This course explores the incredible transformation of Korean society in the modern period. We begin with the demise of the Choson Dynasty at the end of the 19th century before discussing the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), the emergence of two Korean nation-states (1945-1948), the Korean War (1950-KOREA 53), and the contemporary period (1960-present). The course is divided into two sections: in the first section we will discuss Korea's political and economic transformation, and in the second part we will cover social and cultural change. Upon completion of the course students should have a thorough grasp of Korea's modernization trajectory in the 20th and 21st centuries.
5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
This course explores the incredible transformation of Korean society in the modern period. We begin with the demise of the Choson Dynasty at the end of the 19th century before discussing the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), the emergence of two Korean nation-states (1945-1948), the Korean War (1950-53), and the contemporary period (1960-present). The course is divided into two sections: in the first section we will discuss Korea's political and economic transformation, and in the second part we will cover social and cultural change. Upon completion of the course students should have a thorough grasp of Korea's modernization trajectory in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Offered in Winter 2026 at Stanford University.