​This paper investigates the ways in which contemporary Arab intellectual discourse has engaged with the notion of postmodernity – a concept whose meanings have varied and often conflicted, even within Western thought. It highlights the divergence between philosophical postmodernity, associated largely with contemporary French theory, and artistic postmodernism, which developed predominantly in the US. The study advances the hypothesis that the linguistic and cultural influence of France has played a significant role in shaping the the Arab Maghreb’s more receptive engagement with French postmodernist thought. In contrast, the intellectual climate of the Arab Mashreq– marked by the predominance of Marxist and nationalist paradigms – has fostered a more critical approach toward postmodernity.​