한국의 다문화화(多文化化) 사회 현실과 문화민족주의에 대한 한 신학적 성찰: 호미 바바(Homi K. Bhabha)의 혼종성(Hybridity) 개념을 중심으로

Abstract

This is an attempt to tackle such rapid change toward a multicultural society in South Korea, especially in terms of postcolonialism and theology. With this essay, the writer supposes that, while experiencing a transition into a multi-cultural society, Korean people are showing a kind of cultural nationalism, that could be developed into any cultural triumphalism and ethnic supremacism. Also, the writer interprets that the nationalistic trend in Korea reflects the remnants of the experience of colonialism and the feeling of being victimized that the Korean people are still struggling with. In this essay, putting the issue into the angle of postcolonialism and theology, the writer tries to reflect postcolonialism’s discussions of the conception of Homi Bhabha’s “hybridity” in the context of the Koreans facing a reality of multi-cultural society who are wandering between nationalistic sentiment and international reality, especially, having a focus upon several possible theological implications of the hybridity discourse. This writing consists of three main parts. First of all, the work examines the situation of the cultural nationalism in South Korea in light of Edward Said’s discourse on colonialism. Next, it discusses Homi K. Bhabha’s postcolonial critique of culture and his concept of hybridity. Finally, using a theological method of constructive theology, the writer tries to figure out certain theological implications of the concept of hybridity, especially while focusing upon the writings of Ada María Isasi-Díaz and Catherine Keller, professors at Drew University (Madison, NJ). In consequence of the project, the writer arrives at a certain range of theological insights regarding postcolonial conception of hybridity which are also applicable to the context of South Korea after all. First of all, according to postcolonialists, culture’s hybridity as a historical one is inescapable, and also indispensable, in the sense that other cultures like western or Japanese one are no more just threatening subjects but the soils of life, especially in this move of globalization. Next, postcolonialism’s hybridity includes an aspect of restoration of the distorted and broken relationships through facing the past. Ultimately, hybridity is productive as it challenges postcolonial talks to seek to build up a Third Space beyond the polarizations and deadlocks of identity politics. Now, Koreans are entering new millenium of global coexistence, presupposing cultural mixture with the prospect of an open, productive and transforming society. South Korea should get out of its nationalistic shell and stand on culture’s hybridity as the Third Space for productive and transformative articulation of culture, in the sense that the task for the new millenium is standing beyond the national boundary line and reaching out to humankind in general.