East Asian Studies 219 - MODERN KOREAN HISTORY

This course is a general survey of Korean political, social, economic and cultural histories from the mid-19th century through the present. We examine major events such as the 1876 opening of ports, 1910 colonization by Japan, the March First movement of 1919, liberation and division in 1945, the Korean War, democratization since 1987, the 1997 financial crisis and the 2000 Inter-Korea Summit. We also consider modernization, nationalism, industrialization and urbanization, changing gender relations, the nuclear issue and the Korean culture industry.