Book Talk: ๐๐ช๐ณ๐ต๐ถ๐ฆ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด: ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ฐ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ดล๐ฏ ๐๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข (1392โ1910)
Author: Jungwon Kim, King Sejong Associate Professor of Korean Studies, Columbia University
Moderator: Sun Joo Kim, Harvard-Yenching Professor of Korean History, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University
Online, via Zoom. To join, register here.
About the book: Virtue That Matters is a groundbreaking exploration of the intricate dynamics of chastity culture in Chosลn Korea from 1392 to 1910, shedding light on its political, legal, social, and cultural significance. In this book, Jungwon Kim demonstrates how an emphasis on female chastity came to pervade society as it intertwined with state ideology and elite interests. By analyzing a copious range of sources including governmental publications, legal records, and womenโs own writings, Kim unveils the rich tapestry of Chosลn societyโs attitudes toward female chastity and argues that extreme chastity culture was not merely a product of Confucianization but was also shaped by diverse social forces and individual agency. Furthermore, Kim reframes the discourse on chastity by focusing on womenโs experiences and perspectives, challenging the traditional portrayal of women as marginal to Chosลn history.
Virtue That Matters illustrates the complex interplay between state-led indoctrination, socio-legal changes, and gender relations in Chosลn Korea. Kim also shows how the discourse on womenโs chastity evolved over time and continued to influence social dynamics well into the twentieth century. By highlighting the enduring legacy of chastity culture in modern Korean society, Virtue That Matters provides valuable insights into contemporary debates on gender and sexuality.
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