MODERN POSTMODERN Modernists take the view that

language is transparent where there is one to one word meaning – the signifier and the signified

Postmodernists take the view that language is quite arbitrary and messy with more than one possible meaning to it

Modernist Feminism: Women are oppressed by patriarchy and can use Reason to achieve both independence and regain their “authentic selves”

Postmodern Feminism: The categories male/female, masculine/feminine are themselves culturally constructed and/or Ideology. Gender roles are culturally relative in all cultures and contexts

Modernists believe that there is a possibility for progression

Postmodernists believe that progress is not possible

Modernist thinking believes in learning from past experiences and trusts the texts that narrate the past

postmodernist thinking defies any truth in the text narrating the past and renders it of no use in the present times

Modernists have faith in depth and believe that we should infer and go deeper into the meaning of something

Postmodernists believe that we should look at the superficial meaning of something

Modernist approach is theoretical, objective and analytical

Postmodernist approach is extremely subjective

Modernism attempts to construct a coherent world-view

Postmodernism attempts to remove the difference between high and low