ABSTRACT
Existentialism and postmodernism are two schools of philosophical thought that, rising to prominence in France after World War II, cast a long shadow. Existentialism became a major force immediately after the war while postmodernism, by way of poststructuralism, sprang from existential roots. Existentialism quickly emerged as a dominant philosophy and major social movement that helped people rethink their relationship with society and establish a personal morality in a confusing world. While the essence of existentialism predates World War II, the war weary French people were ready to embrace a code of action based upon individual responsibility. Poststructural thought is invaluable when the researcher seeks to transcend social and/or mental structures in order to deal with influences and tendencies from a more individualist perspective. Although poststructuralism have some overarching similarities that carry over from one thinker to the next, different intellectuals deal with their own personal research agendas and pose their own theoretical propositions. This makes the movement rich and flexible.
