The Simultaneity of the Non-simultaneous of Colonial Consciousness and an Attempt to Overcome it: An Analysis of Studies of the Japanese Colonial Era in Korea in 2014~2015

Abstract

This paper analyzes the studies of the Japanese Colonial Era in Korea published in 2014~2015, and points out several issues for future research. Several points proposed after analysis are: First, in researches on colonial government, the colonial power is increasingly considered as more a field in which multiple powers compete between themselves, rather than a single unit. Second, in economic history of colonial era, traditional perspective still prevails, but newer approaches can be seen. Third, also in national liberation movement studies, the traditional view is adopted in more papers, but newer approach, focused on contexts of historical records, can be seen. On the other hand, Korean expatriate communities receive attentions of researchers as the basis of liberation movement abroad. Fourth, education, scholarship and thought during the colonial era were actively researched. Papers in this area tend to focus on contexts of ideas, rather than ideas themselves. Fifth, in local, urban, social studies, the attention of researchers seem to be released from centralized view and start to examine locality itself, with increasing studies of a variety of social minorities.