Postmodernism , marketing and the consumer

The timing of these two special issues on Postmodernism, Marketing and the Consumer (Vol. 10, No. 3 and Vol. 11, No. 4) is, indeed, curious. On the one hand, postmodernism is just becoming a recognized discourse within business disciplines, and these special issues represent the first concerted effort within the consumer research and marketing disciplines to treat the subject. On the other hand, postmodernism, as a term and concept, is already beginning to encounter either opposition or indifference because critics feel that it represents too much, thus losing the ability to have a clear message, or that it has taken on the character of a faddish, overused, over-abused signifier. Thus, they feel it can no longer excite or provoke meaningful and insightful discourse regarding the human condition. Clearly, debates and discussions regarding postmodernism, postmodern culture, and postmodernity have created some of the most prolific, heated and exciting publications and productions in, especially, the last decade. This is true for practically all humanities and social science disciplines. A simple count of books published on the topic will provide sufficient evidence of the fact, as