Alternative Miss World - What is Post-Apocalyptic?

For research, I'm looking into the foundations of Post-Apocalyptic media, such as the settings, stereotypes, traits and tones.

A Post-Apocalyptic landscape; desolate cities destroyed by war, disease or natural causes.

Post Apocalyptic is a future set in a destroyed world, be it by natural means, disease or by human weapons. (Nuclear Weapons are a popular cause of Post Apocalyptic settings.)
Also, the world is nothing but desolated rubble and inhabited by desperate survivors, who usually discard common courtesy in a race to survive in this harsh new existence.  Most of nature is gone due to a great deal of water being polluted, and depending on the cause of the Apocalypse, mutated creatures roam the wastelands (In the case of Nuclear Fallout) or Zombies. (In the case of a disease/virus outbreak.)



Even though the world is destroyed, survivng humans still exist thanks to shelters and vaults, although when they emerge, they're greeted by a harsh new existence that will have them fighting for survival.

In Post Apocalyptic settings, due to mass production no longer existing (And the usual lack of an economy all together.), clothing is made from salvaged pieces; you use what you can.  Popular items in Post Apocalyptic fiction are gas masks, jackets, guns, backpacks, bandages, metal plates and respirators; for survivors, that is.
Humans that are depraved enough to become raiders usually wear anything, usually articles of clothing that envokes fear into on-lookers. (Spiky armor, belts, hands/heads from victims.)
The type of clothing you wear can save your life, as in a new existence, the world isn't what it seems, and you can easily run into a highly irradiated area or into a building filled with falling debris.



Communites still exist in a Post-Apocalyptic envireoment, usually consisting of traders, travellers and farmers.

To improve chances of survival, communities exist in a Post Apocalyptic world.
Farming is still possible at a basic level, and usually, some kind of currency exists, despite the lack of an economy.  An example is the Fallout universe where Bottle Caps are the new currency amongtst most of the Wasteland.
Usually, certain communities that thrive on looting and pillaging clash and end in bloodshed, due to disparity for resources. Everyone in the world has to be prepared to fight or die if another group attacks.
Gangs of degenerates usually form throughout a Post Apocalyptic world, who act as thieves, bandits, murderers, mercenaries, slavers and all kinds of debauchery.
Sometimes, hundreds olf people unite under the rule of a single individual who has thier own idea on what the future of the Wasteland is.

 

If the Apocalypse was caused by nuclear weapons, mutants are a common sight due to radiactive mutation.

 

In Post-Apocalyptic media, if the apocalypse was brought on by Nuclear weapons, then frequently, the world will have several variations of muatnts, mutated from humans, animals and even plants.
A human mujtant couild just have peeling skin or a slight deformity, but full-scale mutants coudl grown really big, have the mindset of an animal and try and kill anything it sees.
Animals mutate too, turning even the smallest animal in to a ferocious killer.
Whilst the mutation caused by exposure varies, in some media, individuals exist who harness nuclear energy and create mutants themselves, such as the Deathclaws from the Fallout universe.