This book provides a comprehensive exploration of the profound transformations in the cultural and physical landscapes of South Korea, with an interdisciplinary approach that draws from anthropology, sociology, and human geography. The authors delve into the dynamic interplay between tradition and modernity in a nation that has experienced rapid development, technological innovation, and significant socio-cultural changes.
With contributions from experts across various fields, this book examines how South Koreas distinctive path of modernisation is reshaping both the tangible and intangible aspects of its society. Organised around four key themesGender and the Media Landscape, Religion and Social Movements, the Ethno-racial Landscape, and the Traditional Landscapeit presents diverse perspectives on the interconnected forces driving rapid societal change. Together, these insights offer a nuanced understanding of one of the worlds most dynamic societies. This book is an essential resource for scholars, students, and practitioners in South Korean and East Asian studies, as well as the broader disciplines of cultural geography, anthropology, and sociology.
Chapter 1: Introduction.
Chapter 2: A Sociological Examination of
Masculinity in Korean Boys' Love Dramas.
Chapter 3: The change of
representation of disability in contemporary Mass media.
Chapter 4:
Instagramming Kimchi: An Exploration of the Social Media Landscape of Korean
Restaurants in Ankara.
Chapter 5: Changing Meanings of Love and Marriage in
South Korea.
Chapter 6: The intersection of ecumenism, feminism, and
decolonisation: The case of Korean Christian womens work for compatriot
atomic-bomb victims.
Chapter 7: Korean Protestant Pastors Privilege Not To
Pay Income Tax: Analysis of Media Representations.
Chapter 8: Cultivating
Change: The Rise of Plant-Based Diets and Environmental Advocacy in South
Korea.
Chapter 9: From factory girls to call center girls.
Chapter 10:
Intersecting Asias: Coexistence, Connections, and Yemeni Refugees Arrival on
Jeju Island.
Chapter 11: The embrace and policing of multilingualism and
multiculturalism in the ethnoracial landscape of South Koreas ethnic
enclaves.
Chapter 12: Being San/Dara: Self-presentation and flexible
citizenship among Korean diasporic celebrities in the Philippines.
Chapter
13: Skills, tradition, and modernity: bread and bakeries in narratives of
identity and practice among rice cake manufacturers in South Korea.
Chapter
14: Its now or never: preservation of present-day urbanity as treasure for
the future.
Chapter 15: Negotiating the Utilization of Cultural Heritage:
Insights from the Palace-stay Program Controversy.
Niki Alsford is Professor of Anthropology and Human Geography at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. His present work bridges cognitive divides in environmental discussions by integrating traditional ecological knowledge with climate science. His current ethnographic fieldwork focuses on the Haenyeo, female freediving harvesters of Jeju Island, South Korea.
Nora Kim is Professor of Sociology at the University of Mary Washington, US. Her research explores the impact of US imperialism in Asia. Her recent works are published at positions: asia critique and Journal of Refugee Studies. She is currently writing a book, Subimperial Embrace: Trans/Formation of South Koreas Refugee Landscape.
