Korean Nationalism Betrayed
ISBN: 9789004213357
Platform/Publisher: BRILL / BRILL
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Unlimited; Download: Unlimited
Subjects: Theology Doctrinal-History-Middle Ages 600-1500.;

Written by Joong- Seok Seo, an eminent Korean historian and a thinker of rare originality, this book examines the tumultuous history of modern Korea from the perspective of nationalism. Based on the author's extensive research and wide-ranging experience, the book goes to the heart of critical questioning about the political uses and abuses of nationalism by the ruling elites of post-liberation Korea. Indeed, Korean Nationalism Betrayed fills a yawning gap in the Western understanding of the authoritarian political structure of South Korea (1948-1988) that manipulated and distorted nationalism by identifying it with ultra-right anti-communism. The author provides a set of thought-provoking and compelling arguments against the assumptions of the Cold War, attributing the continued climate of tension and antagonism between the two Koreas to the tenacity of a Cold War mind-set. He traces the root of the tragedy of national division to the failure of Korean nationalism, and puts forward a compelling case for overcoming the legacy of polarized ideological stance, based on Cold War ideology and embracing a policy of reconciliation and cooperation by both sides.


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