150069 SE Seminar I: Transcultural North Korea (2023W)

From a transcultural perspective this class will look at the cultural entanglements that make up the fabric of North Korean society and its political system. We will look, among other things, at how the North Korean state and its various actors are intertwined within the contexts of previous experiences from colonial Korea and the state of Manchukuo (1931-1945), how the political connections fostered between China, the Soviet Union and other countries from the Eastern Bloc has shaped North Korea. Furthermore, we will have a look at how North Korea has been influenced by South Korea and the Korean diaspora such as the Korean-Chinese (Chaoxianzu) and Korean-Japanese (Zainichi) community and how these interactions have continuously played a role in how North Korea sees itself and others.

Course Objectives
• At the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of the continuous transcultural influences that have shaped and transformed North Korea’s political system and its society from its origins to the present day.
• Students can weigh the importance of different scholarly sources on North Korea, judge the strengths and weaknesses of each study and apply this knowledge by writing an essay about a related topic of their choice.
• Students will gain critical reading and analytic skills when dealing with
sources pertaining to North Korea.
• Have practice in presentation techniques and develop research and cooperative teamwork skills.
• Have acquired more knowledge on the themes and topics that are researched in relation to North Korea.