Metanarrative are broad, overarching theories, grand narratives, or comprehensive belief systems about the operation of society, the nature of social change, and the meaning of history that attempt to provide a universal explanation or understanding of the world. These theories offer a framework for interpreting social phenomena and often make claims about the fundamental nature of reality and the direction of historical development. Marxism, with its theory of class struggle and historical materialism, and functionalism, with its view of society as a system striving for equilibrium, are examples of metanarratives that have been employed by sociologists to explain how the world works and how societies change over time. In postmodern thought, there is often skepticism towards metanarratives, with an emphasis on local narratives, diversity of perspectives, and the rejection of universal truths.