Social change in Korea / edited by Kim Kyong-dong; The Korea Herald; preface Yu Kun-ha

Preface -- Introduction -- 1. Overview -- Social change in Korea: A bird's-eye view -- The main driving forces behind social change --- 2. Demographic and Ecological Base -- Two waves in Korea's population revolution -- Seoul: A magnet for power, wealth, and population -- Changing rural communities -- Climate change tests Korea's adaptability --- 3. Cultural Landscape -- Changing values cause ideological confusion -- The semiotics of cars: We are what we drive -- Korea moving toward a multicultural society --- 4. Principles of Social Organization -- Collectivism vs. individualism -- Korean society caught in post-authoritarianism trap -- Personal ties still important, but patterns changing --- 5. Marriage, Family and Women in Society -- Family values changing - but still conservative -- Changing family and women in the ubiquitous age -- More gender equality, but women still held back -- Dual earners call for family-friendly society -- Homophobia and the snail family in Korea --- 6. Groups, Organizations and Institutions -- Nation witnesses upsurge of civil organizations -- Transparency key to improving social cohesion -- Labor market polarization damages social cohesion -- Changing face of political participation in the era of democratization -- The political economy of educational reform -- Korean religions struggling to be born again -- Koreans worry about insecure lives, uncertain futures -- The causes of Korea's burgeoning crime rate --- 7. Social Stratification and Mobility -- Women's labor participation grows-slowly -- The odyssey of the middle class -- Is Korea's social mobility fluid or locked? -- Inequality persists despite economic success --- 8. Quo Vadis Korea? -- National identity in the age of globalization.

Social Change in Korea covers almost all the important spheres of social life, touching upon most of the significant aspects of social change in Korea over the years, especially during the past two decades. It deals solely with changes in the social arena, and the 30 essays featured here are all written by Korean scholars. It offers a detailed account of Korea's transformation, as seen from within. This book can be a very useful complementary textbook for any course taught in English which deals with social change in Korea.