Postmodern Theory Research Articles

A Postmodernist Analysis Of Hyper-Textuality In Alice Oswald's Poem "Dunt : A Poem for a Dried Up River"

This study explores the concept of hyper-textuality within Alice Oswald's "Dunt: A Poem for a Dried Up River," situating the poem within a postmodernist framework. The central problem of this analysis lies in understanding how Oswald's work embodies and challenges the notions of textuality, fragmentation, and intertextuality typical of postmodern literature. The aim is to uncover the ways in which hyper-textuality enhances the thematic concerns of environmental degradation and the impermanence of nature in "Dunt." The hypothesis posits that Oswald employs hyper-textuality not merely as a stylistic device but as a means to evoke a multifaceted dialogue between the poem and its surrounding cultural, ecological, and literary contexts. Guided by postmodern literary theory, the methodology encompasses a close reading of the text alongside comparative analyses with other works that explore similar themes of nature and loss. This approach is complemented by examining critical texts on hyper-textuality and postmodernism. Preliminary results indicate that Oswald's use of fragmented images, disjointed narratives, and allusions to various texts create a rich tapestry of meanings that invite readers to engage actively with the text, thus reinforcing the poem's central motifs of absence and ecological crisis. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of how contemporary poetry utilizes hyper-textuality as a vehicle for critical engagement with pressing environmental issues, suggesting that Oswald’s work is not only a lament for a dried-up river but also an intricate commentary on the interconnectedness of text, nature, and human experience in the postmodern landscape.

Sufisim in Doris Lessing's The Four Gated City

This paper studies Sufism and its relevance in “The Four-Gated City” written by Doris Lessing. Sufism is an esoteric movement and regarded as the backbone of all religious systems. The study examines how Sufi thought permeates the thematic structure in spiritual and philosophical aspects in the novel. It seeks to examine how Sufi elements are imbedded in the novel, especially in terms of the characters psychology and their spiritual progression, and how Sufism provides a fine contrast to the narratives, alluding to the Western themes of rationality, individuality, and materialist perspectives, making this comparative in nature as well. And what is the function of mysticism within the context of Lessing's progression of her critique of modernity and her portrayal of the nature of being human?. To answer these questions, the research examines the nature of the incorporation of Sufi ideas like the wahdat al-wujud and the journey of the soul in the novel. It studies the characters journeyed in their experiences and how do the songs reflect the Sufi stages of spiritual development. Using Sufism to Critique Western Rationalism and Materialism. The methodology is a close reading of the novel, finding Sufi themes, symbols, and metaphors. A Sufi perspective with special focus on the representation of spiritual progress and awakening is the theoretical framework of the study. Finally, the comparative method employed in this study draws parallels not just between the visualization of the spiritual ascent in the Shikasta, but also in the Sufi classics of Rumi and Ibn Arabi. This research rests on the theoretical foundations of Sufi mysticism and comparative lit-examples drawn from the works of Idries Shah and others who presented Sufi-themed scholars to the West. Using postmodern literary theory, the book considers how Lessing subverts linear narratives through mystical beginnings, which is contrary to Western conceptions of progress and individuality. These are examples from the study’s results which suggest that the principles of the Sufi doctrine function as the fictional and philosophical basis placed at the centre of the novel’s exploration of human potential as a means for social change. Through Sufism, Lessing provides a glimpse of mute-bodied existence, spiritual enlightenment, and unity consciousness beyond the confines of a self-referencing mind. In the mystical experiences of its protagonists, there is a critique of the alienation in the modern world, an idea that true progress is in finding the inner self spiritually, not materially.

From the Belly of the Beast, the Monsters We Can Create from the Zombies and the Hyenas amongst us!

