UCL - Contemporary Korea

[SPRI2610]

[15h] 2 credits

This course is taught in the 1st semester.

Teacher(s):

Language: English

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

This is a course on the study of Korea's experimentation in advancing political democracy through a vibrant capitalist economy. What are the prospects for institution-building and durability of Korea as a newly emerging democracy? Korea's democratization, since the 1987 democratic opening (on the eve of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games), is given an in-depth analysis with a view to ascertain the democratic theory.
The course is set up (1) to study the historical origins and background of the Korean political system, (2) to engage in the current discourse and debate on the democratization theory, within the context of cultural politics and political economy, and (3) to anticipate the prospects for the success or failure of the institution-building and durability of liberal democracy and the capitalist economy in Korea.

Main themes

The questions the course will address are: What are the roots of the Korean political tradition and culture? How unique is Korea's experiment in democratic transition? Why do the Koreans act in politics as they do, either in similar or different ways from people in other countries?

Content and teaching methods

Ex cathedra reaching with participation of students.
1: Introduction to the Course and its Requirements
2: Democracy and Democratization
3: Democratic Transition and Consolidation in Korea: An Overview
4: Political Culture I: Confucianism, Asian Value and Democracy
5: Political Culture II: Confucianism, Asian Value and Democracy
6: Political Culture III: Confucianism, Asian Value and Democracy
7: Political Institutions I: Party Systems and Democracy
8: Political Institutions II: Party Systems and Democracy
9: Political Institutions III: Civil Society and Leadership
10: Political Development I: Economic Development and Democracy
11: Political Development II: Economic Development and Democracy
12: Political Environment I: North Korea
13: Political Environment II: Security Dilemmas and Democracy
14: Post-Cold War Era, Globalization and Prospects of Democracy
15: Conclusion: What Future for Koreas?

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation
Participation (10%). All students are required to attend every scheduled class. "Prepara-tion" entails that students are required for a close reading of all the assigned materials and the preparation of short oral presentations on the sets of readings for the topics under study. "Participation" means that each of students should participate actively in class discussions based on careful preparation.

Exams (60%). A take-home essay exam with oral test constitutes 60% of students' final grade.

Research Paper (30%). All students are also required to write an analytical paper on the course theme, which accounts for 30% of their final grade.