i. Postmodernism resists the claim of universal correctness (or
‘truth’) of social theories and their expert/bureaucrat planned and administered policies and programmes.
ii. Post-modernism is marked by a celebration of differences (in meanings, values and styles of thinking and living).
iii. In postmodernism, signs are perceived as simulations rather than true representations of reality.
iv. Postmodernism advocates the use of utility value and commodity value as justification for generating, gathering and analysing information.
v. Postmodernism indeed perceives progress in radical, not simple ways.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 5.2
Write a two-page summary of the differences between the Post-Modern Information Society Perspective and the other five perspectives considered in this module.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The Post-Modern Information Society Perspective (or Postmodernism) projects a world order which represents a return from globalisation to multiculturalism. It does not speak this clearly on digitalisation but tends to say that this is not likely to remain the only way of generating, gathering and analysing information.
5.0 SUMMARY
We started this unit by looking at the point of departure between Modernism (which the other perspectives represent more or less) and Post-Modernism which the perspective herein discussed represents. It perceives modernism’s view of progress as narrow, and projects a wider view which recognises differences in meanings, values and styles of thinking and living.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Are you a globalisationist or a multiculturalist? Show which by writing a two-page comment on the views of Postmodernism as contained in the foregoing exposition.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
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Webster, Frank (1995) Theories of the Information Society. London:
Routledge.
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