Introductory Topics in Korean Literature and Culture (240-0-20)
Topic
Colonial Korean Literature & Culture
Instructors
Jeong Eun We
847/467-5941
Kresge 1880 Campus Drive, #4-419
Office Hours: varies by quarter
Meeting Info
Locy Hall 318: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM
Overview of class
AY24 Why is the Korean-Japanese relationship so strained to this day? How might we think about the colonial period (1910-1945) on the Korean peninsula from our present, and about intra-Asian colonialism? This introductory course offers students some snapshots of colonial era Korean literature and culture and tackles difficult but rewarding questions about this period. We will read short fictions from prominent authors of the time and discuss visual cultures (illustrations, art, films) surrounding New Woman, Indigeneity, race, and wartime mobilization. The course also invites students to consider the often-forgotten Korean diaspora and migrations created under the vast Japanese empire that exceed the limits of the peninsula: what does it mean to be "Korean" in the shifting identities of the colonized in these different places around the empire? Finally, the course examines more contemporary representations of the colonial period to think about how the colonial period haunts the present as we desire and consume the colonial. No prior knowledge of Korean language or culture is necessary to take this course. Course assignments include a deconstructed paper (short writing exercises), a group presentation, and a final creative group project. Participation in class discussion and peer collaboration are important aspects of this course.
Learning Objectives
Observe the forms, genres, and styles of Korean literature and culture through close reading and analysis. Develop the skills to build layered, advanced, and well-reasoned arguments on Korean literature and culture. Engage the arguments of authors without reducing or unquestioningly accepting them as one's own. Practice expressing advanced, multi-stage arguments in both writing and verbal presentation. Provide analyses of adequate and well-chosen evidence. Develop clarity and creativity of expression on Korean literature and culture.
Teaching Method
Discussion, Short Lectures
Evaluation Method
Discussion, Short Lectures
Class Materials (Required)
All materials will be uploaded on Canvas.
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area