The purpose of this article is to address what has always been discussed as the three main elements of the social world. That is, the structure, culture and agency in the management, leadership and governance systems in university education. Such elements, as analytically distinct, arise from the assumptions that their roles, respectively, are values free exercise, asocial, apolitical and, therefore, neutral. Citing a particular case that has been a subject of deep debates and extensive conversations in previous ECMLG 2021, ECMLG 2022 and as part one of ECMLG 2024, this paper subjects, as an immanent critique, the claims that the management of organisations’ resources, which generally make for the interface between senior management and the formal governance of the organisation, with all things being equal, can make for forms of efficiency and effectiveness in organisational and management systems. With the title of the paper, From the belly of the beast, the monsters we can create from the zombies and the hyenas amongst us, the paper thus adopts a disruptive and transgressive stance about what can always appear as the structural and cultural norms. As such, the paper will argue, by drawing from the post-modernist theories, for example, the social realist theory as anchored on the critical realist philosophy, that it takes the properties and powers both of the knowledge and knower structures for the ideal of university education as the public good, as the case will illustrate, to be a realist reality. By means of a social realist methodology, research data was drawn from organizational records, which was then subjected to critical discourse analysis for identifying the structural mechanisms that could generate the crisis events and processes, and further to how the latter could be experienced and observed over time. Such a methodology therefore foregrounds the value of morphogenesis/morphostasis in a social realist oriented project. Based on what ought to be the theory-methodology-practical program chain, the value of the article is, in itself, and for generalised contexts, thus related to what ought to lie behind the shine of leadership practices, of the management systems, and of the governance structures. That refers to the case of what can be the three headed monstrous situations, and further to the value of the practices as the nexus of research and development, of policy and implementation, and of strategy and leadership.

Echoes of Memory and Identity: A Psychological and Theoretical Analysis of the Ripple Effect in Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day

This paper explores the psychological and literary dimensions of Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day, focusing on how memory and past choices impact the protagonist’s identity. Utilising Freudian psychoanalysis, Jungian archetypes, and cognitive dissonance theory, the study delves into Stevens’s emotional suppression, internal conflicts, and gradual self-awareness. Additionally, narrative and postmodern literary theories are applied to analyse Ishiguro’s narrative style, revealing the protagonist’s selective and unreliable memory. This interdisciplinary approach demonstrates how Stevens’s recollections and repressed emotions create a ripple effect that shapes his identity and underscores the human experience of introspection and regret. The findings highlight the intricate interplay between memory and identity and the significance of psychological insights in literary analysis.

Postmodern Vision of Absolute Truth in "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

This paper explores Ian McEwan's "Atonement" and its postmodern interpretation of the concept of ultimate truth. The novel, which takes place in the early 20th century, examines the difficulties associated with memory, narrative, and the search for the truth. This essay examines how the novel reflects the postmodern rejection the idea of ultimate truth through a study of the text. It is possible to see the novel "Atonement" as a postmodern attack on the idea of ultimate truth. It is proposed that the novel's postmodern is a conception of reality highlights the importance of memory and narrative in the construction of truth. This paper is important because it applies postmodernism theory to the novel "Atonement" by Ian McEwan, giving it a fresh viewpoint. The study underlines the significance of subjective experiences and viewpoints in our perception of reality and underscores the function of memory and narrative in truth construction. Postmodernism theory is used as a literary movement that rejects the conventional belief in objective truth and emphasizes the importance of subjectivity and fragmentation in understanding of reality. This paper attempts to analyze the notion of absolute truth in Ian McEwan's novel. The primary aim of this paper is to examine the postmodern vision of absolute truth in "Atonement" and its implications for our understanding of truth and reality. This paper aims to demonstrate how the novel challenges traditional notions of truth and offers a vision of truth that is subjective and fragmented.

Self-portrait as mask. The case study of Gillian Wearing

This article examines Gillian Wearing’s Family Album photographic series (2003 – 2006), relating her self-portraits to the postmodern identity theories of Fredric Jameson (1984) and Kenneth Gergen (1991) for the 1st time, as well as linking them to Hans Belting’s interpretation of the symbolism of the mask (2013). In the photographs, Wearing assumes the features of her family members through hyper-realistic masks and wigs, recreating and “wearing” the faces from the family albums. Through this process, the artist temporarily assumes the identity of another person while creating a new subject that combines and adds further characteristics to the personalities from which it is composed. The photographs from the series are compared with other works by the artist, particularly her self-portraits painted during the 2020 lockdown and those created in 2023, in which she portrays herself without a mask, marking a significant shift in her artistic practice.

