This module explores what it means to study Korea at university level, and considers how `area studies' research on Korea fits within disciplines such as history and cultural studies. We will consider how histories and cultural understandings of Korea are built with the following in mind: how researchers use primary evidence such as texts, documents and/or images to understand social change; and how to navigate key debates in a field and evaluate competing arguments. You will finish this module with a deeper understanding of our core topic and the disciplinary approaches that frame it, and a foundation in critical research and writing skills that you can apply and develop in further study. We will work on a combination of new and established research to explore one core topic: in 2024-2025 we will focus on the period after liberation from Japan in 1945, key events in the 1940s, the Korean War, and the legacy of the division in both Korean societies in the time after.
The legacy of the division
The division of Korea
The 38th parallel and life in divided Korea
The 4.3 Incident
The Korean war
Post-Korean war political developments
The division's effects
Translating knowledge
Global awareness
Academic Writing
Research impact
Critical thinking
Digital fluency
Communication
The University recommends that you spend 200 hours working on a 20 credit module. This will include:
Lecture: 10 hours
Seminar: 10 hours
Independent study: 180 hours
Essay (70%)
Pre-seminar Discussion Board Posts (10%)
Video Assessment (20%)