HISTORY OF KOREA 1

This course falls within the core teachings of the "Korea" curriculum of the course "Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa".
Its formative objectives fall within the area of cultural and humanistic skills learning.

Knowledge and comprehension:
- knowing and understanding the main elements of the history of Korea from its origin to the 19th century.
- connect and understand concepts and methodologies connected with historiography.

Judgment abilities:
- ability to produce critiques on historical events included in the study programme, by recurring to historically solid arguments
- ability to identify and evaluate historical primary sources, in the wider panorama ofo Korean History within East Asian History.

Communicative abilities:
- ability ot express and elaborate in writing the contents of the course programme, using critical approach and not mnemonical strategies.

Learning abilities:
- learn how to take notes effectively and thoroughly
- how to integrate the study on different materials (notes, slides, manuals, historical texts and academic articles)
- learning to study autonomously with materials and on subjects not covered in class
- Learning how to deal with materials in English

No prerequisites required for attendance.

This is a general survey course on pre-modern Korean history, dealing with the context of political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions from the ancient period to the early nineteenth century. In addition, we will pay special attention to the “traditional” period, particularly including Koryŏ (918-1392) and Chosŏn (1392-1910) dynasties while discussing Korea’s diverse native innovations, thoughts and religious traditions. Although this is an introductory course, we will deal with many present and thorny issues relevant to the whole Northeast Asia such as Chinese-Korean and Japanese-Korean disputes. Thus, the class will handle the way Korea had related to China and Japan, and the crucial role Korea played in the cultural and political development of Northeast Asia. Also, we will talk about the legacy of traditional Korean culture such as Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism in the present and its implications for the future. At last, not the least, this class also will touch upon an issue of traditional Korean encounter with a new international society, so called European international society, including Christianity and its persecutions.

Week 1, Orientation and Introduction to Course
Week 2, the Old States and Its Culture
Week 3, The Founding of the Three Kingdoms and Ancient East Asia
Week 4, Silla “Unification,” Founding of Parhae and Parhae’s Relations with “Unified” Silla
Week 5, Koryŏ Founding, Its Political and Economic Structure, and Its Relation with China
Week 6, Military Rule, Mongolian Invasion, Koryŏ Response and Late Koryŏ Development
Week 7, Neo-Confucianism as the Ideological Foundation of the Chosŏn Dynasty and Social
Changes
Week 8, Mid-term Exam
Week 9, The Rise of the Neo-Confucian Literati, Early Chosŏn Politics, and Women Issues
Week 10, The Struggle against the Japanese and Manchus and its Impact
Week 11, Economic Advances and Intellectual Ferment (Sillhak)
Week 12, Confucianism and Its Spread: Ancestor Worship, Women, and Nationhood
Week 13, Alternative or Sub-Culture? Popular Religion, Catholicism, Marginalized People’s
Movement in Late Chosŏn Dynasty
Week 14, Chosŏn-Qing Dynasty Tributary Relations in the Late Chosŏn Period;
Week 15: Evaluation, Review, and Concluding Remarks

*All required readings are available in the course reader and books reserved in the Korean Studies Library.
* Most recommended readings will also be on reserve in the Korean Studies Library.

Required Readings (reserved in Korean Studies Library).
1. Eckert, Carter J. et al. Korea Old and New: A History. Seoul: Ilchogak, 1990.
2. Hwang, Hyung Moon. A History of Korea: An Episodic Narrative. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
3. Ebrey, Patricia, Anne Walthal, and James Palais, East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2009 (2nd edition).
4. Lee, Peter H., and Wm. Theodore de Bary, eds. Sources of Korean Tradition, volume I. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997 (Primary sources!)
5. Ch’oe, Yongho, Peter H. Lee, and Wm. Theodore de Bary, eds. Sources of Korean Tradition, volume II. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000 (Primary sources!)

Optional Readings for Further Studies or Research
1. Eggert, Marion and Jörg Plassen. Kleine Geschichte: Koreas. München: Verlag C.H. Beck, 2005.
2. Deuchler, Martina. Under the Ancestor’s Eyes: Kinship, Status, and Locality in Premodern Korea. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 2015.
3. Deuchler, Martina. The Confucian Transformation of Korea: A Study of Society and Ideology. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press, 1992.
4. The Organization of Korean Historians, Seoul (edited and translated by Michael D. Shin). Everyday Life in Joseon-
Era Korea: Economy and Society. Leiden·Boston: Global Oriental, 2014.
5. Haboush, Jahyun Kim and Martina Deuchler, eds. Culture and the State in Late Chosŏn. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Asia Center, 1999.
6. Korean National Commission for UNESCO ed. Korean History: Discovery of Its Characteristics and Developments. Elizabeth, NJ∙Seoul: Hollym, 2004.
7. Kim, Youngmin and Michael J. Pettid eds., Women and Confucianism in Chosŏn Korea: New Perspectives, NY: SUNY Press, 2011.
8. Seth, Michael J. A History of Korea: From Antiquity to the Present. New York etc, Rowman & Littlefield Publishes, Inc., 2011.

- Active participation in the discussion (20%)
- Mid-term Exam (30%): TBA
- Final Paper (50%): at least 10 pages except bibliography.
- If you anticipate difficulty attending class or completing an assignment for any reason, please contact the professor as soon as possible. Special arrangements can be made, but not without prior notice.
- For students totally unable to attend classes there will be a special assignment to read and include in the final report.

Teacher-led classes held in the English language

English

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