[KS] voices in Korean studies

[Anders Karlsson]

Dear all,

I agree with Steven Capener in that "ability in, and commitment to, the field should be the first criterion" when appointing people to positions within the field of Korean studies, and I think that any claims to the fact that this isn't the case should be accompanied by sound evidential data.
I have another question for the members of this list to ponder on. Should racist views on the behaviour of "white males" be given a voice in Korean studies just because they are dressed up in the vocabulary of post-colonial theory?

Anders Karlsson
SOAS, London
Institute of Korean Culture, Korea University, Seoul

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Capener <sotaebu at yahoo.com>
To: Korean Studies Discussion List <Koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws>
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 00:05:58 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: [KS] can Asian Americans have a voice in Asian Studies?

Greetings all,
 
In the case of the United States the assertion that Korean studies is a "white reservation" is not the case. A quick survey of the 43 or so universities listed on the Korea Foundation website that have a Korean studies program or Korean studies related courses will quickly show a level of representation by ethnic Koreans(including in tenured positions) heavily disproportionate to their representation in the total population. There may be some politics to this, but I tend to agree with a previous comment that suggested that ability in, and commitment to, the field should be the first criterion. 
 
This is not a well-informed opinion and the tone of this post is puzzling, especially the comment about white professors being married to Korean women or having adopted children(I am curious as to how an adopted Korean child could secure any kind of access to Korean culture or language). I wonder at the intent of such a comment.
 
Best,
 
Steven D. Capener
Seoul
 


Tobias H?inette <tobias at orient.su.se> wrote:
Korean studies is still a white reservation

The minuscule academic field of Korean studies encompassing less than 40 Western university departments outside North and South Korea and made up of a mixture of classical Orientalism and Cold War area studies is not only heavily male-dominated, but also a very white scene even if most undergraduate students are second generation immigrant or adopted Koreans. As tenures and professorships continue to be passed on to white males of whom the absolute majority are either married to a Korean woman or has adopted a Korean child to secure a comfortable access to Korean language and culture, ethnic Koreans are confined to the racialized roles of native informants and speakers.



--


Tobias H?inette a.k.a. Lee Sam-dol

Ph.D. candidate in Korean Studies
Department of Oriental Languages
Stockholm University
SE-106 91 Stockholm
Sweden

Tel: 46-8-16 15 88
Fax: 46-8-15 54 64
E-mail: tobias at orient.su.se

Presentations:
Department of Oriental languages: www.orient.su.se/koreanskapersonal.html
Info Portal Asia: www.sub.su.se:591/sidor/forskning/koreaforsk/tobias/


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