Aldrich Wang
Contradictions of Decolonization, Postcolonialism, and Nation Building in India and (South) Korea
An Intensive Course
This module introduces students to the historical eras of decolonization and post-colonialism in India and (South) Korea during the last century. Learners will understand the ways that patriotism and nationalism became important for both countries as they worked to gain political independence. In the second half of the intensive course, focused on post-colonization in South Korea, we will explore concepts such as industrialization and economic development to give learners a sense of how South Korea came to be seen as a developed nation in the postcolonial period.
If you are excited about learning more about East- and South Asian countries; if you are interested in delving deeper into topics of political independence and nationalism; or if you are academically intrigued by economic development, please consider giving this module a try!
Structure
This module is organized as a collegiate, seminar-discussion-based module. Learners should expect to spend approximately 1 week (5 days) on this module, but they are welcome to devote more time to this module if they find one specific area particularly interesting. Students are also encouraged to compose one or more reading responses and/or ask questions on a class discussion board after completing the pre-class readings. They can also choose to make a comment on a classmates’ online post. In-class seminars will provide a space where students can address their questions, share their thoughts, and foster and form a deeper understanding of reading materials.
Aldrich Wang is majoring in Economics and Mathematics at the University of Chicago.
Learning Resources
Nationalism and National Independence in India
James Bourdillon. 1905. “The Partition of Bengal.” A Journal of the Society of Arts, pp. 102-119
Description: The author of this reading is James Bourdillon, a British civil servant in India. The Partition of Bengal (1905) was regarded as the first historical event of the Indian independence movement; this reading will introduce learners to the general background of this historical period. This reading is a primary-source material.
Description: Educated in Sydney and Canberra, Sanjay Seth did his academic research in modern Indian history, political theory, and postcolonial studies. Seth defines nationalism and studies the advantages and limitations of nationalism in his article, and further explores how “nationalism in India is the vehicle for the arrival of the modern” during the post-colonial period, mostly from the political perspective.
Description: Jonathan Spencer is a British social anthropologist and a scholar at the University of Edinburgh. In this article, Spencer examines “the rise and fall of political anthropology in the context of the global shift from colonial to post-colonial rule.” This text is optional, as it is not closely related to how India transformed into a politically independent country; however, this article introduces methods and concepts of political anthropology, which makes it an interesting read.
Decolonization and Postcolonialism in South Korea
Lee Kwang-rin. 1986. “The Rise of Nationalism in Korea.” Korean Studies, Volume 10, pp. 1-12
Description: In this article, Lee describes the rise of nationalism, the independence movement, and enlightenment in Korea in the twentieth century. This article offers a helpful introduction to nationalism in Korea.
Description: Kim and Park discuss the Korean “economic miracle” and its causes in detail in their paper. They examine Korea’s success in industrial development through the interconnections of Korean labor, Confucianism, and nationalism.
Description: This paper utilizes an empirical approach to understanding South Korea’s economic development. Kim and Garland discuss the trend of development cooperation in the 21st century; present South Korea as an economically developed nation compared with other countries with similar colonization history; and outline how South Korea can assist developing nations in the world. This text is optional (since this is divergent from our main focus of this learning module) but also an interesting read, as this paper employs an economic perspective of comparing South Korea with other nations.