Korea's Socialist Century: A Reappraisal

October 3, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Mānoa Campus, Center for Korean Studies

The Center for Korean Studies is pleased to present its 11th Forum on Critical Issues in Korean Studies featuring an address by Professor Vladimir Tikhonov of Oslo University. Professor Tikhonov's presentation is titled "Korea's Socialist Century: A Reappraisal." Socialism in combination with Korea usually brings to mind an image of North Korea, one of the few states that claim to be continuing the twentieth century’s state socialist tradition. The influence of socialism upon Korea since 1918 is by no means limited to North Korean experiences. In the colonial period (1910–1945), many of the Korean intelligentsia’s basic epistemological assumptions were shaped by Marxist ideas. Many of these assumptions survive, to a certain degree, even in today’s South Korea, a model neo-liberal state with an anti-Communist past. In short, socialist/Marxist tradition has played an important role in building both Koreas’ modernity formations during the past century. Professor Tikhonov will offer a reappraisal of this role and some additional thoughts on the relevance of Leftist thought for Korea in the time of worldwide neoliberal crisis.


Event Sponsor
Center for Korean Studies, Mānoa Campus

More Information
Merclyn Labuguen, (808) 956-7041, merclyn@hawaii.edu,

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