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Postmodernism and cultural theory

Postmodernism, cultural politics and cultural theory
If postmodernism is not a specific type of cultural theory, then
nor is it a specific type of politics. It is, rather, a particular cultural
space available for analysis to many different kinds of contem-
porary cultural theory, and for intervention to many different
kinds of contemporary cultural politics. As Michèle Barrett has
observed: ‘postmodernism is not something that you can be for
or against: the reiteration of old knowledges will not make it
vanish...it is a cultural climate as well as an intellectual position,
a political reality as well as an academic fashion’ (Barrett, 1999,
p. 156). The term is best understood, then, as denoting a ‘cultural
dominant’, in Jameson’s phrase, or even, in Williams’ terms, a
‘structure of feeling’. At this most general of levels, it is quite
simply the dominant culture of the postwar West. In this sense,
Habermas’ sustained polemic against the implied neo-conser-
vatism of French post-structuralism (Habermas, 1987) can be read
as an intervention within postmodernism as much as an
argument against it. There was even less point, then, in Callini-
cos’ argument against the very idea of postmodernism than in
Lukács’ earlier arguments against the substance of modernism.
As Fehér asked, echoing Huyssen, ‘who wants to become the
Lukács of postmodernism?’ (Fehér, 1990, p. 92; cf. Huyssen, 1988,
p. 200).
Yet a complication appears to enter as we acknowledge not
only that some cultural theory affects to be itself ‘postmodernist’,
but also that some postmodernist art has been very much aware
of postmodernist theory and has even sought to position itself
in relation to the latter. Here we need to insist that it is perfectly
possible to disagree with postmodernist theories of culture or of
society, but to accept that important instances in our cultural life
are indeed postmodern. Such disagreement remains tenable,
moreover, even when postmodernist art has self-consciously
sought to position itself in relation to postmodernist theory. Art
is as able to make good use of bad theory as of what some would
see as ‘heretical’ or ‘idolatrous’ religions, ‘false’ or ‘incorrect’ polit-
ical doctrines. The mere fact that we live in a postmodern culture
and enjoy postmodernist art does not in itself require us to agree
with postmodernist cultural theory. Here we should register—if

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