Arabic Narrative in American Voices: Edgar Allan Poe and John Barth

Abstract In this paper, I set out to demonstrate how Poe and Barth understand Arabic narrative showcased in The Arabian Nights, and why they show so much approximation, deviation, and swerve. In their misreading, both Poe and Barth reveal much about the mechanism of the incorporation of Arabic narrative as much as they convey their own cultural and literary concerns. Premised on postcolonial and postmodern theory, I show how the American Orientalism of Poe and Barth perpetrates a misrepresentation of both Arabic narrative, Muslims, and the East. While Foucault’s ‘conditions of possibility’ pertain to a cultural context that is bound to inform writing, there is also the predilection of both writers to maraud Alf Laylah wa-Laylah as their free zone, a colony of a sort.

Immersive and virtual exhibitions: A reflection on… art?

This paper explores the conceptualization and evolution of virtual exhibitions and immersive art experiences, highlighting their distinctions and similarities. Virtual exhibitions, conducted online or through digital media, offer a platform for showcasing artworks to a global audience without physical constraints. They employ multimedia elements to engage viewers and provide flexibility in exploration. Conversely, immersive art experiences create environments that envelop the viewer, stimulating multiple senses and often incorporating advanced technologies, such as virtual reality and augmented reality. These experiences aim to evoke emotional responses and facilitate active engagement with the artwork. While proponents argue that virtual exhibitions and immersive art experiences democratize access to art and offer new avenues for artistic expression, critics have raised concerns about their impact on authenticity, viewer engagement, and art commercialization. Philosophical and cultural perspectives, including phenomenology and postmodern theory, shed light on the complexities of these art forms and their relationship with reality and simulation. This paper, further, examines the social and business implications of virtual exhibitions and immersive art experiences, noting their growing popularity and influence on the art market. It discusses the viewpoints of artists, critics, and scholars, both supportive and critical, regarding technology’s role in art and its effects on the viewer’s experience. Virtual exhibitions and immersive art experiences represent an evolving landscape in the art world, offering opportunities for innovation and debate. Their impact on the perception and consumption of art remains a subject of ongoing discussion. The paper concludes with a review of successful virtual exhibitions, highlighting their role in expanding access to art and cultural experiences globally.

Science, Fiction, and Contemporary Media: Blurred Borders in Knowledge Dissemination in Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain

This study examines the technical methods used by Michael Crichton to blur the lines between factual information and fictional elements in his novel The Andromeda Strain. The creative use of scientific terminology and artistic documentation that supports a sense of reality plays a role in creating a certain blurring that works to enhance the blurring of the boundaries between reality and imagination. The study aims to explore the novel within the framework of postmodern literary theory, questioning the concept of absolute truth, and emphasizing the role of language and literary discourse in constructing reality. Through a critical analysis of the novel, this study seeks to clarify the methods followed by Crichton to employ language and discourse to create an atmosphere of authenticity that contributes greatly to blurring the line between reality and imagination. In addition, the study comprehensively analyses modern media platform technologies that are used to erode the boundaries between objective reality and fictional narratives, and their consequent effects on the dissemination of information. The study concluded that Crichton's novel The Andromeda Strain embodies the successful integration of scientific concepts with fantasy elements, which resulted in a captivating and intellectually stimulating narrative.

