postcanonical

Postcanonical is an adjective used to describe works, interpretations, or phenomena that occur after a defined canon has been established. It denotes a status or relation to a canonical body of work, tradition, or text in which subsequent material either expands, revises, or contests the original corpus. The term is most common in literary and media studies, folklore and religious studies, and philosophy, where scholars analyze how later productions interact with canonical authority.

In practice, postcanonical materials may include sequels, spin-offs, fan-produced works, or critical theories that engage with the canon after its fixation. They can extend the fictional universe, challenge its assumptions, or reframe its characters, often provoking debates over what should be considered part of the canon. In biblical studies and other religious contexts, postcanonical can refer to writings and interpretations that arise after a canon's formation, sometimes called apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, or postcanonical traditions, depending on scholarly usage.

Postcanonical is not a formal category with a universal definition; its meaning depends on the chosen canon and disciplinary conventions. It typically emphasizes temporality (occurring after the canon’s establishment) and dialogic relationship (interaction with canonical texts), rather than a fixed status. Because of its flexible usage, the term is encountered mainly in analytic discussions rather than formal classifications. Clarifying the specific canon in question is essential when using postcanonical to avoid ambiguity.