| Abstract [eng] |
The title of this paper is “Connections of Korean National Identity to the Collective Memory of the Colonial Period”. It examines the influence the Japanese colonial period (1910–1945) had on the construction of Korean national identity. The main question is: how the Korean national identity is portrayed and formed through the traumatic collective memory of the colonial period and its’ representation in Korean history museums? Using interdisciplinary complex methodology, which combines historical perspective, postcolonial discourse, concepts of representation and identity, and theoretical concepts of collective memory and cultural trauma, it was concluded that the colonial period is remembered selectively, and the Korean national identity is constructed and maintained through antagonism towards Japan, heroism of Koreans and unity created through resistance fighting for independence, all of which are rooted in the colonial period. The analysis also showed that in the Korean museums different versions of constructing and remembering the past are possible and therefore, different identities could be formed. However, the dominant discourse about the colonial period and its’ legacy is based on victimization. This paper could be useful for analyzing Korean identity and collective memory in general, comparing it to other important events and periods of Korean history (for example, division of Korea), or studying Korea–Japan relations. |
