Supplanting the Postmodern: An Anthology of Writings on the Arts

In this review of Supplanting the Postmodern, the reviewer recommends the anthology for scholars, graduate students and serious readers tracking debates about what follows postmodernism; its single biggest reason to buy is that it collects the key essays that map competing proposals such as remodernism, altermodernism and metamodernism in one accessible volume. The review finds the book valuable as a reference and course text because it presents a wide range of voices and critical formulations across the early 21st century, making it possible to follow how the field negotiates a perceived ending of late 20th-century postmodern culture.

Key Features

• First comprehensive anthology: Brings together central writings debating successors to postmodernism so readers can compare competing positions in one place.
• Broad scope of movements: Includes essays proposing terms such as remodernism, performatism, hypermodernism and digimodernism to show the variety of responses to the postmodern claim of ending.
• Two-part structure: Divided into The Sense of an Ending and subsequent sections so the book frames both the declaration of an ending and the proposals for what comes next.
• Useful for teaching: The collected essays make it straightforward to assign contrasting positions and to trace the development of terminology in class discussions.
• Critical context: Offers readers the debates and formulations emerging in the early 21st century, useful for research in contemporary literature and cultural criticism.

Who It's For

Supplanting the Postmodern is aimed at academic readers: literary critics, cultural theorists and graduate students who need a single volume that surveys the range of early 21st-century arguments about what follows postmodernism. It is also well suited for instructors assembling syllabi on contemporary movements and for researchers tracing the emergence of terms like metamodernism and automodernism.

Readers seeking a light overview or a general history for casual reading may find the material dense and better served by shorter syntheses; likewise, those expecting a chronological history of art practice rather than focused critical essays on terminology should look for broader cultural histories instead.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Collects many influential essays so readers can engage directly with the primary debates that attempt to supplant postmodernism.
• Includes a variety of proposed successor terms, offering a panoramic view of early 21st-century critical vocabulary.
• Well structured into parts that help frame both the sense of an ending and the proposed onward directions.

Cons

• The focus on essays and debate makes it a scholarly, rather than popular, read and may feel dense for casual readers.

Specifications

Title	Supplanting the Postmodern: An Anthology of Writings on the Arts and Culture of the Early 21st Century
Editor / Author	David Rudrum
Scope	Anthology collecting key writings debating successors to postmodernism
Structure	Divided into two parts including The Sense of an Ending
Key topics	Remodernism, performatism, hypermodernism, digimodernism, metamodernism
Intended audience	Scholars, graduate students, instructors in literature and cultural criticism

Our Verdict

Supplanting the Postmodern is a well chosen anthology for readers who need a concentrated survey of early 21st-century debates about the end of postmodern culture and proposed successors; it offers clear value as a teaching and research resource because it assembles the central essays in one volume, though its scholarly focus may limit appeal to casual readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this anthology present original essays or reprints?
The book collects key writings and debated formulations from the early 21st century into a single anthology for comparative study.

Is this suitable for undergraduate courses?
Yes, it can be assigned in upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses that examine contemporary theory and movements, though instructors may select specific essays for readability.

What movements are covered?
The collection includes discussions of remodernism, performatism, hypermodernism, automodernism, renewalism, altermodernism, digimodernism and metamodernism.