Intro to Korean Philosophy
Intro to Korean Philosophy (KREN 380) focused on confucianism, one of the major philosophical traditions in East Asia that has contributed in diverse and enduring ways to East Asian people’s understanding of themselves and the world. Korea is known as the “most Confucian culture in the world today.” To understand Korea, its past and present, it is critical to understand the historical and contemporary impact of Confucianism. This course offered a brief history of Korean Confucian philosophy and its impact on language, identity, human relationships, economy, education, politics, gender, sexuality, and more. Students studied not only past but also present contemporary expressions of Confucian thought and culture. In the latter part of the class, students were encouraged to imagine the future of Korean Confucianism. This course was taught by Hwa Yeong Wang as a Doyle Seminar in spring 2022. Please refer to the current course catalog for an up-to-date description of the course.
