I. Why is Korea Paying Attention to the Humanities?
1. Significance of the Humanities in Korea
Korea is widely known as a country that puts much emphasis on courtesy towards others (禮) and is even dubbed ‘the country of courteous people in the East’ (東方禮義之國). This concern for courtesy traditionally extends to the cultivation of human values that falls under the general description of the humanities. There are unique honorific words in the Korean language such as jin-ji (steamed rice), saeng-sin (birthday), gae-si-da (exist), and joo-mo-si-da (sleep) which highlight the unique culture and emotions of Korean people. However, Korea's focus shifted away from these historical traditions and cultural values towards more pragmatic values promoting economic and social efficiency as the nation emerged from the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War. In consequence, although Korea has now become the world's thirteenth largest economy, it still lacks cultural and academic strengths. The quality of life of people in Korea is ranked only twenty-seventh out of thirty-nine major OECD countries.
As a means of enriching the quality of life and improving Korea's image as a culturally strong country, the humanities can play an important role. Certainly, the pursuit of the humanities does not translate directly into the development of commercial or technological products, but it does play an essential role in laying solid foundations for other more practical disciplines through its long-term investment in promoting the fundamental values that should underpin them. In addition, the humanities equip society with the means smoothly to respond to rapid environmental changes and to encourage and accommodate creativity and imagination, while their free expression contributes to strengthening tangible and intangible national competitiveness (Reference HanHan 2010).
With 5,000 years of continuous history, Korea is a country based on a long historical tradition and creative spirit. This spirit and tradition provide the foundation for Korea's efforts to build national interest in the humanities through various programs, including the ‘Humanities Korea Support Program,’ support for Korean studies overseas, and general promotion of the humanities through ventures such as ‘Humanities Week,’ the ‘Lecture on the Humanities with CEOs,’ etc. Since advanced countries are thought to put a great deal of value on culture, Korea perceives such promotion of the humanities as essential for her to take her rightful place among these advanced countries.
2. The Environment for the Humanities in Periods of Social Change
The study of humankind – which is central to the humanities and is called the small universe – has been pursued continually since ancient times. The Latin term humanitas, meaning ‘the quality distinguishing a civilized man’ was coined by the Roman political theorist Cicero in the first century bce and the cultivation of this quality began to be taught as an essential part of the curriculum of the emerging Western universities from the early twelfth century. More recently, the humanities have been integrated into conjoint liberal arts and sciences programs in US universities, to ensure that students acquire a broader range of knowledge about human affairs than is possible through narrow disciplinary specialization (Reference ParkPark 2011).
In the modern world, new approaches to human research have been implemented in the social sciences, the natural sciences, engineering, medicine, and pharmacy, research which often crosses or extends beyond academic boundaries. Such approaches can be understood as attempts to look for novel solutions for complicated social and national issues such as the supremacy of science in educational programs, the loss of human dignity in the contemporary socio-political environment, the decline of ontological meaning, and the degradation of human relationships.
However, though awareness of the importance and value of the humanities may have grown, the environment for their promotion is not as favorable. The employment rate for graduates majoring in the humanities and other liberal arts fields is low in Korea, and the doctoral program admission rate was only about 12.6% during the period between 2005 and 2008, significantly lower than the 21.3–23.4% in the natural sciences and engineering fields (Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 2010a: 61). It is difficult to find humanities graduate students who can serve as research assistants in local universities in the regions outside of Seoul. Other factors that threaten humanities research include the paucity of research foundation funding for such research, and the fact that the long-term nature and intangibility of much humanities research make it difficult to meet market needs that require short-term and visible results.
The late Steve Jobs, however, valued the contribution the humanities could make to his company, stating that Apple tried to integrate technology with liberal arts and that iPhone is a product that integrates science, technology, and liberal arts. Furthermore, Korea's standing on the global stage, highlighted by her hosting of the G20 Summit, has been increased by the focus she is bringing to the shift of the science-technology paradigm to an emphasis on the issues facing humankind. Moreover, there is increasing social interest in pluralistic cultures as well as in Korean popular culture, thus providing a new opportunity for the renaissance of the humanities in this country.
Most of all, it should not be overlooked that the humanities are essential for boosting international competitiveness. They play a pivotal role in improving the national image. A country's humanities tradition determines the value of its citizens on the global stage and establishes a firm base for its political, economic, and diplomatic relations with the outside world (Reference HanHan 2010: 5–6).
There have been continuous efforts engaged in by the liberal arts to explore the nature of humankind and to show how the quality of life might be improved. In recognition of this, endeavors have been made to improve the academic value of humanities study as well as to promote stronger liberal arts policies. Since 1963, academic research projects into the liberal arts have been conducted, and since 2002 there has been continuous government support for developing basic studies that promote the humanities and reflect the growing social awareness of their importance. This article will discuss these humanities promotion policies in Korea and their consequent achievements together with some consideration of future directions for the humanities in this country and the challenges they may face.
