KORE 300: Korean Culture and Society

This course surveys Korean history from ancient to the present while looking at how it is related to global history. Challenging the view that often regards Korean history as an isolated history of a “hermit kingdom,” this course focuses on how Korean history was influenced by global changes, and how it contributed to East Asian history, and by extension, global history. While focusing on Korea, the class takes a broader and comparative perspective to look at the historical changes in East Asia together; it compares Korean historical experiences with those of Japan and China and pays attention to the intertwined nature of their historical experiences.

While taking this macro view that looks at Korean history along with the global changes, it will also focus on the lived experience of people at a more micro level; how Korean people experienced and interacted with these historical changes, and how they exerted their agency. For this effort, the course will blend in many works of literature, mostly short novels and popular films based on Korean history. These materials will help students understand Korean history as a story of people that is more relatable.

This course is a hybrid course that consists of both online and offline course materials. Students should watch the asynchronous lecture videos, read the assigned weekly readings, and complete the online discussion activities before coming to class. The weekly face-to-face class will be 75 minutes and students will discuss in small groups and together as a whole class. This course is targeted at students without any background knowledge of Korean history. No prerequisite.