Asia's Unknown Uprising Volume 1: South Korean Social Movements in the 20th Century

Description

This illuminating volume provides a detailed analysis of the oft-hidden yet major uprisings that have patterned Korea's politics and society. An emphasis is placed upon social movements and grass-roots counter-elite dynamics rather than leaders, noting how the intelligence of ordinary people surpasses that of the leaders holding the reins of power. From the 1894 Tonghak Uprising to the 1980 Gwanju Uprising, Korean experiences act here as a baseboard for a greater exploration of global social movement in the 21st century.

George Katsiaficas is a longtime activist for peace and justice--who was twice granted Fulbright fellowships--and the author of The Imagination of the New Left and The Subversion of Politics. He lives in Boston.

"George Katsiaficas has written a majestic account of political uprisings and social movements in Asia--an important contribution to the literature on both Asian studies and social change that is highly-recommended reading for anyone concerned with these fields of interest. The work is well-researched, clearly-argued, and beautifully written, accessible to both academic and general readers." --Prof. Carl Boggs, author of The Crimes of Empire: The History and Politics of an Outlaw Nation "This book makes a unique contribution to Korean Studies because of its social movements' prism. It will resonate well in Korea and will also serve as a good introduction to Korea for outsiders. By providing details on 20th century uprisings, Katsiaficas provides insights into the trajectory of social movements in the future." --Na Kahn-chae, Director, May 18 Institute, Gwangju, South Korea "In Asia's Unknown Uprisings, Katsiaficas continues to develop his unique perspective on social movements that he first enunciated in books on the global insurgency of 1968 and autonomous movements in Europe in the 1970s and '80s. Finally, for the first time in English, we now have a comprehensive overview of the remarkable waves of popular uprisings that have taken place in South Korea in the 20th century. With this volume, Katsiaficas challenges the Eurocentrism of social movement scholarship and provides a radical reappraisal of the role of mass popular uprisings in contemporary history." --Eddie Yuen, co-editor of Confronting Capitalism: Dispatches from a Global Movement/p>