«Экономика желаний» и «экономика дара»: сравнительный анализ

Introduction. The article is the first one to conduct a comparative analysis of two economic models, reflecting previously little-studied aspects of the processes of exchange and consumption. A connection is established between the archaic paradigm of abundance and the postmodern theory of unlimitedly producing capitalism. Theoretical analysis. According to Daniel M. Bell (The Economy of Desire: Christianity and Capitalism in a Postmodern World), the economy of desire is based on overcoming the scarcity approach to the processes of production and exchange. The main goal of this economy becomes the formation of desires for consumption, and not the creation of benefits. The approach Bell describes is based on the idea of resource abundance. This brings him closer to the gift economy, which, as J. Bataille writes (“The Accursed Share”), is aimed at getting rid of attachment to material goods through transcendence. The act of giving is a waste of which only those who are not afraid of scarcity are capable. Conclusion. The author concludes that the economy of desire, although it overcomes scarcity, is nevertheless aimed at immanence, since desires force one to focus on oneself and one’s current states. In the modern world, these two models simultaneously compete, since they have attitudes that are incompatible with each other, and coexist, as the capitalist system becomes more diverse and requires new ways of relationships between subjects.

A painting you can eat: A dialogue between Dōgen and postmodern thinkers on nature and ecology

ABSTRACT Ecology is a major international issue of the present moment because the earth is threatened by forces beyond our control that have potential devastating consequences. This essay looks at the problem through the eyes of the Zen master Dðgen and selected postmodern philosophers. The difference between them is evident by Dðgen’s planful statement about eating a painting of a rice cake. Postmodernists perceives nature as a social construct connected to a representational mode of thinking that conflicts with the postmodern emphasis on difference, simulation, planes without depth and lack of unity. These postmodern tendencies of thinking are contrary to the philosophy of Dðgen, whose image of a painting of a rice cake can satisfy intellectual hunger and serves as a serious way to save the ecological system and overcome the representational mode of thinking.

The impact of new musicology and postmodern theory fusion on cultural diversity awareness in music education

The impact of new musicology and postmodern theory fusion on cultural diversity awareness in music education

Women and Values in the Vortex of Objectivity: Sharon L. Crasnow's Contribution to the Feminist Discussion of Philosophy of Science

This study investigates Sharon L. Crasnow's perspective on the philosophy of science, specifically exploring its compatibility with feminist ideals. Crasnow introduces her notion of model-based objectivity as a reaction and expansion of the principles advocated by feminist empiricism, postmodernism, and Harding and Wylie's feminist standpoint viewpoint theory. Crasnow holds the belief that there is an inherent connection between science and value. The efficacy of grounding in scientific endeavor and the development of epistemic virtues depend on specific societal principles, such as acknowledging and appreciating women's contributions in scientific discussions. Feminism is not considered a dedicated adherence to a particular set of beliefs or ideology. Instead, people view feminism as a mindset or a critical scientific perspective. According to Crasnow, the best way to understand natural reality is to use a model to achieve a clear and objective understanding. The procedure entails identifying specific values that lay the groundwork for modeling. These values are evaluated by considering pragmatic variables and maximizing the achievement of goals. In this context, objectivity refers to the validation of a value based on its ability to improve people's lives to the fullest extent. This enhances the model's capacity to serve as a means of accomplishing it.

Baudrillard's Critical Theory of Political Economy

Baudrillard is a famous French postmodern philosopher with a vast array of theories and writings. Based on Baudrillard's reflection on Marx's critique of political economy, the article takes the social and ideological origins of the theory of mimesis as the starting point of the study. Unlike Marx, Baudrillard's theory of mimesis involves a 'model' that appears as the initial form of the mimesis. Baudrillard's argument that the proliferation of mimesis and simulation has led to the demise of the real, and that the real world can be produced through modelling without the need for prototypes, adds a new dimension to reflections on Marx's critical theory of society, and expands the horizons and methodologies of contemporary Marxist research. The paper traces the premise and development of the theory of mimesis by analysing the turn towards consumer society, and presents the specifics of mimesis theory as a whole by keeping in mind Baudrillard's principle of symbolic exchange and his reflections on modern technology. This paper analyses the concept of mimesis based on Baudrillard's later theories, and attempts to explain the specific connotations of mimesis and its related concepts. This paper focuses on three related concepts of mimesis: "mimesis", "hyperreal" and "implosion", and explains in detail the differences between these four concepts on the basis of Baudrillard's work. Based on Baudrillard's work, the differences between these four concepts are explained in detail. Explores the symbolic order, social entities, and media influences in which the concept of "mimesis" occurs.

