South Korean civil movement organisations: Hope, crisis, and pragmatism in democratic transition (New Ethnographies)

How does civil society come together and disperse inside a rapidly industrialised and democratised nation? South Korean civil movement organisations is an ethnographic study of the social movements and advocacy organisations inside South Korea as well as practical methods in democratic transition more generally. The book is based on two years of fieldwork inside a handful of NGOs, NPOs, and think tanks in Seoul as the ‘386 generation’ came to lead during the Roh Moo Hyun presidency (2003-8). It is a rich exploration of the many crises, hopes, practical projects and pragmatic theories that animated South Korean activists, coordinators, lawyers, politicians, ‘social designers’ and academics of various stripes. From the Citizens’ Alliance for the 2000 General Elections (CAGE) to the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, this book tells the stories of consequence to freshly render South Korean politics relevant to many Asian, European, Middle Eastern, and North as well as South American contexts. At the same time, it uniquely frames the theoretical and methodological moments for new ethnographies through the shared, yet disparate experiences of pragmatism, (social) design, and (democratic) transition. This highly engaging book invites the reader to learn about how South Korean activists, intellectuals and various reformers approach the role of civil society in a post-colonial, post-Cold War, post-dictatorship, and post-IMF neoliberal democracy. In particular, it provides a detailed description of civil movement organisations in Seoul leading up to, during and after the Roh Moo Hyun era (2003-8). The book engages the entangled hopes, crises and pragmatic transitions that animated this era in South Korean politics and connects it with larger debates in anthropology, sociology, law and politics from around the world. Ultimately, the book contributes to growing areas of research, advocacy and general interest in pragmatism, ethnography, hope and crisis. Front matter Dedication Contents List of illustrations Acknowledgements Series editor’s foreword Note on romanisation and translation Map of South Korea and neighbouring countries Introduction Entanglements Ideology as double bind Green is life Projecting discourse: less than theory, smaller than ideology Designing the agenda with hope Conclusion References Index This Is A Unique Ethnographic Study Of The Practical, Theoretical, Methodological, Ethical And Social Dimensions Of Some Key Non-governmental Organisations (ngos), Non-profit Organisations (npos), And Think Tanks In Seoul During Roh Moo Hyun's Tumultuous Presidency (2003-8). Amy Levine. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.