South Korea has continued to impress the world in the way it has harnessed social modernization, economic development, political democratization and, most recently, multi-faceted globalization. Relying on both established and inventive citizenship perspectives, the authors in this volume collectively show that all these diverse societal transformations and achievements can be concretely and systematically comprehended in conjunction with citizens? reshaping identities, rights, and duties in civil society and national polity. South Koreans? eye-catching traits and trends of educational zeal, economic development, civil activism, nationalism, and neoliberal globalization are analyzed here as diverse yet often interconnected manifestations of citizenship politics. As shown comprehensively in this volume, the necessity of such citizenship-focused analyses is particularly evident in recent years as South Korea has been undergoing a condensed transition from class politics to citizenship politics.This book is a highly inclusive yet incisive account of modern and late modern Korea, utilizing citizenship as a powerful theoretical and analytical tool. Such judicious theoretical and analytical use of citizenship in respect to modern Korean history and society will in turn enable a meaningful expansion of theoretical and methodological utility of citizenship in contemporary global social sciences.This book was based on a special issue of Citizenship Studies.

Korea faces two challenges in the twenty-first century: unification and globalization. Both entail problems of economic, political and cultural integration. In the past, Koreans successfully 'unified' in various forms, and 'globalized' in many ways. This book is a study of the theme of globalization, addressing various aspects of Korea's integration into the global community from a social scientific or humanistic perspective. This investigation begins with a focus on contemporary South and North Korea: the 'globalized' southern daily life, South Korean labour as a global player, the southern development state, and the cultural division that poses the greatest threat to reunification. Moving outwards in concentric circles, chapters address Korea's connections with its region and Koreans' contributions to the wider world. Relations with Japan, Korea's most difficult bi-lateral relationship, are surveyed to identify both patterns and images. The thirteenth century Tripitaka Koreana is the most complete collection of Buddhist scripture in Chinese and its recent digitization points towards a renaissance of this world religion. South Korea's pursuit of a Nobel Prize in Literature is put in perspective when one considers Korean contribution to the pre-modern Sinitic literary world. South Korea may owe its existence to the United Nations, but since entering the UN in 1991, it has taken to heart the altruistic urge of global peacekeeping.

Brian Bridges examines the impact on South Korea of the financial crisis of 1997. Covering events up to and including the recent parliamentary elections in South Korea, the book considers the socio-economic and political implications of the financial crisis. It is invaluable reading for students of modern Korea.

The Development of Modern South Korea provides a comprehensive analysis of South Korean modernization by examining the dimensions of state formation, capitalist development and nationalism. Taking a comparative and interdisciplinary approach this book highlights the most characteristic features of South Korean modernity in relation to its historical conditions, institution traditions and cultural values paying particular attention to Korean's pre-modern civilization.