[KS] Korean Studies in Oxford

[Ruediger Frank]

Dear colleagues,

although I would not describe myself as a Korean Studies expert in the 
classical sense, I have been working on Korea at the university level for 
quite some years now. My impression is that relying on funding from Korea 
is somewhat dangerous. In my opinion, two things are crucial if a programme 
is to survive in the long run: (1) the primary funding must come from 
domestic sources, i.e., either from the university if it is private, or 
from the state if it is public. (2) support from neighboring disciplines, 
in particular Chinese and Japanese Studies, is imperative. I have witnessed 
the sad case of Korean Studies at Humboldt University in Berlin, where 
among other things the support from our East Asian Studies colleagues was 
painfully missing; and I am now at the University of Vienna where East 
Asian Studies in general including Korean Studies are flourishing in the 
sense that new positions and programs are created. The most crucial factor 
behind this, at least in Europe, almost unique success story for many years 
has been the strong, continuous and active support by the head of the 
Japanese section and later from Chinese Studies as well, plus the Dean and 
recently even the Ch'ongjang. As a result, just two weeks ago, a new 
tenured Chair in Korean Studies was appointed, and a partnership agreement 
with SNU including two full stipends was concluded.

On a second issue, I don't think it is fair to expect South Korea to 
provide funding for Korean Studies abroad endlessly. After all, we are 
supposed to live in market economies where demand has a certain command 
over supply; and here IS a strong demand for Korean Studies, not least 
because of the tremendous economic success of South Korea and, sadly but 
certainly increasing public awareness, all the issues around North Korea. 
Offering full funding for a new program, even though for a limited period 
of time, creates a moral hazard on the side of the receiving institution. 
If the latter understands that it needs and wants Korean Studies, it will 
be able to find the funds in its own treasure chest. Too generous offers of 
external funding can lead to short term gains, but long term losses.

I do agree with Prof. Pak Youngsook that it is not very smart not to 
conclude an agreement with the receiving institution on the continuation 
of  funding after the usual five years are over; however, to my knowledge, 
such agreements are in fact concluded but often simply not honored. My 
vision for the role of Korean funding would be: (1) assistance (not more 
than that) in creating programs, (2) funding for secondary positions (like 
one, two or three year appointments of teaching staff), (3) funding for 
academic and student exchange, including a reliable source of language 
education in Korea, (4) funding for the acquisition of materials such as 
books, DVDs, etc.; (5) funding for one-time events such as conferences and 
publications, and (6) grants for long-term research. In fact, this is 
basically what institutions like the KF are already doing - and something 
we will never have enough of. I would like to suggest another option that 
will ensure a long-lasting effect: make endowments. This is the best way to 
invest larger amounts of money, with effects that are smaller that direct 
spending, but which can accumulate, be combined with other endowments, and 
provide an anchor of continuity in the otherwise floating world of 
university funding. This is usual practice in the US, and although I am not 
the biggest fan of importing the American educational system, this is 
certainly something to consider for Europe.

There is one thing we must come to terms with: if the university is 
short-sighted enough not to want Korean Studies, we should face it and call 
it a day, looking for places with smarter bosses. Or we should pick up the 
fight and convince the decision-makers to change their position. "Material 
incentives" are obviously not the best arguments in this struggle, since 
they invite opportunism, but do not create commitment.

Best,

Ruediger
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Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ruediger Frank
East Asian Political Economy
University of Vienna, East Asian Institute
AAKH Campus, Hof 5.4, Spitalgasse 2-4
1090 Vienna, Austria
Phone: 	+43-(0)1-4277 43822
Fax: 		+43-(0)1-4277 9438
Cell phone:	+43-(0)699-19229 802
email: 		ruediger.frank at univie.ac.at
web:		www.koreanstudies.de
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