• Title/Summary/Keyword: Colonialism

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Gendered Politics of Memory and Power: Making Sense of Japan's Peace Constitution and the Comfort Women in East Asian International Relations (記憶とパワーのジェンダーポリティックス: 東アジアの国際関係において日本の平和憲法と慰安部問題の意味づけ)

  • Kim, Taeju;Lee, Hongchun
    • Analyses & Alternatives
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.163-202
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    • 2020
  • This paper examines how Japanese society produced and reproduced a distinctively gendered history and memories of the experience of WWII and colonialism in the postwar era. We argue that these gendered narratives, which were embedded in postwar debates about the Peace Constitution and comfort women, have engendered contradictions and made the historical conflicts with neighboring countries challenging to resolve. On the one hand, this deepens conflict, but on the other, it also generates stability in East Asia. After Japan's defeat in WWII, the American Occupation government created the Peace Constitution, which permanently "renounces war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes." The removal of the state's monopoly on violence - the symbol of masculinity - resulted in Japan's feminization. This feminization led to collective forgetting of prewar imperialism and militarism in postwar Japan. While collectively forgetting the wartime history of comfort women within these feminized narratives, the conservative movement to revise the Peace Constitution attempted to recover Japan's masculinity for a new, autonomous role in international politics, as uncertainty in East Asia increased. Ironically, however, this effort strengthened Japan's femininity because it involved forgetting Japan's masculine role in the past. This forgetting has undermined efforts to achieve masculine independence, thus reinforcing dependence on the United States. Recurrent debates about the Peace Constitution and comfort women have influenced how Japanese political elites and intellectual society have constructed distinctive social institutions, imagined foreign relations, and framed contemporary problems, as indicated in their gendered restructuring of history.

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The Belt Road Initiatives, Identity Politics, and The Making of Southeast Asian Identity

  • Pamungkas, Cahyo;Hakam, Saiful
    • SUVANNABHUMI
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.59-83
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    • 2019
  • The Chinese Belt Road initiatives in the Southeast Asian countries marked a new chapter in the development of China political influence on this region. This article looks at the initiative from the cultural dimension and aims to place its narrative as the entry point to understand the use of identity politics in Asian countries that target the Chinese diaspora. This topic relates to the primordial sentiments of Southeast Asian nations amid massive Chinese investment in the region. The issue of Chinese investments under the Belt Road Initiative corridor has a relationship with the formation of anti-Chinese discourse and anti-communist in some Southeast Asian countries. We took the cases of Indonesian and Malaysian elections to observe the use of identity politics and anti-Chinese political discourse in Southeast Asia. In both cases, a common issue emerged, that of the strengthening both Islamic and indigenous sensibilities. The establishment of ASEAN during the Cold War may be seen then as an anti-thesis to emerging Chinese power. However, anti-Chinese and anti-communism sentiments were not enough to unite the forces of the nations of Southeast Asia. We have concluded that brotherhood, mutual prosperity, and anti-neo-colonialism are yet to be fostered completely to make a distinct ASEAN identity.

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The Relationship Between Colonial Experience and Economic Growth in Latin America (라틴아메리카의 식민경험과 경제성장의 상관관계)

  • Yi, Sang-Hyun
    • Iberoamérica
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.241-265
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    • 2010
  • The main purpose of this study is to reveal the historical origins of Latin American economic underdevelopment, by answering two research questions; 1)'Why is Latin America underdeveloped?' and 2)'How has colonial experience impacted on the economic growth in Latin America?' First, this essay analyzes long-term tendency of growth domestic product(GDP) per capita data. The data verify that current underdevelopment of Latin American economy is the result of economic stagnation during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when Latin America suffered political and economic instability before and after the independence from Spain and Portugal. It elucidates that colonial experience affected on the economic growth in Latin America. Second, this essay reviews key independent variables of the relationship between colonial experience and economic growth in Latin America. To do so, the study categorizes extant literature into two groups according to the type of its independent variables: 1)internal factor and 2)external factor. Finally, the essay surveys the role of institutions in Latin American economic growth and development. The survey confirms that the importance of institutions in the study of Latin American economic history. In addition, the essay suggests some tasks for further research in Latin American economic history; 1)the construction of basic economic data, 2)the substantialization of the role and characteristics of institutions, and 3)the expansion of research on institutions which overcomes ideological rigidity of existing institutional approach.

