Postmodernism in Sociology

Abstract

Postmodernism in sociology is an analysis of the social and cultural features of late capitalism (post-modernity), a critique of sociological theory as a modernist project, and an extension of sociological inquiry into new domains. The term postmodernism made its way into sociology from literary theory and criticism in the 1970s; at the same time, it was part of a wider innovative movement in the discipline, continuing and reformulating a series of important sociological topics. The key concepts of sociological postmodernism are subject, identity, text, and symbol. On these grounds, postmodernity is characterized as a form of social order in which the electronic media play a prominent role, symbolic codes are pervasive, and social identities are fragmented. These terms are also employed in the critique of sociological theory as a product of modernity. According to this critique, scientific theories work as symbol systems enabling certain courses of social action, and the knowing subject is the product of social circumstances. Sociological postmodernism claims a structural similarity between texts and social order: both are network-like systems of symbols. On the methodological side, sociological postmodernism emphasizes qualitative research methods, especially discourse analysis and ethnography. Writing-related issues also occupy an important place.