한국 근ㆍ현대사 교과서를 둘러싼 역사인식 갈등 연구: 한국 민족주의의 ‘균열’을 중심으로

Abstract

The concept of 'ethnic' nation, which initiated in the modern period on the basis of common blood, language, and history, arrived at an 'ethnic identity' among inhabitants in the Korean Peninsula by passing through the colonial period. Since two hostile nation-states were established in the Korean Peninsula after the Liberation, however, apart from the 'ethnic identity', the concept of 'political' nation based on antagonistic ideologies―anti-communism/anti-Soviet Union vs. anti-imperialism/anti-Americanism―newly emerged in both South and North Korea. The concept of political nation developed into 'political identity' throughout the Korean War and the antagonistic process of state-building that aimed to terminate each other. Although both South and North Korea claimed that it represented Korean nation, the ethnic identity and political identity in South Korea came into conflict rather than into agreement. The conflict of historical recognition in the textbooks of Korean modern and contemporary history in South Korea is the representative case that shows the conflict between the ethnic and political identity. While 'Kumsung Textbook' evaluates Korean modern and contemporary history based on the ethnic identity, 'The Alternative Textbook' grounds it in the political identity. As a result, both have different views on individual issues such as the colonial period, the establishment of divided governments, the unification, North Korea, and so on. After all, the conflict of historical recognition for Korean modern and contemporary history reflects the cleavage on Korean nationalism between ethnic and political identity. And this is the unfortunate legacy of the history of division that failed to achieve the principle of nationalism, one state by one nation, after the Liberation.