Jean Rhys's Racial Disorientation: "The Imperial Road" and the Question of Racial Identification in the 1970s

  • Lee, Jung-Hwa
    • Journal of English Language & Literature
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    • v.55 no.3
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    • pp.441-458
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    • 2009
  • The Imperial Road is Jean Rhys s unfinished manuscript, rejected by publishers for its openly racist tone. Although it describes Rhys s actual visit to Dominica in 1936, it is not a transparent recollection of the travel but a recreation informed by racial dynamics of the 1970s when she wrote the text. This paper examines the manuscript as a troubled (and troubling) response to what Rhys perceived as racial rejection from Dominica at the wake of political independence. Rhys s representation of white Creole womanhood significantly depends on an interwoven configuration of racial dynamics and sexual politics, where an oppressive white European man facilitates a white Creole woman s cross-racial identification with Afro-Caribbeans. However, the political and literary landscape of the West Indies in the 1970s made such cross-racial identification untenable. As a result, The Imperial Road is full of disturbing racial hatred, prejudice, and resentment. And yet, it also reflects Rhys s honest and serious concern over a white Creole s racial identity in postcolonial Dominica, raising a difficult question: How would a postcolonial age change a white Creole identity that belongs neither to the colonized nor to the colonizer (or both)? In The Imperial Road, unable to identify with Afro-Caribbeans, the white Creole is disoriented in time and space, lost at home, stuck between the past and the present, not knowing how to participate in a postcolonial homeland. Through the narrator s racial disorientation, The Imperial Road exposes the white Creole s fundamental dependence on other Creoles.

Making the image of Korean Buddhism : Focusing on the discourses of TAKAHASHI Toru (植民地期朝鮮における朝鮮佛敎觀-高橋亨を中心に)

  • 川瀨 貴也
    • Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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    • v.17
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    • pp.151-171
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    • 2004
  • TAKAHASHI Toru (1878-1967) was one of the most significant Koreanologists in Japanese academic field. He was a professor of Kyeongseong Imperial University in the prewar period and Tenri University (department of Korean studies) in the postwar period. He was majored in Korean intellectual history and literature. His achievements, especially on Korean Confucianism and Buddhism, are still referred and influential. He wrote two pamphlets published by department of education of the Government-General of Korea in 1920. This year was a year after of 3.1 Independent Demonstration. This riot might have demanded Japanese governors to survey about Korean mentality and characteristics. One of outcomes was Chousenjin (Korean People). The pamphlet tried to explain the Korean character in the perspective of a essentialism in Korean race. The other was a simple outline about history of Korean religions entitled Chousen shukyoushi ni arawaretaru sinkou no tokushoku (The characteristics of faith in the history of Korean religions). He explained that Korean religions, especially its Buddhism, were easily influenced by political condition. These pamphlets seemed to be typically colonialistic, since such negative characteristics of Korean made Japanese colonial rule legitimated as the Mission of civilization and enlightenment. His discourses synchronized with the desire of Japanese Imperialism. This article attempted to analyze his discourses in the perspective of postcolonial critics and sociology of knowledge.

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The Post-Jeungsan Grassroots Movements: Charismatic Leadership in Bocheongyo and Mugeukdo in Colonial Korea

  • David W. KIM
    • Journal of Daesoon Thought and the Religions of East Asia
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.57-85
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    • 2023
  • The politico-economic waives of Western imperialism and colonialism, along with Christianity, affected East Asia's geopolitical landscape in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While the Korean people (of the Joseon Dynasty) witnessed the incompetence of Buddhism, Confucianism, and folk religions in maintaining social cohesion with a sense of frustration, the new religious movements (NRMs) emerged to provide altrnative teachings of hope through historical figures like Choe Je-u, Kang Il-sun (or Kang Jeungsan), Na Cheol, and Pak Chungbin. In terms of popularity, colonial Korea (1910-1940) was impressed by the native groups of Cheondogyo (=Donghak), Bocheongyo, and Mugeukdo. Son Byong-hee (1861-1922) was the third leader of the first Korean NRM, but both Cha Gyeong-seok (1880-1936) and Jo Cheol-Je (= Jo Jeongsan) (1895-1958) participated in the post-Jeungsan grassroots movements. How, then, did both of these new religions originate? How did they conceptualise their deities and interpret their teachings differently? What was their policy for national independence? The article explores the socio-religious leaders, historical origin, organizational structure, deities, teaching and doctrines, patriotism, and conflicts of both NRMs in a comparative context. As such, this article argues that they both maintained patriotic characteristics, but that Cha's Bocheongyo community with its ' 60-executives' system (60 bang) failed to manage their internal conflicts effectively. Meanwhile, Jo Cheol-Je of Mugeukdo had the charismatic leadership needed to maintain Mugeukdo, despite being seen as a pseudoreligion under the colonial pressure of Shintoism.

For the Deconstruction of the History of Western Architecture as a Discourse - A Reflection on the Education of the Architectural History in Korea - (우리 서양건축사 교육의 반성 - 담론으로서 '서양건축사'를 해체하기 위하여 -)

