Topic Four (1.4): Postmodern Perspectives

Introduction Icon.png Introduction

Postmodernism is a more recent perspective and argues that the classical sociological theories you have covered so far are no longer relevant to contemporary society. Postmodern views are wary of any body of knowledge, which they call a ‘meta-narrative’, that tries to explain how everything works. (Of course, critics argue that postmodernism itself is a meta-narrative!)

Postmodern views focus on how individuals create, and recreate, identities in a fragmented, globalised world. They are based on relativism, the doctrine that all knowledge is equally true to the person holding it (e.g. if a person believes the earth is flat, that is true to them, regardless of whether you believe it to be true). No one form of knowledge is perceived as being superior to others. This is very different to classical theories – particularly structural ones – which hold scientific knowledge to be superior to other forms of knowledge.

Many recent social movements have been heavily influenced by postmodern views on fluid identities and a rejection of fixed identities.

Read & Make Notes Icon.png Read and Make Notes

Read pages 20 to 23 in your textbook and carefully make notes on the topic.

Skills Icon.png Tasks

  • Complete the activities in the textbook.
  • Watch this video on the key structural theories: 

WATCH – An Introduction to the Ideas of Postmodernism (YouTube) Links to an external site.

  • Based on this and your textbook, create a mind map covering the key points from postmodernism and how postmodernists believe society has changed.

Glossary Icon.png Terminology

Make sure you understand all the key terms covered in this topic. You may like to make flashcards of key terms now, to help you with revision later on.