Postmodernism is a complex and often contested term, referring to a range of aesthetic, cultural, and intellectual phenomena that emerged in the late 20th century. Synonyms for postmodernism include terms like poststructuralism, deconstruction, critical theory, and cultural studies. All of these terms share a concern with challenging the dominant narratives and assumptions of modernity, and with exploring the ways in which power and ideology shape our understanding of the world. Other synonyms for postmodernism might include terms like irony, pastiche, bricolage, and eclectic, as these all reflect the playful, fragmented, and often self-referential qualities of postmodern culture.