THOUGHTS IN MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY KOREA

This course falls within the characterizing teachings of the first year of the "Korea" curriculum of the Master's degree program in Language and Civilisation of Asia and Mediterranean Africa.
Its educational objectives fall within the area of learning cultural and humanistic skills.
This course explores broader themes of religions and thoughts on Korean history and contemporary and examines Korea’s religious beliefs, thoughts, and practices in academic contexts. It aims to provide students with the skills to read, analyze, and interpret primary/secondary philosophical and religious sources and discuss diverse forms of traditional Korean thoughts.

Students are expected to
- deepen the knowledge of Korean thoughts and religions through the analysis of philosophical and religious texts and practice;
- Know how to identify and contextualize thinkers, currents of thought, and values in a broad historical-cultural dimension;
- be able to find and critically use study materials such as monographs, scientific journals, and digital resources;
- be able to apply in a critical way the methodologies of analysis typical of the sciences of religions;
- develop research skills and be able to study scientific texts independently.

The student should have a good knowledge of the history of Korean religious traditions, acquired through (but not exclusively) the educational objectives of the courses "Storia della filosofia e delle religioni del Corea2" 1 and 2. In addition, it is desirable for the student to have a basic knowledge of Korean history.

The course aims to analyze the philosophical and religious context in modern and contemporary Korea, showing the close links with the social, political, and economic spheres. This course will explore the transformation of the traditional Korean thoughts and religions in the modern period and examine the concepts of Korean thoughts and important debates in Korean philosophy.

The relavant readings will be available on moodle.

- There will be five assignments in class, and you will be asked questions about these assignments during the exam. (see details on Moodle);
- individual essay. The selected topic will be agreed upon with the lecturer. The essay (.doc) should be sent to the lecturer through Moodle at least two weeks before the day of the oral exam;
- oral presentation of the essay (10 minutes)

lecture, discussion, and quizzes.

English

This course is taught in English.

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