Postmodernism After Thirty: Evolution and Polish Reception

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the evolution of postmodern thought, taking as its starting point Jean-François Lyotard's famous definition of the decline of grand metanarratives. The authors trace the path from Foucault's philosophical skepticism to the contemporary reification of the idea within Social Justice Scholarship. The text discusses in detail the influence of critical theories such as queer theory, critical race theory, and intersectionality on contemporary standards in science, law, and medicine, including areas such as fat studies and the social model of disability. A key element of the study is an analysis of the Polish reception of these Western currents of thought, taking into account the local historical, religious, and political context. This comprehensive look at how the theoretical constructs of deconstruction and situated knowledge permeate everyday institutional practice and public debate in Poland after three decades of their presence in discourse.