II. Humanities Promotion Policy Analysis Model
Before discussing the current status of Korea's humanities promotion policy, this study utilizes the Logic Model to build an analysis model for this policy. The Logic Model refers to the logic and diagrams that can induce desired results through a causal analysis process. It is based on the premise that resources contribute to creating desirable results through activating certain processes and development phases. In relation to a national policy, these processes are activated when the government inputs the resources. Following a general Logic Model, the analysis model for these policies addresses this procedure under the heads of Inputs, Process, and Outputs/Outcomes (Fig. 1). A major example of an input is resources, which are closely related to the government's budget support for its humanities promotion policies.
Fig. 1. Analysis Model for Humanities Promotion Policy.
The humanities research support process is divided into five stages: project planning, project announcement, screening/assessment, selection, and follow-up management (Fig. 2). First, projects are planned for each particular year, which are then announced, and applications to undertake them are received. The received applications go through certain screening and assessment processes, which are carried out in three phases – screening requirements, panel discussion/interview, and comprehensive screening. Once the most qualified projects are selected, interim-phased assessment, result management, and other follow-up measures are carried out.
Fig. 2. Liberal Arts Research Support Process.
The anticipated outputs or outcomes of humanities promotion policy can be divided into academic achievements (research papers, publications, translated books etc.), the nurturing of highly-qualified human resources, and social achievements (improvement of national quality of life, enhancement of the national image as a cultural nation, and the strengthening of tangible and intangible national and international competitiveness.) However, if the analysis model is concentrated on the simple logic of inputs, process, and outputs, then it may fail to reflect invisible and long-term achievements, and so prove to be of only limited value as a policy generation approach.
III. Current Status of the Humanities Promotion Policy
1. Policy Objectives and Methods
Korea's humanities promotion policies are implemented based on the basis of the Academic Improvement Law (the former Academic Improvement and Student Loan Credit Guarantee Law) and other relevant regulations. Liberal arts improvement is a part of the academic research support project, which is conducted according to the following two aims: first, to establish regional world class humanities research institutes conducting interdisciplinary research suitable for the current social environment; second, to expand communication between the humanities and the general public, to extend the scope of the humanities, and to strengthen the social role of the discipline, laying a foundation for a culturally strong country.
The government budget has continuously provided for the furtherance of the humanities since 1963. And since 2002, an annual average of 91.6 billion won has been made available through the basic study development project to develop the humanities further. In the year 2011, the government budget for promoting the humanities was a total of 153.8 billion won, 163.6% higher than for the year 2002.
Annual Budget for Development of the Humanities (Unit: Billion Won).
2. Status and Implications of Liberal Arts Promotion Efforts by Country
Before discussing Korea's humanities promotion policies, we will take a look at the liberal arts policies of other countries around the world. First, in the US, there is the NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) which supports research, education, digitalization, and many other areas and encourages creative and substantive project development. The PCAH report (The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities) entitled ‘Creative America’ (1997), emphasized that ‘healthy and cultural lives are essential for a democratic society, and thus strong countries must make investment in cultural development and conservation’ and recommended support for the arts and the humanities and improvement of educational environments (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 2010a: 82). In the US, this support is more vigorously provided by the private sector than the public sector. Organizations such as Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (NY), Rockefeller Foundation (NY), Ford Foundation (NY), and Packard Humanities Institute (CA), support humanities research efforts, education, history and cultural activities, exhibitions, and related broadcasting programs (Han 2006: 26).
In the UK, the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) was established in 2005 to promote the arts and the humanities together with university humanities programs, and to nurture researchers in the arts field through master's and doctoral degree programs. The British Academy was established to support the humanities and social sciences and has been offering £15 million annually to finance the research of eminent scholars as well as research in the base studies, to support post-doctoral research, the hosting of symposia, and oral research in the humanities. In particular, the UK has focused on commercializing humanities outputs and services, notably English-language tuition, collaboration with the tourism industry, and the promotion of fantasy literature (Reference HanHan 2010: 27).
In France, government policies to promote the humanities have focused on interdisciplinary research efforts, international research, active exchanges with foreign research institutes, building solid research networks and improving working conditions for researchers. A Humanities Documentation Center with 18 contributing organizations was established in France to nurture the next generation of scholars and researchers and to share research results, with the aim of promoting balanced regional development in collaboration with the central government (Han 2006: 27).
In Japan, the Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Promotion Project was conducted during the period 2003–2008 in accordance with the policy document Promoting the Humanities and Social Sciences: Measures to Promote the Humanities to Meet the Needs of the 21st Century, released in June 2002. Also, active support has been provided to foster the policy and social goals for the humanities (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 2010a: 83).
