political Analysis

Title of the paper:

Development and Impact of Postmodernism

SEBASTIAN ERCKEL

M.A. Political Science

Date of Submission: 11/01/2008

Introduction 3

1. A Philosophical Approach to Postmodernism 4

1.1. Modernism 4

1.2 Problems with Modernity and Modernism 5

1.3 The Modernism- Postmodernism Debate 7

2. Postmodernism and the Understanding of Politics 9

2.1. Michel Foucault 9

2.2 Deconstruction 10

2.3. Implications for Political Science 11

2.4. Critical Postmodernism 12

Conclusion 13

Bibliography 14

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Introduction

Few people would deny that they are living in an age of great transformational processes.

For centuries, if not millennia, the changes in human society had occurred slowly and usually

did not affect the lives of the majority of the people significantly. That is not to say that the

event of a war, a draught or another catastrophe did not have devastating consequences and

indeed it were predominantly the ordinary people who suffered the most if such an event took

place. The conducting of life however remained unaffected and continued as it had before.

Scientific inventions were rarely made and if they did happen it was only a small privileged

section of society benefiting from them. Whatever influenced the life of most people occurred

gradually, making it both possible and easy to adjust. It could even be argued that because

these influences did not have an impact during a person′s lifespan but developed over

generations people failed to recognize them as changes at all.

This has profoundly changed in the age of globalization. While there are not many places left

in the world without access to the Internet the forces of globalization have already shaped

the economic, social, and cultural lives of hundreds of millions of people. The majority of

them may not be able to clearly identify these changes but they would all agree that

something

is

happening in their lives. The feeling evolving out of this is one of uncertainty;

there are both greater opportunities and greater risks.

The previous era had already witnessed the transformation that industrialization brought

about and it provoked sharp reactions. Industrialization not only transformed people′s lives it

changed the character of warfare as well and the 20th century had to endure the

consequences. Technology brought many improvements but people start to realize that there

is a flipside to everything. In a somewhat dialectical sense we cannot take the benefits of

something while at the same time hope to avoid the ramifications.

The world today has not just become smaller; it also turns out to be far more complex and

diverse than any philosopher could have possibly imagined. Postmodernism can be

conceived as a movement directed at both diversity and complexity but it may not provide a

satisfying answer. Instead, its simple but yet powerful message may be that all we can do is

accept the actual condition.

This paper attempts to outline the development of postmodernism as a reaction to Modernity,

and to analyze some of the implications this reaction brings about.

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1. A Philosophical Approach to Postmodernism

As the term postmodernism suggests it is a conceptual framework related in one way or

another to modernism. It implies on orientation

beyond

modernism rather than against it.

What can be expected when analyzing postmodernism is therefore neither a complete

rejection nor a full endorsement of modernism. Instead we may find both enhancements and

modifications which would be based on certain aspects of modernism identified as providing

no or insufficient answers to human development. A logical starting point in an attempt to

assess postmodernism is therefore a brief analysis of some of the important features of

modernism.

1.1. Modernism

Modernity is, simply speaking, the state of the present in its broadest sense. It should not be

confined to a

current

perception of time and whatever is currently happening does not

necessarily have to be modern. Modernity does, however, emphasize a focus on the present.

In this sense, modernism can be thought of as the philosophy of the present. Contrary to this,

one may prefer ideas or methods of the past and thus adopt a traditional approach. Others

may indulge in theorizing about the future and develop utopian concepts. It follows from this

that whatever may be modern now had been utopian earlier and is going to be traditional in

the future. Although this simple truth cannot be denied modernism is far more complex. It is

an orientation that embraces and influences all aspects of human activity. Thus, while there

were modern elements throughout history the age of modernity could only begin after

decisive developments with universal implications took place, and which were capable of

transforming the human state of mind, the entire approach to the eternal question of what the

reason and purpose of human existence is.

As with all great philosophical transformation processes it is impossible to exactly determine

the beginning of the age of modernity. It is however possible to highlight a few distinctive

developments which can be deemed essential for the transformation towards modernity.

The time period between the 14th and 16th century witnessed the "rebirth" (Renaissance) of

ideas from classical Greek and Roman philosophy regarding the question what the true

characteristics of humanity are. Humanism emphasizes the dignity of man and is based on

moral values such as non- violence, tolerance and freedom of conscience. The focus on

morality with its underlying assumption that humans are essentially noble creatures was

challenged by Machiavelli who argued that because humans are neither good nor bad

society should be constructed upon utility considerations rather than moral ones.

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