A Concise History of Modern Korea – Volume 2 3rd Edition
Author(s): Michael J. Seth (Author)
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Publication Date: November 29, 2019
Edition: 3rd
Language: English
Print length: 356 pages
ISBN-10: 1538129043
ISBN-13: 9781538129043
Book Description
Now in a fully revised and updated edition including new primary sources and illustrations, this comprehensive and balanced history of modern Korea explores the social, economic, and political issues it has faced since being catapulted into the wider world at the end of the nineteenth century. Placing this formerly insular society in a global context, Michael J. Seth describes how this ancient, culturally and ethnically homogeneous society first fell victim to Japanese imperialist expansionism, and then was arbitrarily divided in half after World War II. Seth traces the postwar paths of the two Koreas―with different political and social systems and different geopolitical orientations―as they evolved into sharply contrasting societies. South Korea, after an unpromising start, became one of the few postcolonial developing states to enter the ranks of the first world, with a globally competitive economy, a democratic political system, and a cosmopolitan and dynamic culture. By contrast, North Korea became one of the world’s most totalitarian and isolated societies, a nuclear power with an impoverished and famine-stricken population. Considering the radically different and historically unprecedented trajectories of the two Koreas, Seth assesses the insights they offer for understanding not only modern Korea but the broader perspective of world history. All readers looking for a balanced, knowledgeable history will be richly rewarded with this clear and concise book.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Michael Seth’s text remains the most accessible overview of Korean history. Going beyond the platitudes about the ‘land of the morning calm’ or the ‘hermit kingdom,’ it is a useful and clear guide to the Korean peninsula’s turbulent past.” ―John Lie, University of California, Berkeley
“Whenever I’m asked to recommend a textbook on Korean history, I always put Michael Seth’s A Concise History of Korea at the top of my list. Now in its third edition, the book provides the most up-to-date survey of Korean history, introducing fresh research and interpretations. Seth places Korea clearly within the East Asian world and highlights the unique aspects of Korea’s past. As with the previous edition, Michael Seth succeeds in this history in every way.” ―Edward Shultz, emeritus, University of Hawaii at Manoa
“Michael Seth’s A Concise History of Korea remains the best overview of Korean history in the English language. Both thorough and readable, it is the ideal book to use in undergraduate-level Korean history courses. It is also great for anybody who wants to know more about almost any aspect of Korean history.” ―Gregg Brazinsky, The George Washington University
About the Author
Michael J. Seth is Professor of History at James Madison University, USA.
A Concise History of Modern Korea: From the Late Nineteenth Century to the Present, Volume 2 3rd Edition
Author(s): Michael J. Seth (Author)
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publication Date: November 29, 2019
Edition: 3rd
Language: English
Print length: 356 pages
ISBN-10: 1538129035
ISBN-13: 9781538129036
Book Description
Now in a fully revised and updated edition including new primary sources and illustrations, this comprehensive and balanced history of modern Korea explores the social, economic, and political issues it has faced since being catapulted into the wider world at the end of the nineteenth century. Placing this formerly insular society in a global context, Michael J. Seth describes how this ancient, culturally and ethnically homogeneous society first fell victim to Japanese imperialist expansionism, and then was arbitrarily divided in half after World War II. Seth traces the postwar paths of the two Koreas―with different political and social systems and different geopolitical orientations―as they evolved into sharply contrasting societies. South Korea, after an unpromising start, became one of the few postcolonial developing states to enter the ranks of the first world, with a globally competitive economy, a democratic political system, and a cosmopolitan and dynamic culture. By contrast, North Korea became one of the world’s most totalitarian and isolated societies, a nuclear power with an impoverished and famine-stricken population. Considering the radically different and historically unprecedented trajectories of the two Koreas, Seth assesses the insights they offer for understanding not only modern Korea but the broader perspective of world history. All readers looking for a balanced, knowledgeable history will be richly rewarded with this clear and concise book.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Michael Seth’s text remains the most accessible overview of Korean history. Going beyond the platitudes about the ‘land of the morning calm’ or the ‘hermit kingdom,’ it is a useful and clear guide to the Korean peninsula’s turbulent past.” ―John Lie, University of California, Berkeley
“Whenever I’m asked to recommend a textbook on Korean history, I always put Michael Seth’s A Concise History of Korea at the top of my list. Now in its third edition, the book provides the most up-to-date survey of Korean history, introducing fresh research and interpretations. Seth places Korea clearly within the East Asian world and highlights the unique aspects of Korea’s past. As with the previous edition, Michael Seth succeeds in this history in every way.” ―Edward Shultz, emeritus, University of Hawaii at Manoa
“Michael Seth’s A Concise History of Korea remains the best overview of Korean history in the English language. Both thorough and readable, it is the ideal book to use in undergraduate-level Korean history courses. It is also great for anybody who wants to know more about almost any aspect of Korean history.” ―Gregg Brazinsky, The George Washington University
About the Author
Michael J. Seth is Professor of History at James Madison University, USA.
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