Universal Abandon? the Politics of Postmodernism

by Andrew Ross (Editor)

Book by

300 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Andrew Ross is Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University, and a social activist. A contributor to The Nation, the Village Voice, New York Times, and Artforum, he is the author of many books, including, most recently, Bird on Fire: Lessons from the World’s Least Sustainable City and Nice Work if You Can Get It: Life and Labor in Precarious Times.

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert Ross has edited an intriguing set of essays on postmodernism. Highlights? Chantal Mouffe's essay on radical democracy is exceptionally good. This presages her book on the subject and provides a provocative analysis. There is an interesting interview with Fredric Jameson. Some other thinkers worth reading: Stanley Aronowitz, Ernesto Laclau, Nancy Fraser, and Linda Nicholson (an essay on "an encounter between feminism and postmodernism"). The other essays range widely in their topical coverage. As with many edited works, there is some unevenness in quality and focus, but this is made up for by a set of really outstanding essays.