Such examples show the efforts made by major developed countries to expand the scope of research support for the humanities and the social sciences. How do these compare, then, to the situation in Korea?
3. Challenges Facing Korea's Humanities Promotion Policy
When compared with the liberal arts policies in developed countries, there are three major challenges facing Korea's humanities promotion policy. First, Korea needs to strengthen research capacity in the humanities and social sciences fields up to the global level so that it can aspire to nurturing future Nobel Prize winners in economics and literature. Along with a quantitative increase in research, qualitative competitiveness should be strengthened as well. To date, most Korean research papers in the humanities and social sciences fields have been published only within this country, with less than 7% of Korean humanities research published in international journals (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 2010b: 8).
Secondly, Korea needs to develop measures to ensure that its humanities promotion policies are timely and effective. In addition, new areas of research that can actively respond to the needs of the times should be developed and supported. Interdisciplinary convergence offers good opportunities for exploring new areas. The necessity to create synergies by bringing together approaches from science and technology with the humanities and social sciences is increasingly important at a time when there are many complex social issues which cannot be adequately addressed purely by science or technology. Hindering this collaboration, however, is the relative lack of robust humanities research foundations and the ambiguity of the parameters that should govern such interdisciplinary research.
Perceptions around the value of such integration are nevertheless changing, and globally famous entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates serve as good examples demonstrating the value of the humanities. Jobs, for instance, always emphasized the importance of the humanities every time Apple released new products like the iPhone, iPad, and other high-tech devices. He often asserted that technology alone was not enough and believed that astounding results could be achieved only when technology was combined with creative input from the liberal arts. This belief was based on a life-long philosophy. In his 2005 commencement address at Stanford University, Jobs described his personal career trajectory as one of ‘connecting the dots.’ He had dropped out of college, but then took a calligraphy class and in the process became fascinated by the beautiful, historical, artistically subtle value of calligraphy which could not be appreciated by purely scientific analysis. At the time he did not imagine calligraphy would have any practical application in his life, but ten years later, while designing the first Macintosh computer, all of its processes came back to him, enabling him to design beautiful typographies reflecting the calligraphic principles he had learned in that class.
Thirdly, Korea needs to more broadly disseminate research achievements in the humanities and social sciences and to reinforce the social responsibilities of such fields. Since these are devoted to the examination and analysis of human nature and society, widespread dissemination of academic research achievements across the whole national community is all the more important. Such improved communication with the general public would enable humanities values to more easily permeate the everyday lives of people. In addition, the humanities would be able to provide a constructive discourse on pressing social issues such as the quality of life, happiness, social conflicts, and integration and social trust. However, existing Korean research in the humanities and social sciences does not pay sufficient attention to Korea's traditional intellectual tradition, but rather unilaterally takes on foreign theories and models, thus failing to address Korea's specifically national issues. Therefore, Korean research in the humanities and social sciences might do better to focus more comprehensively on the social phenomena present in Korean society itself thus contributing to solving pressing national issues and promoting sustainable social growth in more than a purely economic sense.
IV. Achievements of Korea's Humanities Promotion Policy
1. Promotion of the Liberal Arts as a Basic Discipline
As mentioned earlier, for the last fifty years of its history, Korea has been making strenuous efforts to support and develop the humanities as a basic discipline and as a foundation for other disciplines based on the recognition that basic disciplines help promote national competitiveness in a knowledge-based society.
In the past, research in the humanities field was conducted mainly by individual researchers. However, since the 2007 Humanities Korea project, the 2009 interdisciplinary research project, and the 2010 Social Sciences Korea project, a diversity of collaborative research programs have been implemented to reflect the academic characteristics of the humanities, social sciences, and convergent fields, with steady progress being made in such efforts.
2. Establishing a World-Class Liberal Arts Research Institute: the ‘Humanities Korea’ Project
One of the leading programs adopted to assist research in the humanities is HK (Humanities Korea), which aims to achieve the following two major objectives. First, the establishment of the ‘research institute framework’ to link the humanities research institutes of domestic universities, to nurture researchers, to establish an infrastructure for humanities research, and to develop a global-level research capacity. Second, the strengthening of the capability of existing research institutes to disseminate research results across other academic fields and out into society, to lead global discourse around the idea of production, and create a high social added value that is knowledge-based. Since 2007, the year Korea initiated the support projects, an annual average of 34.36 billion won has been provided for this purpose, giving a total investment of 171.8 billion won. By 2011 there were fifty-four research institutes under HK's umbrella: five large-scale project research institutes (9.3%), thirty-one mid-scale project research institutes (57.4%), five small-scale project research institutes (9.3%), and thirteen emerging research institutes (24%). The government fund is provided for a ten-year period, with large-scale project institutes receiving around 1–1.5 billion won of the total amount while mid-scale project research institutes and small-scale project research institutes receive around 500–800 million won and 300 million won per year respectively.
