Defining Postmodernism: A Review of Kevin Hart’s Postmodernism: Beginners Guide
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Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Humanities Redeemer's University Ede
Abstract
Kevin Hart provides with this book the classic primer for any novice to the
subject of postmodernism. His style on the subject in a base and
rudimentary way is akin to a series of undergraduate lectures. He
introduces postmodernism in a manner that grants a beginner a relatively
modest understanding of the subject. The volume contains seven chapters.
The first four are devoted to theoretical questions on the subject: from an
introduction to leading thinkers on postmodernism to issues of definition
and dichotomy with other related concepts such as modernity, post modernity, post-humanist, and post-structuralism, among others. The
remaining three chapters anchor a discourse on theology and religion,
specifically Christianity. The questions that postmodernism pose to
Christianity and vice versa represent the baseline of the discussions. Hart’s
work is essentially a book that does not only introduce the concept of
postmodernism; it analyzes the relevance and basic applications of key
thinkers on the subject. The author goes further to elevate the postmodern
discourse on religion as his primary thesis for the book. This is
understandable given the controversial nature of religion and its narrative.
Thematically the book has two main directions:
A. Philosophical Origins of the subject of postmodernism with an
attendant survey of the foremost thinkers.
B. Postmodernism and its impact on and interpretation of theology
and religion.
Description
Keywords
Postmodernism, Philosophy