Advanced Topics in Korean Literature and Culture (340-0-20)
Topic
Feminist, Queer, Crip: South Korea and Its Discont
Instructors
Jeong Eun We
847/467-5941
Kresge 1880 Campus Drive, #4-419
Office Hours: varies by quarter
Meeting Info
Parkes Hall 214: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
AY 22-23
This course examines contemporary discussions on the topics of gender, sexuality, and disability in South Korea. The past decade has seen an explosion of popular interest in feminism in South Korea. Along with this were competing debates on social and economic inequalities and legislations, as well as debates on gender identity, everyday experiences of discrimination, and overlooked sites of intersectional violence. As the scholar Alison Kafer has poignantly shown, thinking through the entanglements of feminist, queer, and disability concerns is important to rethinking exclusionary claims and their attendant problems. Students will explore how queer and crip frameworks trouble and deepen feminist debates and situate these frameworks in relation to Korea's history of militarism, war, and migration. Course materials include scholarship on feminist, queer, and crip theories beyond the Korean context, novel and short stories, TV show, news articles, and films. No prior knowledge of the Korean language or culture is necessary. Course assignments include an individual presentation, a group creative writing project, and a final research paper. Student participation, discussion, and peer collaboration are important aspects of this course, and all students will be encouraged to speak in class.
Learning Objectives
Theorizing; Communication; Korean Context
Teaching Method
Discussion Based
Evaluation Method
Students will be evaluated on an individual presentation, a group creative writing project, a final research paper, and participation.
Class Materials (Required)
The Hole: A Novel by Pyun Hye-young. ISBN: 1628727802 Concerning My Daughter by Kim Hye-jin. ISBN: 9781529057676 All remaining materials will be available on Canvas.Class Materials (suggested)
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area