Understanding cultural collectivism in South Korea through post-modernist perspective

Summary, in English

Due to the Japan’s decision in early July 2019 to sanction the trade of hi-tech materials with South Korea, No-Japan movement that discourages South Koreans to purchase Japanese products and travel to Japan has been widespread in South Korean society. In particular, this movement seems to be highly associated with South Korean’s strong collectivist culture, which might result in limiting individual’s liberty on participating in the movement and expressing its perspective. even though South Korean society is transforming into a kind of society that may arguably be called post-modern in which an increasing individualization and pluralism is to be expected, there still exists in South Korea a strong meta-narrative about social solidarity and harmony (cultural collectivism) that is further fuelled by anti-Japanese sentiments. Therefore, this study has examined the data from 9 qualitative interviews of South Korean individuals with different demographical backgrounds and has analysed via thematic analysis. Also, all data is discussed in a postmodernist perspective in order to provide the idea of the qualitative correlation between South Korean collectivist culture and its nature of grand-narrative that disallow the diversity of individualities.

• Author: Sangkyeong Kim
• Department/s: Sociology; Department of Sociology
• Publishing year: 2020
• Language: English
• Full text: Available as PDF - 526 kB; Download statistics
• Document type: Student publication for Master's degree (two years)
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Keywords: Qualitative research; Thematic analysis; Postmodernism; Lyotard; Collectivism; No-japan movement. South Korean modernity.
• Supervisor: Vesa Leppänen