Under Construction: The Gendering of Modernity, Class, and Consumption in the Republic of Korea

by Laurel Kendall (Editor)

Since the late 1960s, the lives of south Koreans have been reconstructed on the shifting ground of urbanization, industrialization, military authoritarianism, democratic reform, and social liberalization. Class and gender identities have been modified in relation to a changing modernity and new definitions of home and family, work and leisure, husband and wife.

Under Construction provides an illuminating portrait of south Koreans in the 1990s--a decade that saw a return to civilian rule, a loosening of censorship and social control, and the emergence of a full-blown consumer culture. It shows how these changes impacted the lives of Korean men and women and the very definition of what it means to be "male" and "female" in Korea. In a series of provocative essays written by Korean and Western scholars, we see how Korean women and men actively engage, and at times openly contest, the limitations of gender.

Under Construction is part of a decisive turn in the anthropology of gender--from its early quest for the causes of female subordination to a finely tuned analysis of the historical, cultural, and class-based specificities of gender relations and the tension between gender as an ideological construct and as a lived experience. Firmly grounded in the political and economic history of south Korea, this long-awaited volume fills an important gap in Korean studies and East Asia gender studies in English.

Nancy Abelmann, Cho Haejoang, Roger L. Janelli, Laurel Kendall, June Lee, So-Hee Lee, Seungsook Moon, Dawnhee Yim.

216 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2001

Reviews

[carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read if youre into gender studies in a south korean context with analyzes of class! ive been trying to read more this summer and read another academic book prior to this that felt like such a drag to read, but this really felt interesting and intriguing to read. not the most up-to-date due to it being published in 2002 but its chapters are still very relevant for understanding modern contexts.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really interesting! I was able to use some of the essays for my research on masculinity in K-dramas and Korea.

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of essays! 20 years, and not really out of date. Some really good reflections on gender in Korea, including crises of masculinity, colonialism, industrialism, the body as a site of discourse and illness, militarism, etc. Truly well written and worthwhile. Highly rec'd for gender studies students, Korea students, and for general interest.

[Jarrod Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for university ! A book of essays can't be that interesting but this one was informative and relatively well written.