JKS Special Issue (Vol. 25, No.2) Workshop

“Between the Sacred and the Secular: Christianity as Lived Experience in Modern Korea”
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
International Affairs Building, Room 918*

By RSVP only – open only to graduate students and faculty for observation. Must RSVP at jk2857@columbia.edu to attend as an observer; due to the other entrances being closed, an RSVP must be made or you will be turned away!

Co-sponsored by
The Weatherhead East Asian Institute; The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures; The Department of Religion; The Institute for Religion, Culture & Public Life; Institute for Research on Women, Gender & Sexuality; The Academy of Korean Studies, Seoul, Korea;  Columbia Alumni Association of Korea

Abstract:
Modern Korea has been characterized as a “secular” country, yet Protestant Christianity has long been a critical force in shaping virtually every aspect of modern Korean life since its introduction to Korea in the late nineteenth century. Protestantism in Korea has been intertwined with the histories of Western imperialism, Japanese colonialism, modern nation-state building, democracy movements and most recently neoliberalism. It has also made a significant imprint upon class formation, gender relations, and everyday practices. Furthermore, South Korea has become a leader in sending missionaries overseas, taking a prominent role in global Christianity. How should we understand the ubiquitous presence of Christianity in “secular” modern Korea and beyond? In this workshop, presenters will discuss the dynamic, sometimes conflicting and sometimes synergistic relationships that exist between the sacred and the secular within the sociopolitical, economic, cultural and affective domains.

*Professor Seung Min Hong will be joining the workshop via Skype