지구지역학으로서의 한국학의 (불)가능성 - 보편담론을 향하여 -

Abstract

The issue of Korean studies’ globalization or the strengthening of its international competitiveness has currently been raised as an urgent task in Korea. Strategies for this task have focused on promoting Korean studies, either quantitatively or qualitatively abroad, while at the same time, seeking recognition from outside Korea on academic accomplishments within Korea. At this point, I emphasize the placeness of Korean studies rather than clinging to the slogan of the globalization of Korean studies. In other words, I would like to suggest the reconstruction of Korean studies by recognizing placeness, without continuing to emphasize particularity. In order to make this possible, knowledge production of Korean studies in Korea should attain universality. A new avenue of Korean studies should deal with double tasks of providing a critique of western-centered universalism, while at the same time, focusing on Korea as a place not by adhering to particularism, but by pursuing universalism. To achieve this goal, it will be crucial to reconstruct the western-centered epistemological structure through a re-examination of the spatial locus of Korea. With this issue in mind, I will attempt to offer a new avenue of Korean studies as Glocalogy. This point suggests compatibility with a legacy of Korean studies, which characteristically strengthened subjectivity and practicality since the Japanese colonial period. This demonstrates how Korean studies is deeply tied with nationalism. However, Korean studies reconstructed by Glocalogy will propose to be free from issues of Korean studies as performing nationalism because it converges on regional, local, and global elements. Now, Korean studies from within and without Korea should autonomously participate in their own specific circumstances. When we attain universality, which will promote communication within the global community, we - who are located in the periphery - will be able to gather in a common “meeting place" for dialogue and exchange. It will be the true globalization of Korean studies. Even if this new framework has only a slight chance of being realized - and there is no guarantee of realization - we must still look for avenues to proclaim and institutionalize Korean studies as Glocalogy.oclaim and institutionalize Korean studies as Glocalogy.