Korean-Canadian Studies in a Comparative Context: Local and Global Connections
March 1, 2019
Friday, 1 March 2019 | 2pm to 6pm | Room 2101 Vari Hall | Keele Campus, York University
Marking an opportune moment to explore Korean-Canadian Studies in an open, flexible, interdisciplinary, and collaborative way, this Symposium examined the fluidity of boundaries of Korean diaspora research in Canada and abroad. While work on the Korean diaspora and migration in Canada dates back roughly 30 years and recent scholarship on Korean migrants in Canada signals the emergence of a new generation of scholars, a cohesive identity, of Korean-Canadian Studies, with a well-defined collection and network under this umbrella has yet to materialize. Recently, the widening range of scholars across multiple disciplines in Canada who might identify as working in this area and a growing body of work on the Korean diaspora in other places, such as the United States, China, and Russia, have shaped this timely opportunity for scholarly discussion.
The event was organized by Ann H. Kim (Department of Sociology, York University)
The event was presented by Korean Office for Research and Education (KORE) funded by the Academy of Korean Studies. It was supported by the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) and the department of Sociology at York University.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Abidin Kunso, Director, York Centre for Asian Research
Mihyon Jeon, Deputy Director, Korean Office for Research and Education, York University
Keynote
“Recent Studies on Joseonjok [Korean-Chinese] and Goryeo Saram [Soviet Koreans]: Reflections and Future Directions”
Changzoo Song, School of Cultures, Languages, and Linguistics, University of Auckland
Panel One: Korean diaspora scholarship in the US and Canada
“Liminal Minorities in a Global Era: Reflections on the State of Korean American Studies”
Angie Y. Chung, Sociology, University of Albany
“Historical Overview, Themes and Trends of Korean-Canadian Studies”
Min-Jung Kwak, Geography and Environmental Studies, Saint Mary’s University
Moderator:
Thomas Klassen, Politics and Public Policy and Administration, York University
Panel Two: Interdisciplinary research snapshots on Korean-Canadians
“Contested Meanings of ‘Canada’ in the Search for Global English Capital Among Korean Educational Migrants”
Hyunjung Shin, Curriculum Studies, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan
“Korean as a Heritage Language in North America”
Mihyeon Jeon, Languages, Literatures and Linguistics, York University
“Beyond the ‘Melodramatic Blur’: The Past, the Present, and the Future of Korean-Canadian Literary Study”
Angie Min Ah Park, PhD Student, English, York University
“Exploring Multiculturalism in the Terrain of the Settler Imaginary”
Sangyoo Lee, PhD Student, School of Social Work, York University
“Twice of Refugee? North Korean Asylum-seeking Families in Canada”
Ann Kim, Sociology, York University
Moderator:
Sonny Cho, President and CEO, Canada Korea Business Council and CEO, Sonny Cho International Inc.