UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations

UCLA UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title From Colonial to International: American Knowledge Construction of Korean History, 1880s - 1960s Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3cd6x8pv Author Oh, Sang Mee Publication Date 2018 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles From Colonial to International: American Knowledge Construction of Korean History, 1880s -1960s A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures by Sang Mee Oh 2018 © Copyright by Sang Mee Oh 2018 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION From Colonial to International: American Knowledge Construction of Korean History, 1880s -1960s by Sang Mee Oh Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2018 Professor John Duncan, Chair This dissertation, “From Colonial to International: American knowledge construction of Korean history, 1880s-1960s” studies how knowledge on Korean history was constructed in the United States while being influenced by Japanese colonial scholarship from the late nineteenth century throughout the Japanese colonization of Korea (1910-1945), and how this knowledge influenced postwar Korean Studies in the U.S., established in the 1960s. Taking a transnational approach, the dissertation looks at how the knowledge on colonized Korea was constructed by multiple national agents—namely Japanese colonial scholars, American missionaries and their children, and Korean nationalist intellectuals—and how their knowledge on Korea, despite their different ii political purposes, was compatible with and influenced by each other. It also takes a fresh perspective in looking at Korean Studies in the U.S., which has been regarded as the product of Cold War politics during the postwar period, by tracing the earlier influence of prewar knowledge which reflected colonial scholarship. This dissertation argues that the history of colonized Korea was produced as a “discourse of failure” in which its contents were organized in a way to explain Korea’s being colonized and losing national sovereignty. From the late nineteenth century in the U.S., this knowledge construction was developed to emphasize Korea’s isolationism during the colonial period while partially integrating themes—such as stagnancy and heteronomy—from the Japanese colonial scholarship. This dissertation argues that the transnational co-authorship of Korean history confirmed it as the objective knowledge of Korea. Then, it argues that despite the discontinuity caused by changes in power dynamics, including the Pacific War and the emergence of Cold War politics, many themes from the colonial past were reconfigured to shape the basis of postwar Korean Studies in the U.S. in the 1960s. This dissertation looks at how these reshaped themes came to serve new functions, such as supporting modernization theory within Cold War politics. iii The dissertation of Sang Mee Oh is approved. Namhee Lee Katsuya Hirano Sung-Deuk Oak John Duncan, Committee Chair University of California, Los Angeles 2018 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii VITA x CHAPTER ONE. Introduction Introduction 1 Literature Review 6 Framework 14 Overview of Chapters 22 CHAPTER TWO. Producing Korea: Creation of American Narrative Framework of Korean History, 1882-1910 Introduction 26 Discursive Formation of American Knowledge of Korea 29 Building Historical Narratives on Korea: Griffis’ Corea 47 the Hermit Nation Emergence of Discourse of Failure: Hulbert’s Passing of 63 Korea Conclusion 78 CHAPTER THREE. Migration to Academia and Transnational Circulation: Japanese Colonial Scholarship and Its Ramification for the U.S. Academia, 1910-1945 Introduction 81 Development of Japanese Colonial Scholarship 84 Nationalist, Marxist, and Positivist narrative framework 98 by Korean intellectuals Integration of Japanese Colonial Scholarship into the U.S. 109 Academia Wartime Publication of Scholarly Research on Korea in 122 the U.S. v Conclusion 130 CHAPTER FOUR. Continuity and Discontinuity: Postwar Reconfiguration of Colonial Knowledge, 1950s-1960s Introduction 132 Location of Korean Studies within the East Asian Studies 135 During the 1950s Establishment of Korean Studies in the United States and 161 Its Focus and Themes in the 1960s Use of History as Supplement to the History of China- 175 Korea Relations Conclusion 183 CHAPTER FIVE Conclusion Introduction 188 Final Remarks 195 BIBLIOGRAPHY 197 vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without guidance and support from many people. My deepest appreciation goes to my advisor, Professor John B. Duncan, whose steadfast support, guidance, and trust in me has been the greatest source of strength throughout my graduate school