Base Encounters: The US Armed Forces in South Korea

by Elisabeth Schober

Base Encounters explores the social friction that US bases have caused in South Korea, where the entertainment districts next to American military installations have come under much scrutiny.

The Korean peninsula is one of the most heavily militarised regions in the world and the conflict between the North and South is continually exacerbated by the presence of nearly 30,000 US soldiers in the area. Crimes committed in GI entertainment areas have been amplified by an outraged public as both a symbol for, and a symptom of, the uneven relationship between the United States and the small East Asian nation.

Elisabeth Schober's ethnographic history scrutinises these controversial zones in and near Seoul. Sharing the lives of soldiers, female entertainers and anti-base activists, she gives a comprehensive introduction to the social, economic and political factors that have contributed to the tensions over US bases in South Korea.

Genres: Anthropology

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2016

Reviews

[Hind Al-Qahtani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as curriculum. It was thoroughly engaging. I wouldn't have thought such a topic would interest me, it seemed so political and I rather watch politics than read it. This monograph however outlined the social aspect of US military bases in South Korea. A very detailed picture was painted of how interactions go about, the "social hierarchy" within relationships and how each group rolls about in order to survive and strive towards a better life and status. Often sad and engaging, by the end of the book, I got anxious because it seems to be a very tense situation there. The author also goes down the historical narrative pertaining to the country. The book has definitely changed my mind about South Korea in the sense that if I ever visit it, I will have a better idea about what locals are concerned with and by, and just how diverse a culture it really is. Recommended read.

[Cooper Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peering into a gritty reality

There is a lot going on here. U.S. - Korea relations, military personnel living and working in Korea, young people living on the edges of society and acceptability. You will likely find this book illuminating if you are unfamiliar with this topic.

[Pernille · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and well written story! This book opened my eyes for problems I didn’t know we faced in the world.