This work investigates the conceptual boundaries of postmodern thought by examining how the movement defines itself through the exclusion or marginalization of its 'others'. Jeffrey Ebbeson provides a rigorous philosophical inquiry into the structural tensions inherent in postmodern discourse, analyzing how binary oppositions are constructed and maintained within contemporary intellectual frameworks. By drawing upon historical and theoretical precedents, the author argues that the identity of postmodernism is inextricably linked to the entities it seeks to categorize as external or subordinate.

Scholars and students of critical theory frequently cite this text for its precise articulation of the paradoxes within postmodern identity. Experts highlight the book as a dense, academic contribution that requires a foundational understanding of continental philosophy to fully grasp its arguments.