KOR1504 – Korea: History, Society, Politics
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
Through the course of its ”compressed modernization”, Korea has been undergoing drastic changes at the neckbreaking speed from the end of the 19th C. onward, being first turned into a highly regimented colony of Japan and then divided between two Cold War states, which solidified their power systems in a fratricidal war.
This course is aimed at understanding:
- what sort of influence the pre-modern tradition, colonial regimentation and Cold War militarism exerted upon the societies in both South and North Korea
- what factors were decisive in South Korea’s high-speed economic development and institutional democratization
- what strategies the disadvantaged groups of the South Korean society (workers, migrants, women, etc.) have been employing in the struggle for their rights
Specially highlighted is the issue of the social costs of the processes of capital accumulation and centralized, government-led industrialization in both South and North Korea.
Learning outcome
- This course gives a historically informed overview of politics and society in South and North Korea, focusing on state structures, systems of corporate governance, relationships between the bureaucracy and corporate bourgeoisie, developments in the perceptions of the external world and foreign relationship, positions of workers, women and migrants, and ecological problems.
- Students should also learn about the two Korea’s complex entanglements in the international trade an investment networks and interstate hegemonic structures.
- The aim is to present basic knowledge about Korea’s modern and contemporary history, politics and society, to introduce the students to the literature on the subject and to discuss various ways of understanding and interpreting Korea’s modern developments.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Overlapping courses
- 5 credits overlap with KOR1501 – Koreas samfunn og politikk (discontinued)
- 5 credits overlap with KOR1503 – Koreas historie (discontinued)
- 10 credits overlap with KOR4504 – Korea: History, Society, Politics (discontinued)
Emnet kan overlappe med nedlagte emner og gamle studieenheter av typen semesteremne, grunnfag og mellomfag. Studenten m? selv p?se at innholdet i emnet ikke overlapper med studieenheter det tidligere er oppn?dd studiepoeng for. Ta kontakt med instituttet ved sp?rsm?l.
Teaching
The course consists of lectures, in total 10 classes of 2 hours each. Active participation in the classes is encouraged.
Compulsory activities
- A preliminary draft of the term paper. The draft should be approximately 2-3 pages long and encompass title, subtitle, chapter titles, brief contents of each chapter, and a literature list. The draft is to be submitted in Canvas within the given deadline (to be announced).
An approved draft is only valid for one semester.
The student must pass all compulsory activities in order to qualify for the exam. You should familiarize yourself with the guidelines for compulsory activities at the Faculty of Humanities.
In the event of illness you must notify the study advisor before the deadline runs out. You must obtain a medical certificate and deliver or send it to the study advisor no later than three business days after the exam.
Examination
The exam is a term paper of 10 pages (2300 characters per page, not including spaces) on a subject approved by the teacher. Front page and list of references come in addition.
You must pass all compulsory activities in order to qualify for the exam.
Submit assignments in Inspera
You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera. Read about how to submit assignments in Inspera.
Use of sources and citation
You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.
Language of examination
English
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.