ABSTRACT Title of Document: the CONSTRUCTION of US CAMPTOWN PROSTITUTION in SOUTH KOREA
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ABSTRACT Title of Document: THE CONSTRUCTION OF U.S. CAMPTOWN PROSTITUTION IN SOUTH KOREA: TRANS/FORMATION AND RESISTANCE Na Young Lee, Ph.D., 2006 Directed By: Professor Seung-kyung Kim Department of Women’s Studies This dissertation examines the historical construction and transformation of U.S. camptown prostitution (kijich’on prostitution) in South Korea. Wrought by Japanese colonialism, U.S. military occupation, national division, and the Korean War, camptown prostitution has been historically constructed and reconstructed within a complex web of dynamic power relations between/among nation-states, subjects, and NGOs. This is a study of U.S. camptown prostitution, however, which is not just about military prostitution. Rather, it is a study of the power dynamics inherent in the material basis and the discursive formations that make the phenomenon, kijich’on prostitution, substantial. As such, this study analyzes the multiple intersections of structures of power that constitute the kijich’on. The purpose of this study is 1) to provide a geneology to explain the socio- historical phases of camptown prostitution, 2) to gauge the impacts of inter-state relations, U.S. military policy, and (inter)national policies on the kijich’on and kijich’on prostitution, 3) to trace the roles and activities of Korean NGOs and women’s organizations with regard to kijich’on prostitution, and finally 4) to understand the triangular relationship among the nation-states, women subjects, and movement organizations in (re)constructing kijich’on prostitution as both material reality and symbolic metaphor. Thus, the research questions at the center of this dissertation are directed towards four themes: historicizing kijich’on prostitution, understanding the role of the nation-states and NGOs in the process of construction and transformation of the kijich’on, deconstructing the policies that have impacted kijich’on prostitution and the women’s movement against kijich’on prostitution. In order to answer these questions, this study employs multiple methods of gathering information and analysis, including archival research, participant observation, in- depth interviews, and textual analysis. Utilizing gender as a crucial analytical category, this dissertation contributes not only to an understanding of camptown prostitution, but also to the theoretical conceptualization of military prostitution, feminist radical theories of gender, race, and nation, and the trans/national feminist movements. THE CONSTRUCTION OF U.S. CAMPTOWN PROSTITUTION IN SOUTH KOREA: TRANS/FORMATION AND RESISTANCE By Na Young Lee Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2006 Advisory Committee: Professor Seung-kyung Kim, Chair Professor Claire Moses Professor Deborah Rosenfelt Professor Shawn Parry-Giles Professor Linda Aldoory © Copyright by Na Young Lee 2006 Dedication I dedicate this dissertation to my parents, Park Jin Lee and Jong Sun Byun, who have been my lifelong supporters and believers. This dissertation is also dedicated to my two sons, Myung Joon Moon and Sang Joon Moon, who have been my joy, hope, and life. ii Acknowledgements This dissertation would not have been possible without the many women who helped me in my long journey to become a feminist scholar. First and foremost, I would like to thank the women working inside/outside U.S. camptowns in South Korea who shared their stories with me. Although I cannot name them individually, I would like to express my deep gratitude to them. The M.A. program in Women’s Studies at Silla University, Korea, provided an opportunity for me to read a broad range of feminist texts. The Program also gave me an opportunity to learn how to become a feminist teacher: I would not have been able to teach an Introduction to Women’s Studies course during my third year at the University of Maryland without the teaching experience that I gained in Korea. I am grateful to Dr. Ki-sook Lee who encouraged me to continue my doctoral study, and who has been supportive throughout my graduate career in the U.S. Over the past five years while I have been a graduate student in the Department of Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland, I have been blessed with kind friends, supportive colleagues, and generous teachers. From the first day of class to the day of my dissertation defense, everyone in the Department has always been most generous with their time, advice, and support. First, I would like to thank the members of my committee, Dr. Seung-kyung Kim, Dr. Claire Moses, Dr. Deborah Rosenfelt, Dr. Shawn Parry-Giles, and Dr. Linda Aldoory for their unending care, valuable input, and constructive advice for this dissertation. They have both my gratitude and my deepest respect. I owe the most gratitude to my mentor and iii dissertation advisor Dr. Seung-kyung Kim. Since the beginning my study in the U.S., she has shared with me my frustration, sorrow, and small victories. Dr. Kim has been standing beside me as I have matured as a student, researcher, and writer; she has always been there with endless encouragement, generosity, and love. My special thanks go to Dr. Claire Moses for her guidance and support for this dissertation, and my intellectual growth. Her warm-hearted words of encouragement helped me overcome my frustration during the dissertation writing. I would also like to thank Dr. Deborah Rosenfelt for always providing encouragement and advice whenever I needed. I owe much to all faculty, graduate students, and staff members in the department of Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland that provided me with a generous, encouraging, and supportive intellectual home. The Professors in Women’s Studies— Dr. Bonnie Thornton Dill, Dr. Lynn Bolles, Dr. Elsa Barkley Brown, Dr. Katie King, and Dr. Ruth Zambrana— have guided me to be a good feminist teacher, researcher, and activist. Without their intellectual help and emotional support, this dissertation would not have been brought to life. My journey would not have been possible without the community of graduate students at the University of Maryland. So many friends have been encouraging and supportive while I struggled to survive in U.S academia. My gratitude goes to Laura Logie, Heather Relllihan, Joy Sapinoso, Ayu Saraswati, Nikki Stewart, and Sarah Tillery who helped me navigate the first year graduate school. I would also like to thank my colleagues, Vrushali Patil, Robyn Allison Epstein, and Kimberlee Staking who have been great friends. This dissertation has benefited greatly from valuable theoretical iv conversations with them. My special thanks goes to Kimberly Williams not only for her generous friendship but also for her detailed comments on and endless editing of this dissertation. I would also like to thank Laura Nichols, Annie Carter, and Cliffornia Howard for making my graduate school years a smooth experience. I would like to thank the College of Arts and Humanities for providing the Mary Savage Snouffer Dissertation Fellowship which made it possible for me to finish writing in one year. I would also like to share a moment of joy with my compatriots who have gone through hard times with me as international graduate students in the United States. They are my sisters and brothers— Yukyung Yeo, Ghada Al-Madbouh, Seong-hun Yun, Heshin Yun, and Jaekwon Suh. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my parents, Park Jin Lee and Jong Sun Byun, who have lived with me, and my children in the U.S. in order for me to concentrate on my study. Five years is a long period to be away from Korea even if it is for their daughter’s study. Without their sacrifice, it would not have been possible for me to finish my study and my dissertation this fast. My sons, Myung Joon and Sang Joon, have supported my intellectual journey with great understanding that makes me proud of, and I would like to thank them. v Table of Contents Dedication ...........................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements............................................................................................iii List of Pictures ...................................................................................................ix List of Tables and Figures................................................................................xiii List of Abbreviations and Glossary .................................................................xiv Chapter 1. Introduction................................................................................. 1 1.1 Reflection: Detour but Useful Journey ................................................... 1 1.2 Sociopolitical Context............................................................................. 6 1.3 Historical Context ................................................................................... 9 1.4 Research Questions............................................................................... 13 1.5 Feminist Epistemology, Methodology, and Methods........................... 14 1.5.1 Overview of the Research Process .............................................. 16 1.5.2 Participant Observation and In-depth Interviews ........................ 18 1.5.3 Archival Research and Textual Analysis..................................... 24 1.6 Dissertation Overview ......................................................................... 29 Chapter