Flipping the Narrative: A Unifying Framework for Juvenile Court-based Forensic Social Work Practice

Professional social workers are trained in multiple competencies and occupy various positions within the forensic landscape. Unified by a code of ethics that emphasizes social justice and the protection and empowerment of marginalized populations and a philosophical approach that recognizes the interplay of individual and environmental factors, social work leadership in youth justice policy and practice is vital. This article proposes a unifying framework for macro, mezzo, and micro court-based forensic social work practice in the 21st century that draws from post-modern critical social work theory. The lifelong negative impacts of court involvement for young people are well documented and contribute to persistent societal inequities. Pre-disposition court practices can mitigate or further harm court-involved youth. “Flipping the Narrative” is a culturally relevant practice framework for evaluating and designing youth court practices that recognize the intersectionality of the identities and experiences of court-involved youth. The proposed framework incorporates the practical implications of Critical Theory, specifically Critical Race Theory, the Theory of African American Offending, and Queer Theory, and relevant practice approaches, such as Social Justice Youth Development and Narrative Therapy, to analyze current youth court practices, propose areas for further evaluation and innovation, and recommend practice enhancements for defense-based forensic social workers. The urgency for innovation in one New England state is illustrated through a case study.

Wo∼Men and Leadership: Re-Thinking the State of Research on Gender and Leadership Through Waves of Feminist Thinking

Feminist thinking has contributed to changing views of women in society and in leadership positions. Yet women are still underrepresented in leadership, especially in key roles and at higher organizational ranks. In this commentary we examine the past, present, and future of leadership theories through a gendered lens, by considering them against the backdrop of feminist theory evolution. We first organize existing leadership theories according to four main feminist waves— gender reform feminism or “fixing the women” which corresponds with liberal feminism; gender resistance feminism or “the female advantage,” reflecting radical feminism; the gender rebellion feminism or “how is a wo(man) defined,” according to postmodern and intersectionality theories, and gender digital feminism or “hashtag and clicktivism revolution” that focuses on social media, cyber activism, sexual violence, and complex intersectionality. We further examine the implications and research findings of these theories for women and men in leadership. Second, we review the publications on gender and leadership in two exemplary journals publishing leadership research in the field between 2019 and 2022 and explore to which feminist wave the published works relate. We show that themes related to the first two waves of feminist thinking continue to be dominant in current leadership research and encourage moving into new terrains, utilizing current feminist thinking, in the study of leadership and gender. Finally, we raise awareness that in a gendered society, leadership theories may reproduce and reconstruct the existing social order and gendered arrangements, as well as map novel directions for future research.

INTERPRETATION OF THE PHENOMENON OF SOCIAL CONTROL IN POSTMODERNISM AND METAMODERNISM

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the interpretation of the phenomenon of social control in postmodernism and metamodernism. The similarities and differences in the description of social control mechanisms are identified. The concepts of “society of the spectacle” (G.Debord), “society of surveillance” (M.Foucault) and “society of control” (J. Deleuze) are analyzed, which show the evolution of postmodernists’ views on social processes.. The concept of the “listening society” (G.Freinacht) as a metamodern alternative to the development of modern society is presented. Postmodernism focuses on criticizing society, drawing attention to its increasing fragmentation, the crisis of metanarratives, and the growing role of the media as a tool for social control. In contrast, metamodernism tries to balance modern and postmodern theories, recognizing the importance of centralized and decentralized forms of social control. This allows simultaneously taking into account the diversity of identities of a modern person and the possibility of his or her integration into society through the adoption of common norms and rules. Metamodernism seeks to reconstruct metanarratives that can contribute to new forms of social control based on cooperation and common interests. It emphasizes the importance of empathy in social control, whereas postmodernism rejects it as a false, simulated form of social relations. While postmodernism focuses more on critical analysis of existing structures, metamodernism aims to find hybrid and adaptive forms of control that combine traditional methods with the latest technologies. All these differences in the interpretation of the phenomenon of social control reflect the paradigm shift from postmodern deconstruction to synthesis and reconstruction within metamodernism.

