What is the difference between poststructuralism and postmodernism?

One Answer

1. I would suggest the following division, which, in my opinion, is the most widespread and meaningful.

   • Post-structuralism is a philosophical trend, see this answer for more details.�
   • Postmodernism is a broader cultural phenomenon in philosophy, the arts, the humanities, etc., of which the philosophy of poststructuralism is also a part. For more information, see this answer.
     However, it should be noted that any division here is conditional. Much depends on the context and on the language in which the author writes, as well as what discipline and school the author uses these terms belongs to – in different contexts, these words can be used with their own nuances.

   When talking about post-structuralism and post-hedonism, some use these terms interchangeably, noting that researchers refer to the same authors as either postmodernists or post-structuralists. This position can be found, for example, in the Oxford Handbook of International Relations in the article Poststructuralism/Postmodernism:

   The choice of terms and labels used to describe and categorize these critical perspectives are indicative of the “highly controversial” nature of debates surrounding poststructural/postmodern engagements. While some … textbooks prefer the label “postmodernism,” others use the term poststructuralism to describe the same set of approaches.

   The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy even opens the article “Postmodernism” with the words ” that postmodernism cannot be defined is a truism.”

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