LAS229 Understanding Contemporary North Korea

Overview

What does it mean to “understand” North Korea, and what are the potential implications of this understanding, academically and professionally? This module explores these questions through the disciplines of international relations, history, media studies and anthropology, as we cover a range of topics in the field of contemporary North Korea. These topics include post-colonialism, founding myths, nationalism, identity, ideology, human rights, international relations, and security, and covers key events and trends from the mid-1900s to the present day. The module provides a foundation for students to critically analyse how the North Korean state and society are presented to us via a variety of voices, as well as how we might respond in any capacity to engage with North Korean affairs. Lectures, videos, podcasts and assigned readings will provide background, case studies and theoretical approaches helpful for developing a nuanced understanding of the topics covered. Seminar classwork, engagement with special guest speakers and the assessed portfolio will be used to learn and practice skills integral to both academic and professional activities commonly associated with studies of contemporary politics and society. 

Topics Covered

• What do we know about North Korea?

• North Korea in the international media

• Where did North Korea come from?

• Human rights and life on the inside

• Agency and change in North Korea

• Nuclear Weapons and cyber warfare

• North Korea’s relations with the West

• North Korea’s relations with its allies and friends

• How to engage with North Korea - two guest speakers (North Korean refugee, humanitarian worker)

Skills developed

On completion of this module, as well as enhanced understanding of the module content and themes outlined above, you will also be able to demonstrate the following attributes:

• Enhanced confidence contributing to group discussion – you will be able to locate and organise key points in a discussion and present this information to fellow students clearly and concisely;

• An analytical thinker – you will develop the ability to compare, contrast and evaluate different opinions on issues from the module;

• An independent learner – you will develop the ability to find and evaluate a range of materials through researching and writing your portfolio responses;

• A critical and creative thinker – you will develop a strong foundational understanding of North Korea and be able to use this to evaluate representations of North Korea in the media and in popular culture - a skill applicable to understanding international relations more broadly.

Study Hours

The University recommends that you spend 200 hours working on a 20-credit module. This will include:

• 11 hrs Lectures

• 11 hrs Seminars

• 178 hrs independent study

Assessment

100% portfolio of a series of short-answer tasks practising short essay writing skills, discourse analysis, rapid research, visual artefact analysis and self-reflection. 

If you want to get ahead....

If you have a Netflix account, watch Crash Landing on You, a drama about North and South Korea that showcases life inside North Korea. You might also consider reading North Korea Confidential, by Daniel Tudor and James Pearson. You can also have a look around the website NKNews.org, which is accessible through the University Website, including the sister site for paid subscribers - NKpro.org.