Critical Localisms and Global Education in Jeju’s Local Streets

Abstract

Globalization and global competitiveness have become principal concerns in Jeju Island, a former agrarian periphery whose leadership aspires to become a prime international destination. Despite trophy accolades in the form of UNESCO designations and the New Seven Wonders selection, Jeju’s development remains uneven and contradictory. Jeju Island also still lacks an active citizen participation in framing and debating globalization issues. A lack of consensus, democratic process, and resident participation has deepened divisions existing in island society and further puts native locals at a severe disadvantage. Where policymakers have failed, however, grassroots efforts are taking up the task of globalizing Jeju residents. Using the two examples of JICEA’s “Wondosim Yetgil Tamheom”(“Exploring Jeju City’s Old Town Streets”) walks and Global Inner Peace’s September 2015 UN Peace Day event, I discuss the ways these locally-based and locally-founded NGOs are utilizing local experience to provide more nuanced critiques of globalization discourse or to reframe it. I argue that a form of critical localism is necessary to foster more global perspectives.