A Religious Analysis of Education Fever in Modern Korea

This paper offers an analysis of the excessive education fever in Koreafrom the perspective of religious studies. Based on reviews of previousdiscussions of this phenomenon, centered mainly around sociology andeducation since the 1980s, the paper first points to what these previousdiscussions lacked. It then examines the religious nature of Confucianeducation during the Joseon dynasty, and explores why Koreans inter-est in education has been dubbed an excessive fever by looking atsome examples. The paper concludes that Korean education fever is aproduct of parents sacrifices for their children, and that this sacrificialattitude is heavily influenced by the traditional Confucian theory ofsalvation. By doing so, this paper tries to demonstrate that a religiousstudies approach to the issue can contribute new understanding of theexcessive zeal for education in Korea.

keywords: excessive fever for education, Confucian concept ofsalvation, modernity, Confucian education, Social Darwinism, statisteducation policy, anticommunism, self-sacrifice by the parents, conti-nuity of existence, family religionLim Hyunsoo (Im, Hyeon-su, excessive fever for education, Confucian concept ofsalvation, modernity, Confucian education, Social Darwinism, statisteducation policy, anticommunism, self-sacrifice by the parents, conti-nuity of existence, family religionLim Hyunsoo (Im, Hyeon-su

Reference

Bak Hye-in, (1994) Hanguk sahoe-ui gyoyungnyeol-e daehan yeoksajeok gochal,

Baudrillard, Jean, (1995) The Consumer Society: Myths and Structures, Seoul: Munye Chulpansa

Choi, Bong-Young, (2001) Historical Development and Nature of Passion for Education, Seongnam: Academy of Korean Studies

Chung, Soon-Woo, (1999) A Historical and Cultural Approach to Koreas Education Fever,

Feng, Youlan, (2002) A History of Chinese Philosophy, Seoul: Kkachi. Originally pub- lished as Zhonguo zhexueshi

Kang, Chang-Dong, (2003) The History of Koreas Educational Culture, Seoul. Muneumsa

Kim, Dong Choon, (1999) Koreas Modernity and the Excessive Education Fever: State Formation in Korea and Early Emer- gence of Valuing Academic Background, Seongnam: Academy of Korean Studies

Kim, Dong Choon, (2001) Roots of the Crisis of Korean Education and Its Remedies,

Lee, Jong-Gak, (2000) Re-establishing the Concept of Zeal for Education, Seongnam: Acade- my of Korea Studies

10.

O, Ookwhan , (2002) Edu- cation Fever in Korea: Its Origins and Deepening: Giwon-gwa simhwa, Seoul: Gyoyuk Gwahaksa

11.

Oh, Mahn Seug , (2000) Social and Cultural Understanding of Educa- tion Fever in Korea, Seongnam: Academy of Korean Studies

12.

Oh, Mahn Seug, (2000) Social and Cultural Structure of Education Fever, Seongnam: Academy of Korean Studies

바로가기메뉴

Article Contents

Vol.47 No.2

A Religious Analysis of Education Fever in Modern Korea

Abstract

Reference

Korea Journal