[KS] Tikhonov - new book in English

Vladimir Tikhonov vladimir.tikhonov at ikos.uio.no
Mon Aug 9 14:01:07 EDT 2010


Dear colleagues,

sorry for an improper attempt at self-promotion, but since nobody else 
is likely to do this, I would like to announce the publication of my 
English monograph on Korean Social Darwinism, entitled "Social Darwinism 
and Nationalism in Korea: the Beginnings (1880s-1910s). 'Survival' as an 
Ideology of Korean Modernity". It was printed by Brill - really kind of 
them, given the enormous difficulties any perspective author with such 
an obscure and commercially unpromising topic would encounter in 
negotiating with publishers in our harsh times - and I will allow myself 
to quote their presentation of the book's content:

"The book deals with the influences Social Darwinism exerted upon 
Korea’s modern ideologies in their formative period - especially 
nationalism – after its introduction to Korea in 1883 and before Korea’s 
annexation by Japan in 1910. It shows that the belief in the “survival 
of the fittest” as the overarching cosmic and social principle 
constituted the main underpinning for the modernity discourses in Korea 
in the 1890s-1900s. Unlike the dominant ideology of traditional Korea, 
Neo-Confucianism, which was largely promoted by the scholar-official 
elite, Social Darwinism appealed to the modern intellectuals, but also 
to the entrepreneurs, providing the justification for their 
profit-seeking activities as part of the “national survival” project. As 
an ideology of Korea’s nascent capitalism, Social Darwinism in Korea 
could, however, hardly be called a liberal creed: it clearly prioritized 
“national survival” over individual rights and interests." 
(http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=210&pid=41692).

While there is already some work done on this topic in South Korean 
scholarship - monographs by ChOn PokhUi (1996) and my good colleague Pak 
SOngjin (2003), as well as my own monograph in Korean (2005) - this new 
book is the first ever take on the subject in English. I feel really 
sorry for the price (€ 97.00), but that is something we authors have 
little influence upon.

Best greetings,

Vladimir (Pak Noja)



-- 
Vladimir Tikhonov,
Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages,
Faculty of Humanities,
University of Oslo,
P.b. 1010, Blindern, 0315, Oslo, Norway.
Fax: 47-22854828; Tel: 47-22857118
Personal web page: http://folk.uio.no/vladimit/
 
http://www.geocities.com/volodyatikhonov/volodyatikhonov.html
Electronic classrooms: East Asian/Korean Society and Politics:
                        http://folk.uio.no/vladimit/eastasianstudies.htm
                        http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2002/main.html
                        East Asian/Korean Religion and Philosophy:
 
http://www.geocities.com/uioeastasia2003/classroom.html




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