"Recent years have witnessed radical changes in our social and political existence, with traditional ideas and ways of living increasingly being called into question. Such questioning has led to a crisis of authority that goes under the general name of postmodernism. But what does this word mean and why is it so important? The Routledge Companion to Postmodernism provides all the answers you need. It is an accessible and comprehensive survey of the intellectual developments that have brought about a wholesale shift in cultural perspectives. Combining detailed essays, written by experts in the subject, with an invaluable A-Z guide to 'who's who' and 'what's what' in postmodernism, this is the guide to a phenomenon that has shaped today's world."--BOOK JACKET.