years. I will always cherish the memory of the afternoon that he suggested this project, along with his warm encouragement to a disheartened graduate student over lunch. He also inspired me as a scholar and teacher, and he taught me to take a fair but kind approach toward students as well as historical sources. I thank Professor Namhee Lee, who not only supported me as I carried out this project and grew as a scholar, but also extended her kindness into caring about my personal life. I always enjoyed working as her teaching fellow and chatting over tea at her office. I thank Professor Katsuya Hirano for his guidance and encouragement. When this project was merely a two- page research plan, he saw the potential significance of this project and advocated pursuing it. He generously shared his knowledge and time, and his support warded any doubts I had about carrying out this project. I thank Professor Sung-Deuk Oak, whose erudition, caring words, and advice I could always depend on. I also thank my teachers at UCLA, Professor Chris P. Hanscom and Professor Timothy Tangerlini. Finally, I thank Professor Do-Hyung Kim at Yonsei University, who not only inspired me to study Korean history in the first place but also encouraged me to study abroad in the United States to pursue my dream. His guidance was essential in shaping this dissertation project, and his advocacy continued throughout my doctoral research. vii This dissertation project was generously supported by the UCLA Graduate Division, Mellon Foundation, Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies. and Center for Korean Studies at UCLA. Financial support for my graduate studies was also provided by the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures. I would like to thank the staff at the Center for Korean Studies and the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, without whose financial and administrative help I could not have completed this dissertation. During my last seven years at UCLA, I had a pleasure of meeting many wonderful colleagues, especially my fellow graduate students at UCLA. They took me into their community and provided both academic and personal sustenance. In particular, I thank Hanmee Na Kim, Hieyoon Kim, Janet Lee, Howard Kahm, Joon Hur, Mari Ishida, Sungha Yoon, May Ng, Sinwoo Lee, and Hannah Lim for their friendship as well as academic and emotional support. They have been not only wonderful colleagues but also became close friends who filled my life at UCLA with precious memories. I am also thankful to Matt Lauer, Fred Ranallo-Higgins, Tommy Tran, Jong-woo Park, Thomas Stock, Mei-mei Zhang, and Heeju Lee for sharing my journey at UCLA. I would like to extend my gratitude to Sejung Kim, who always made sure that I was taken care of; Jennifer Jung- Kim, whom I enjoyed working with as her teaching fellow; and Sang-Hun Cho for being such a helpful and resourceful librarian at the East Asian Library in UCLA. I am also grateful for my colleagues at Yonsei University, for their consistent academic and emotional assistance and friendship. In particular, I thank Misung Kim, Kyung-sun Choi, Kayoung Shin, and Yunjung Kim. While studying in different parts of the world, they always walked with me and shared their academic and personal journey with me. viii During my last seven years in Los Angeles, I was fortunate to have good companions whose prayers and friendship kept me going. In particular, I thank Aiko Guevara, Dohyun Kim, Grace Hong for their heartfelt warmth and care. I also thank friends from church, including Saemi Park, Seungbin Lee, Gloria Choi, Ara Cho, Jusang Lee, Pastor Young-guk Chin, Sunghee Moon, and Yuri Jang. They kindly extended their help and prayers when I was going through difficult times. I also would like to thank my old friends in Korea, Heehyoung Cho, Gye-yeong Park, Jiwon Park, Jeewon Ahn, Ji-in Kim, and Sung-geon Chung. I could only see them during the summer when I visited Korea, but they always welcomed me with warm hugs and encouraging words from which I regained strength to continue my studies for another year. Last but not the least, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family, the four people whom I love the most in the world. My warmest appreciation goes to my parents, who have shown me unconditional love and constant support throughout my life. They never lost faith in me, even when I did not have faith in myself. I also thank my two sisters, who have always been and will be my very best friends. Their intimate friendship and affection have been the greatest source of my emotinoal strength, and I’m blessed to have them as my life companions. ix VITA 2004-2005 Exchange Program Saint Olaf College Northfield,

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