[KS] Graduate Programs: USA

Hollee McGinnis mcginnis_hollee at jpmorgan.com
Fri Jan 15 15:05:34 EST 1999


First I would like to thank all who have responded to my inquiry regarding
graduate school programs in Korean Studies from the list. As per one
individuals suggestion I will describe a little more about my interests and
more specific questions. I also invite people to respond through the list
as I am sure there are many other interested students who are going through
the same work of digging up information.

I graduated from Mount Holyoke College in '94 with a major in American
Studies. For the past three years I have been active in the intercountry
adoption community, starting an organization named "also-known-as, inc."
for adult intercountry adoptees (http://www.akaworld.org).  I am myself
adopted from Korea and two years ago returned to Korea and met my birth
family. This past summer I was awarded a scholarship from the Korea Society
to study at Yonseii University Korean Language Program and now am beginning
to look for a program in which I can more fully explore my interests in
Korean history and culture.

Long term I want to research, write, and teach but I don't feel limited to
just an academic career. I am considering possibly coupling it with a JD.
Specifically I would like to explore the cultural history of Korea focusing
on the Korean diaspora and issues of
immigration/migration/adoption/identity  to the USA and other countries.
How have Koreans adapted, adopted, shaped and were shaped by the
communities in which they were transplanted?  In addition I am interested
in the cultural clashes resulting from colonialization  and war  and how
each culture in turn were transformed. I am interested in issues
surrounding Korean women and orphaned children. I think the time period I
would focus on would be the 1800s and 1900s but would like to have a better
understanding of the specialities in the field before I say for sure.

Admissions
What are committees in the East Asian Study departments/ Koreanists looking
for in their candidates? What are recommendations to strengthen an
application?

East Asian Studies/Koreanists
Are their many Asian Americans within East Asian Studies/ History? What is
the number of women and specifically minority women in the field? Is the
number of applicants for East Asian studies programs on the rise? What are
the areas of speciality among Koreanists? Who do you think are the most
prominate Koreanists and why? (I know this is a subjective question).

Thank you again for your feedback, suggestions, advise, and candor!!!

Hollee McGinnis




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