Geslachtsgemeenschap zonder huwelijk als een multidimensionale zonde

Bruce Malina’s views on sexuality continue to exercise a major influence on contemporary Biblical scholarship. His position was that the Bible in general, and the Torah specifically, approve of sexual intercourse without marriage, as long as it is a voluntary act and the parties are not engaged to or married to someone other and it is not a commercial act. An analysis of the primary sources, as well as the Rabbinic commentaries and the tradition of the Western Church, shows that this view fails to do justice to semantic use of ‘fornication’ [תוּנְז] in the Thora, as well as to related incidences of πορνεία in the Septuagint and the New Testament. This article argues, on the basis of a text-oriented philological reading of the ancient texts, that these condemn sexual intercourse without an established marriage as a multidimensional sin. Both historical Rabbinic and Apostolic traditions claim a continued validity for this moral evaluation.Contribution: This article seeks to understand the source-orientated nature of the historical evaluation of sexual intercourse outside marriage in the Jewish and Christian tradition. The results of this enquiry show that a text-oriented approach within the context of tradition allows no room for sexual intercourse without marriage but condemns this as a multidimensional sin. The implication of this is that liberal opinions such as those of Malina are fundamentally not an exegesis of the text in historical context, but a form of meaning assignment. The influence of the philosophy of existentialism and postmodernism on Biblical studies in this development requires further research.

Philosophical and methodological foundations of the constitutionalization of Russian law in the context of post-classical jurisprudence

The article demonstrates the cognitive value of the postclassical legal theories underlying the phenomenological and hermeneutic methodology of postmodern philosophy. The ways of overcoming the relativism of postmodernism, which raises the right to the top of the pyramid, based on the foundations of Russian society, forming the context of meaning-making carried out during the constitutionalization of criminal proceedings, are outlined. The article reveals the value component of the methodology of conflict resolution used by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, based on the postclassical jurisprudence. The author argues that it is impossible to resolve these conflicts through traditional legal and dogmatic methods of law enforcement used by ordinary courts. Constitutionalization is presented as a process for the transformation of natural law into a positive law, carried out in two stages: at the first, a certain right is elevated to the rank of a constitutional norm; at the second, this right is deployed in sectoral legislation. It is concluded that the constitutionalization carried out by the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation is nothing more than a way of resolving normative conflicts, during which the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation interprets both the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the norms of laws, bringing them into a state of mutual non-contradiction.

Góngora, máquina barroca en el archivo de Néstor Perlongher

"In this article I analyze the way in which Néstor Perlongher (1949-1992), an Argentine writer and anthropologist, reads Luis de Góngora. The inquiry uses texts selected from a wide archive that includes, in addition to his published poetry, unpublished texts, interviews, correspondence, academic articles and literary essays. During this article, I argue that Góngora was read by Perlongher with a creative direction, far from philological pretensions, which allowed him to encrypt some concepts within his aesthetic proposal. The conformation of the Neo-Baroque has created a critical vulgate that assumes the confluence of postmodern philosophy, the works of Lezama Lima and Severo Sarduy, and a rereading of the Golden Baroque, however the latter has not been quite observed or is taken for granted without investigating the nooks and the scope of its presence. This article contributes to gauge the role and influence that the reading of a baroque poet of the xvii th century had within a poet linked to a literary movement of the xx th century.Keywords: neo-baroque; poetry; gongorism; neobarroso; aids"