South Korean Democracy: Legacy of the Gwangju Uprising

Front Cover
Georgy Katsiaficas, Na Kahn-chae
Routledge, Jun 20, 2013 - Political Science - 216 pages

This new book offers a retrospective appraisal of the Gwangju Uprising by academics, activists and artists from Gwangju, Korea.

In 1980, South Koreans took to the streets to demand democracy. When the military threatened brutal suppression of the popular movement, only in Gwangju did people refuse to submit. After horrific bloodshed, the citizens of Gwangju drove the military out of the city and held their liberated space for a week. As a "beautiful community" emerged, newspapers were published, hundreds of thousands of people congregated in popular assemblies, and the city’s life gave new meaning to democracy.

Although crushed by overwhelming military force, Gwangju’s example inspired the eventual overthrow of the military dictatorship and ushered in a new democratic wave in East Asia. Providing a detailed analysis of the events of the Gwangju uprising, this new volume traces the birth of South Korean democracy in Gwangju’s stubborn refusal to accept life without freedom. The book also focuses on the socio-economic background, the role of women in the uprising, issues of collective identity and the international significance of the revolt.

Scholars and researchers of South Asian politics, social movements, history, democracy and development studies will find this volume to be of keen interest.

 

Contents

List of illustrations
The socioeconomic background of the Gwangju Uprising
Collective action and organization in the Gwangju Uprising
Womens experiences in the Gwangju Uprising Participation and exclusion
The Gwangju Peoples Uprising and the construction of collective identity
The shadow of the Gwangju Uprising in the democratization of Korean
The experience of the May 18 Uprising and the communal imagination
A new perspective on the Gwangju Peoples Resistance Struggle 19801997
Comparing the Paris Commune and the Gwangju Uprising
Copyright

Other editions - View all

South Korean Democracy: Legacy of the Gwangju Uprising
Georgy Katsiaficas,Na Kahn-chae
Limited preview - 2013
South Korean Democracy: Legacy of the Gwangju Uprising
George N. Katsiaficas,Kan-ch'ae Na,Kan-chʻae Na
Snippet view - 2006
South Korean Democracy: Legacy of the Gwangju Uprising
Georgy Katsiaficas,Na Kahn-chae
No preview available - 2018

Common terms and phrases

18 Gwangju absolute community action activists activities became began broadcasting brutality Choi Chonnam National University Chosun University collective identity confrontation continued coup coup d’état death democracy democratization movement democratization struggle demonstrations Deulbul Night School Deulbul team dictatorship eros effect experiences Fighters Georgy Katsiaficas government’s groups Gwangdae Gwangju citizens Gwangju City Gwangju massacre Gwangju People's Uprising Gwangju Uprising hardliners Honam Honam area Ibid industries issue Jeon Doo-hwan Jeong-hee Jeonnam area June Uprising Kahn-chae Kim Dae-jung Kim Young-sam Korean society leadership Lee Jae-eui liberated Gwangju Martial Law Army massacre military authorities military’s monopoly capitalists negotiation organized paratroopers Paris Commune participants perspective police political Poolbit Provincial Hall rallies region resistance Roh Tae-woo role Seoul Settlement Committee situation social movements Songbakhoe South Korea spontaneous structure Struggle Committee Struggle Solidarity suppression took troops truth United World workers Yoon Sang-won Yushin YWCA

About the author (2013)

Georgy Katsiaficas is Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Na Kahn-chae is Professor of Sociology at Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.

Bibliographic information

TitleSouth Korean Democracy: Legacy of the Gwangju Uprising
New Political Science
EditorsGeorgy Katsiaficas, Na Kahn-chae
Editionillustrated
PublisherRoutledge, 2013
ISBN1136759220, 9781136759222
Length216 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Philosophy / Political
Political Science / General
Political Science / Political Ideologies / Democracy
Social Science / Ethnic Studies / General
Social Science / Regional Studies
  
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