Postmodernism and 'The Other Side' - Dick Hebdige (1986)

Hebdige identifies the term 'postmodern' as a 'buzzword'; broadly used over a number of disciplines and for a number of reasons and therefore explains that it is an incredibly ambiguous term which is difficult to define.

Consequently, he doesn't bother and instead creates an endless list of ideas set out by other theorists without ever seeming to reach his own conclusions. He does however provide a good reference of important points from postmodern theorists such as Lyotard and Gramsci and provides a positive spin on Marxism;

"A Marxism without guarantees is a Marxism which has suffered a sea change... a Marxism more prone perhaps to listen, learn, adapt and to appreciate, for instance, that words like 'emergency' and 'struggle' don't just mean fight, conflict, war and death but birthing, the prospect of new life emerging: a struggling to the light."

Hebdige suggests that postmodernism, although over-used, is still relevant and important and forms a lot of important cultural debates. This may have been the case in the 1980's however, in 2010 we need to look ahead to the new theories which are emerging all the time.

The question now is; what happens post-postmodernism?