KOREA HERALD
Emanuel Pastreich
Korea’s tradition of propriety: Godsend for network age
2012-01-25 19:05
In this age the complex relations developing between individuals outside of the workplace or the family, whether those that develop through online communications within organizations, or those found in social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, are having a profound impact on our society. Connections between people from vastly different
This article in the Munhwa Ilbo Newspaper argues that the Korean Wave of today must evolve into the “Korean Dream” of tomorrow. Like the American dream of the 1950s and 1960s, Korea is in the position to influence how people around the world conceive of themselves and their societies by promoting a “Korean Dream,” an model for thinking and behavior. I suggest that Koreans have to take the full responsibility that comes with great influence and put forth a new vision of the world and the role of individuals that will have a positive impact. Such a dream must go beyond consumption to engage with spiritual issues and issues of sustainability. The concept of “Korean Dream’ was first introduced to me by the GPFF (Global Peace Festival Foundation” and I have been much impressed by their efforts to create a new model for activity by youth.
There has been quite a lively debate in Korea, and throughout the world, concerning the importance of the humanities. I most certainly think the debate is most welcome and most healthy. I fear that often, however, the argument for the humanities is not made in a manner that will be convincing to undergraduates.
The argument tends to be that the humanities are essential for assuring a more complete human experience, for making you spiritually and ethically more satisfied. Although I certainly would not deny that logic, The fact is that most youth do not think in such terms. For most youth the main issue appears to be survival and there is not much space for living a more perfect spiritual life.
The question on our minds is: what is unique about Korean education? Well Barack Obama spoke of Korean education several times in his 2011 State of the Union Address, but I did not have the impression that he had any concrete sense of what is unique about Korean education.
If you ask many Koreans, they will tell you that Korean education is a mess and many wish they could send their kids to the United States to escape from the land of forced memorization. But this story also doesn’t seem quite right. I meet many extremely well educated and thoughtful
“Establishing a Korean Tradition of Democracy to Inspire”
An essay arguing that Korea’s democratic tradition must be traced back over the last thousand years to properly have the depth necessary to inspire the world. We have mistakenly assumed that the Korean democratic tradition is a product of the 1980s, thus unnecessarily limiting its possible impact.
Emanuel Pastreich (이만열)
아시아인스티튜트
2012년 1월 15일
“전통의 재발견과 한국식 민주주의”
민주주의 발전이라는 주제를 갖고 아시아 각국을 바라보면 긍정적인 변화와 더불어 부정적인 변화도 동시에 나타나고 있음을 알 수 있다. 선거를 통해 최고 권력자를 선출하는 나라가 많아지는 현상은 긍정적이지만 정치에 깊은 관심을 잦고 참여 하는 시민들은 오히려 줄고 있다. 그 결과 2년에 한 번 정도 정치인을 상품으로 생각하고 선택하는 형식적 민주주의에서 그친다면 시민들이 정치에 대해 실질적인 영향을 미치지 못하고 의식이 있는 사람들이 정치를 하지 않는 악순환이 조성된다. 이런 현상은 현대 아시아에서, 그리고 전 세계적으로 나타나고 있고 민주주의 위기가 임박했다는 진단을 내릴 수도 있다.
“Korea’s Unique Tradition of ‘Propriety Studies’ as a Treasure in a Network Society”
An essay advocating in Korean for the value of Korea’s tradition of propriety studies as an inspiration in our efforts to formulate new strategies for responding to the challenges of a network society.
Emanuel Pastreich (이만열)
아시아인스티튜트
2012년 1월 14일
“한국의 독특한 예학 전통: 네트워크 시대를 위해 신이 하사한 선물”
하버드대 에서 한국 고전 문학을 공부 했을때 조선시대 의 문학가들, 김만중, 박지원, 정약용의 글을 좀 읽어봤엉요. 그글안에서 “禮學”이라는 학문 에 대 한 언급이 참 많았어요. 중국에 있는 禮 에 대 한 연구 와 같 같은 인 데 중국에도 없었던 포괄적인 학문 까지 발전 했나봐요. 단지 冠婚葬祭의 사례 모이는 것 보다 전사회질서를 평화로운 수단으로 유지 하는 헌법에 가까운 성격의 제도 있었다는 느낌이 들었어요. 그리고 고대 에 대 한 사례가 예학 연구에 많이 나오지만 왠지 매우 현대적인 인간 인간 사이를 관리 하는 방긱으로 보이고 매우 신선 했어요.
December 3, 2011
Emanuel Pastreich with Professor Noam Chomsky
Asia Institute Seminar
The Asia Institute with GPYC Korea (Global Peace Youth Corps)
Emanuel Pastreich:
Recently we have seen quite a bit reporting about a reengagement of the Obama Administration in East Asia and actions that are perceived as an effort to encircle and contain China. Most notable is the agreement to deploy 2,500 US Marines in Darwin announced during President Obama’s November visit to Australia. Well certainly reading through the New York Times you might think that the United States has surrounded China. But there is plenty of evidence that it is in fact the United States that is increasingly isolated from the world. We find increasingly that it is the United States that is difficult to get visas for entry and the United States that is isolated in the international community.
Korea IT Times
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
Red Alert: Korean Language Instruction in the United States
When I started studying Korean language at Harvard University, there were about 30 students in the class the first day. Twenty-two of them were Korean Americans and eight were non-Koreans. Within two weeks I was the only non-Korean in the room. The instructors of the class were Korean graduate students with no real training in how to teach Korean to non-natives. When the Korean Americans in the class were able to make simple
Here is a fun interview from KBS Good Morning Pops aimed at Korean youth studying English.