  • Khang, Hyuk
    • Journal of architectural history
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    • v.20 no.6
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    • pp.57-76
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    • 2011
  • This study is on the pedagogical convention of architectural history in Korea, especially that of Western Architecture. Recent institutional change in architectural school in Korea has caused overall restructuring of academic program. In spite of extension in the field of history there was no progress of method and way of thinking. There is no change in the point of view to see the western architecture and its history as a unique and specialized phenomenon in the civilization of mankind. Because of no recognition about for what, for whom, and how to, and because of orientalism, the cultural position of western architectural history and its narrative was not asked. With the help of post-colonialism, de-constructivism and critical historiography this paper tries to show the fundamental premise of western architectural history as a myth and show its prejudice as not being justifiable. The background of the discourse there has been a representation effect with regard to knowledge as a power. we need to escape from this kind of cognitional frame With the analysis of the its premise and narrative we can find it is a historical construct that was made in the age of imperialism. In fact it has a lot of false information and problematic point of view. The Identity and originality of western architecture and its history has no logical reason or foundation if we think that it depends on the difference and comparison with other civilization. For example the explanation of its historical origin western architecture has big difference with Islamic architecture in spite of the resemblance each other. This paper try to show several reasons that discourse of western architectural history can not be survived any longer. So we need to reconstruct new pedagogy with deconstruction for the students of non western, or Korean students. Because it has important effect to see and think about architecture and its history.

Epic Design : Local Design in Globalization Era - based on Restaurant Style - (서사적 디자인의 발현(I) - 레스토랑 양식을 통해 본 세계화 시대의 지역 디자인 -)

  • Jo, Hyun-Shin
    • Archives of design research
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    • v.19 no.1 s.63
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    • pp.243-252
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    • 2006
  • This essay studies local design style in globalization era through investigation of the restaurants which are located at suburb of big cities in Korea. All regional memory and history is disappeared in 'The world time' and world design style in globalization era. Thus to study local design means to study the history of certain region and the memory of the people who lives in that area and how they represent their past and memory. Post colonial theory, everyday aesthetics and the way of using past and memory are preresearched for the theoretical background. Post colonial theory is discourse for the countries which have the experience of colonialism. History and memory are used for defining present political, social, economical and cultural situation. In this essay, the way using past and memory were classified in three dimension - by government, company, and individuals. The past which is represented by government is conceptual and defined as only sign without on going history. When it is represented by company, it is also uses as a sign and imitation without contextual meaning. However, when the past is used by individuals, it is alive in daily life. This essay argues that those restaurants which have the style of 'the Koreaness' symbolize the suppressed desire to represent the lost past and memory which are forced to be exduded during the colonial period and fast modern development. And the design style can be defined as epic design, for it has it's own main character, story, memory and plot too. This word 'epic' imply the main point of local design style. In conclusion, this essay will ask the role of design in the country which has colonial memory in globalization era.

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Cultural Identity that appear in Latin American Fashion: With a focus on the Mexican brands, Taller Flora and F$\acute{a}$brica Social

  • Kim, So-Ra
    • International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.61-79
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    • 2013
  • This study takes a look at the distinct and exclusive culture of Latin America, with a specific focus on Mexico, and attempts to understand its unique cultural identity by comparing, analyzing, and evaluating the characteristics of the Mexican fashion brands, Taller Flora and F$\acute{a}$brica Social, which are brands that have actively used the Latin American cultural identity in its designs. The research method was as follows: 1) performing literature research with specialty publications and thesis that dealt with the two brands 2) analyzing the contents of various articles from the Internet and interviews related to the brands. Thus, this research attempts to understand the characteristics of the fashion brands that use the cultural traits of Latin America in order to dissect its methods and find a way to apply it so that it can be used in different cultures, and in effect, lead to the advancement of the fashion industries, in general. Taller Flora and F$\acute{a}$brica Social are two brands that are able to stand out with a distinct identity by applying traditional native Latin American qualities in its products, as well as its products reflecting a respectful and balanced relationship between people and nature. The characteristics of the two brands are as follows: 1) showing the concept of "the coexistence of diversity" by expressing "the old and the new", "simplicity and flash", and "melding of the Western culture via colonialism and traditional cultures of the aboriginals and other diverse native cultures" 2) achieving "the recovery of the human dignity" by protecting the human rights of the native female artisans and building a network for equality 3) pursuing "free naturalism" by balancing the natural provision of nature and man in addition to promoting environmental protection and conservation of goods 4) becoming "the bridge between communication and exchange" by connecting the artisan, the designer and the consumers together, or the producer and the market, as well as the different cultures of markets from diverse countries.

A Study on the Social Implication and Reflection on the Disaster in the Film - focusing on 'The Host' (영화 속 재난에 나타난 사회적 함의와 그 성찰 -<괴물>을 중심으로-)

  • Yoo, Mun-Mu
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.13
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    • pp.279-303
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    • 2007
  • The Study on the Film, as the one of the main fields in the cultural studies, has the significant meaning in analyzing our society in that culture represents the realities of the present society. Film is the metaphorically expressed text and the specific space where a variety of discourses cross. The director's social consciousness projected in the film must have the ultimate significance through the dialectic relation between the intention of the director and the interpretation of the audience, not through the his one-sided message to the audience. This paper focuses on the analysis of the movie 'The Host', which is evaluated to show the meaningful social phenomena related to 'disaster' among the recent movies in Korea. The Host which is characteristic of 'the open structure' can be referred to as the film reflecting the imperial order prevalent in the colonial society.

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