Explorations in Difference: Law, Culture, and Politics

Anna Leslie is an associate professor of sociology at Sir Wilfred
Grenfell College, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

The editors of this collection of eight essays about debates in
postmodern theories of culture and law make clear distinctions among the
forms of postmodernism that have emerged in recent decades.
Postmodernism in the 1960s challenged authority and developed a general
historical consciousness of the role of women and of ethnic and racial
minorities in history; its counterpart in the 1970s and 1980s was less
oppositional and idealistic. One aspect of the postmodern discussion
that serves as a focal point for the contributors to this volume is the
debate between Jean-Franзois Lyotard and Jurgen Habermas over
legitimation and consensus in the production and reception of knowledge.
The editors observe that “[s]ome writers ... celebrate the differences
and dissension of postmodernism and others ... are wary of movement that
depreciates the possibility of communication and common ground.”

The book is divided into two sections. “Theoretical Accounts”
establishes a context for postmodern inquiries into differences, while
“Instances” provides the application to particular issues. In the
first section, Ross Chambers argues that community is the mediator of
communication; Jennifer Nedelsky examines the paradoxical nature of
rights; Christopher Norris defends reason as a tool for cultural
critique; and Christine Sypnowich wonders whether “the postmodern view
is compatible with projects of liberation.” Topics covered in the
applied section include abortion and feminist legal theory, legal
cultures, and Native peoples.

This multidisciplinary book is a major contribution to the existing
literature and will be most appreciated by university students at the
senior and graduate levels.