What does it mean for a book or a theorist to be "post-modernist" as opposed to "modernist"?

Answer 1

Modernism and Postmodernism are very broad categories which refer to eras within intellectual history. Modernist philosophies are usually very broad and attempt to find an overarching answer to a question. For example, Marx and his theories on capital and Communism are modernist theories, whereas postmodernists are more concerned with questioning the foundations of fields and questions. One notable postmodernist is Foucault, whose works establish a non-linear view of history and reject the notion that there can be singular and simple answers to complex questions. Another useful example of a postmodernist is Marcel Duchamp, whose 'readymades' were often everyday objects meant to prompt the viewer to ask themselves "what is art?".