Professor: John Leisure
4 credits
A multidisciplinary inquiry of Korea in the 20th century, this course examines the enduring legacies of a divided peninsula. How can we make sense of contemporary Korean culture like K-POP and Samsung when we take the long view? What was life like under Japan's empire? How did the Korean War (1950-1953) entrench peninsular divisions? How do the bifurcated identities of North Korea and South Korea complicate a pathway toward unification? Students in this course will explore declassified documents, journal articles, newspaper reports, political speeches, and scholarly histories. We will discuss themes that include assimilation, independence, identity, and sovereignty. And interrogate what it means to see the Korean peninsula as a geopolitical nexus that involves China, Russia, Japan, and the United States.