This book explores the origins of the academic culture wars of the late 20th century and examines their lasting influence on the humanities and progressive politics. It puts us in a position to ask this question: what to make now of those furious debates over postmodernism, multiculturalism, relativism, critical theory, deconstruction, post-structuralism, and all the rest? In an effort to arrive at a fair judgment on that question, the book reaches for an understanding of postmodern theorists by way of two genres they despised and hopes, for that very reason, to do them justice. It tells a story, and in the telling, advances two basic claims: first, that the phenomenological/hermeneutical tradition is the most suitable source of theory for a humanism that aspires to be universal; and, second, that the ethical and political aspect of the human condition is authentically accessible only through narrative. In conclusion, it argues that the postmodern moment was a necessary one, or will have been if we rise to the occasion and seize the opportunity it offers: a truly universal humanism might yet be realized even in¿or perhaps especially in¿this atavistic hour of parochial populism.

1. Introduction: Phenomenology, Ideal Types, Narrative.- Part I Essential Background.- 2. The Situation of the Modern Subject.- Part II Modernism.- 3. New Authorities, Works, and Disciplines.- 4. Phenomenology.- 5. The Linguistic Turn.- Part III Masters of Suspicion.- 6. Marx, Freud, Nietzsche.- 7. Critical Theory.- Part IV Postmodern Undoings.- 8. The Mood of the Moment.- 9. Texts and Bodies.- 10. The Anglophone Reception of French Theory:  Literary Criticism, Cultural Studies, American Pragmatism, Identity Politics.- 11. Before the Annunciation Came the Virtual.- 12. Conclusion: Toward a New Humanism.

Thomas de Zengotita
teaches at the Dalton School, USA, and New York University's Draper Interdisciplinary Master's Program, USA. He is a contributing editor at
Harper's Magazine
. He holds a PhD in anthropology from Columbia University, USA.