Anti-Americanism and National Identity in South Korea

Abstract

The goal of my thesis is to investigate the nature of anti-Americanism in South Korea, a nation which has had a long and intricate relationship with the United States. Starting with a brief survey of anti-Americanism as a global phenomena and moving through important historical milestones in the evolution of anti-American sentiment I use socio-historical research to get to the heart of what anti-Americanism means in South Korea. My research suggests that anti-Americanism as it exists in South Korea is not an ideological or deep seated hatred of the United States but rather an incidental component of a much larger quest for a national identity.