Korean Modernism

(4 Credits)

Considers the problem of colonial modernism through a close reading of literary and other cultural texts from early 20th-century Korea. Asks what it means to enter modernity under colonial rule by questioning the relationship between imperialism, writing, and subjectivity in particular. Through intensive reading of works from 1920s-1930s Korea, students obtain an idea of the parameters of modern Korean literature and of the main issues involved in the discussion of modernity in Korea.