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Roland Barthes' concept of 'The Death of the Author' argues that authorial intent is irrelevant to the interpretation of a text, giving the power of meaning to the reader. This is a point of contention within postmodern literary criticism.

The political implications of postmodern aesthetics, including whether they represent resistance to or complicity with contemporary power structures, are debated by scholars such as Terry Eagleton and Hal Foster.

Scholars like David Foster Wallace have criticized postmodern irony, seeing it as a tool for disengagement and passivity rather than active engagement with culture and politics. This critique itself has spawned further scholarly debate.

Julia Kristeva's intertextuality concept suggests that texts are shaped by other texts, which has led scholars to debate the originality and meaning within postmodern literature. This debate explores the complex layering of references and cultural touchpoints.

Fredric Jameson argues that pastiche and parody are distinct features of postmodern literature, with parody playing a diminishing role. The debate over these stylistic strategies revolves around their effects on cultural literacy and societal critique.

The fragmentation of narrative in postmodern texts, presenting disjointed timelines and perspectives, raises debates about the reader's role in reconstructing meaning. This topic is explored by critics such as Brian McHale.

Linda Hutcheon's term 'historiographic metafiction' refers to novels that fictionalize actual historical events and characters. The debate here centers on the implications such works have for our understanding of history and truth.

Metafiction emphasizes the construction of fiction, questioning the relationship between fiction and reality. Scholars like Patricia Waugh and Linda Hutcheon have debated its use as a self-referential device that undermines the author's authority and disrupts the narrative.

Jean Baudrillard's idea of hyperreality explores how the distinction between reality and the simulated reality of fiction becomes blurred. This concept is a central debate within postmodern literature, affecting interpretation and cultural criticism.

Debates around postmodern literature often intersect with feminist and queer theories, examining the ways in which these texts challenge or reinforce gender norms. Key figures in this debate include Judith Butler and Donna Haraway.

Jean-François Lyotard describes postmodernity as incredulity toward metanarratives. This debate involves the skepticism of overarching, universal explanations in favor of more localized, contextual understandings.