History of Women’s Work in Korea during the 20th Century: Reality, Resistance, and Space

Course Introduction

To understand the history of women’s labor in modern and contemporary Korea in the 20th century, from the Japanese colonial period to the 1990s, this course contextualizes the discourses and terrain surrounding women’s labor. Through this course, students will learn about the reality of women’s labor in Korea during the 20th century and the history of women’s struggles to improve gender-discriminatory and oppressive labor environments under difficult circumstances. Also, students will understand the historical reality of gender discrimination in the labor market and learn about women’s movements to change labor realities, thereby understanding the experiences and history of Korean women as workers and labor activists who have changed the given reality in Korea’s modern and contemporary history. Finally, students will learn about the historical value and meaning of women’s labor and women’s labor movements that attempted to change the reality of women’s labor.

Learning Objectives

This course is designed to examine the changes in women’s labor according to historical contexts. Over the past 20th century, Korean women’s labor has been influenced by modernization, colonial rule, industrialization, and the international political and economic order. It is also necessary to understand that women’s labor has been constructed in close relation to family, women’s bodies and sexuality, and national policies. The course examines how Korean women have engaged in labor and economic practices as agents within these power structures.

Course Structure

This course consists of a total of 8 weeks. The lectures in each week are organized into three to six videos by topic.

Subtitles

Korean, English, Chinese