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Topics in Asian American Social and Cultural Analysis (203-0-1)

Topic

Constructing North Korea in the 'Western' Imaginar

Instructors

Helen H Cho

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L05: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Kim Jong Un bans mullets and skinny jeans. North Korea is a nuclear weapons nightmare. These ripped-from-the-headlines statements make up popular ‘Western' conceptions of the DPRK as dangerous and unknowable. In this course, we ask how our understanding of knowledge and expertise shapes who contributes to dominant representations of North Korea and how these images circulate in popular ‘Western' discourse about the country. By expanding our ways of knowing, we explore the construction, circulation, interpretation, and contestation of ‘Western' knowledge about North Korea.

Class Materials (Required)

All readings will be available as PDFs or links on Canvas

Class Attributes

Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area