Postmodernism

Postmodernism is a mid- to late-20th century philosophical movement that is characterized by deconstruction, disruption, and skepticism. Postmodernism evolved as a reaction to empiricism (the philosophical belief that all knowledge results from experience) and the conservative social and moral principles that dominated the periods of modernity and modernism. Postmodernism provides a critique of empirical values and challenges the legitimacy of a singular reality. While postmodernist philosophy has extended beyond the humanities to artistic outputs such as the creative arts, architecture, music, and fashion, this entry focuses on the origins of postmodernism, its core principles, and its application within qualitative research.

Origins of Postmodernism

Although postmodernism reached its peak in the second half of the 20th century, a number of late 19th-century philosophers contributed to postmodernist theory. For ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles