The Two Koreas

(4 Credits)

This course explores the political, economic, and cultural transformations on the Korean peninsula from late colonial times to the contemporary situation of two Korean nation-states. We will pay close attention to ideological, socio-economic, and cultural differences as well as similarities between both Koreas. We will also consider the ways in which postcolonial competition between the two states affected the lived realities of their peoples in transnational historical contexts. Most audiovisual sources and literary texts are in English, and no previous knowledge of Korean is required. Prerequisite: None Fulfillment: Humanities Advanced course.