This volume brings together translated essays by fourteen established and emerging South Korean scholars. Using approaches from sociology, political science, history, and literary and cultural studies, the authors offer innovative and nuanced analyses of a wide range of topics—from refugee displacement to street politics, from anti-communism and democracy to militarization—and discuss the links between cultural productions and their sociohistorical contexts. Divided into five parts, the collection begins with the national division in 1945 and devastating civil war and concludes with the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 1980.
“Toward Democracy is a timely and necessary intervention from scholars at the epicenter of one of the most vibrant grassroots democracies of our time. In the contemporary global crisis of liberalism, Toward Democracy upends any illusion of Western ‘origins’ of democracy to highlight the hard-won struggles for liberty with justice in South Korea. With first-rate scholarship authored and translated by leading and rising scholars in multiple fields, this is an outstanding collection of collective labor.”—Suzy Kim, Rutgers University
“For a deep-dive into the cultural history behind the politics of resistance in South Korea, look no further. Gathered in a single volume and supplemented by contributions in sociology, media studies, and architectural history, these essays by leading scholars of Korean literature offer illuminating perspectives on Korea’s enduring struggle for democracy that are both innovative and consequential.”—Youngju Ryu, University of Michigan
“Toward Democracy captures all of the drama of Korea’s seven-decade struggle for democracy while posing deep intellectual questions. This multidisciplinary volume is a must-read for anyone interested in comparative democracy around the world.”—Andre Schmid, University of Toronto
364 pp.6 x 9
9781557291899$35.00|£30.00Paper
Jul 2020