This course is designed to provide a general knowledge of North Korean history from the beginning of Soviet military occupation in 1945 to the present. Particular emphasis will be placed on the creation of the North Korean state; the origins of the Korean War; political conflicts with the North Korean leadership in the 1950s; the politics of balancing relations between the Soviet Union and China in the 1960-80s; and the unique features of North Korea as the worlds purest variant of the Stalinist state. Course objectives include developing a knowledge of significant ideas, events and trends in Korean history, gaining familiarity with current issues in Northeast Asia, and developing writing and oral presentation skills through an essay assignment, class participation and a final written examination.
Participation in tutorials is required.

32 hours for the Semester

First year courses in History, Politics or Sociology.

6 University Courses (36 units)

Suh Dae-suk, Kim Il Sung: The North Korean Leader, Columbia UP, 1988; Buzo Adrian, The Guerrilla Dynasty: Politics and leadership in North Korea , Allen & Unwin, 1999; Scalapino, Robert & Lee Chong-sik, Communism in Korea, (2 vols) University of California Press, 1972 (reprint: Seoul, 1992).