One of the major achievements of this government promotion of the humanities has been a strengthened overall research capacity. Academics under the HK aegis are publishing on average 2.41 research papers per year, more than twice the number of research papers published by other full-time academics. Also, faculty of each research institute author or translate an average of 11.7 academic books per year thanks to the HK support program.
3. Humanities in Everyday Life: the Humanities Popularization Project
One of the major projects for the broader dissemination of the humanities is the ‘humanities popularization project,’ launched on the recognition that the humanities should not remain closeted in research institutes or universities but should be communicated more to the general public to enhance the enjoyment of people in everyday life. Such efforts at popularization of the findings of humanities research take place in many other developed countries. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in the United States has organized and hosted diverse education programs, exhibitions, conferences, and events through its ‘We the People’ program. In addition, the NEH encourages private sector partners to contribute to youth education programs on the humanities and the arts. In France and Germany, there is a joint broadcasting station, Arte, which brings together writers, intellectuals, and artists for discussions and operates ‘Arte Cinema,’ which supports non-mainstream film.
In Korea, both the public and private sectors – including civic groups – are actively involved in humanities popularization efforts. The government's humanities popularization project is conducted through three major activities: scholarly lectures, citizen lectures, and Humanities Week. Scholarly lectures are delivered on a weekly basis at the Seoul Museum of History, covering topics in literature, history, philosophy, engineering, and the natural sciences among other fields. Since the inception of this program, over 50,000 people have attended the lectures of forty national and international scholars, including Professors Michael Herzfeld (Harvard University) and Terry Eagleton (Lancaster University, UK).
Citizen lectures on the humanities are aimed at a broader audience, including adolescents and those on the margins of society. Their intention is to heighten social awareness of the humanities and enable the general society to enjoy the achievements of this field of endeavor. The Humanities Research Institute of Sogang University offers humanities lectures for general citizens in collaboration with a community university located in Mapo-gu, Seoul and the local community center. The Anglican Church of Korea's Da-Shi-Seo-Gi Counseling Center also offers lecture programs for general citizens and homeless people, in particular to help the latter restore their self-esteem and acquire greater mental resources with which to seek job opportunities.
For its part, Humanities Week, held annually since 2006, provides various programs allowing general citizens to learn about the humanities under the general theme of ‘openness and communication.’ Humanities Week was introduced on the recognition that the lack of a perceived connection between the humanities and real life had led to a crisis of the humanities. The 2011 Humanities Week was celebrated under the theme ‘Looking for Wisdom and Happiness in Everyday Life.’ During that week, a total of thirty-three organizations, including university humanities research institutes, cultural foundations, and private sector libraries, contributed to the prepared program, while approximately 50,000 people participated in the various associated events, including an essay contest, a book report contest, the Jeju Olle walks, re-enactments of traditional Korean wedding ceremonies, a film festival, a humanities competition in blue jeans, a dialogue with writers, cartooning a happy family, and intelligent discussions. Unlike previous festivals, the 2011 Humanities Week offered programs for adolescents to engage in serious dialogues and to make the humanities more friendly and familiar to them.
In addition, the National Library of Korea, the Chosun Daily, and Kyobo Bookstore jointly organized the event called ‘the humanities on the road,’ which invited writers, poets, and other lecturers to dialogue with general citizens by offering diverse programs like a poetry reading session and a humanities concert. About 6,000 people participated in this event. The College of Humanities of Seoul National University for its part offered a lecture program for social leaders such as members of the National Assembly, legal experts, CEOs, politicians, and economic leaders.
4. Korea, World Capital of the Humanities: Significance and Achievements of the World Humanities Forum
In 2011 Korea hosted the 1st World Humanities Forum (WHF) which gathered scholars and experts in the field of humanities from around the globe. The Forum, organized jointly by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, UNESCO, and the Busan Metropolitan Government in partnership with the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences, was a great opportunity to bring international attention to Korea as a cultural country with the humanities at its core, to promote Korea's humanities worldwide and to build an exchange network for global cooperation in this field.
The 2011 Forum addressed the theme of ‘Universalism in a multicultural world.’ The multicultural research and support programs that inspired the event's theme were supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Under the aegis of this Ministry, SSK (Social Sciences Korea), a research support project for the social sciences, received about 20 billion won in financial assistance in that same year. Among its eight agenda items, this project included one devoted to ‘Multiculturalism and Identity of Korea,’ and prepared a ten-year plan to culminate in the year 2020. Its programs focus on conflicts arising from social, ethnic, and cultural diversity and the growing level of investment required for solving such conflicts and implementing appropriate solutions. At the heart of this project is the recognition that the identity of Korea and her people needs to be re-established on a broader basis to prepare for a sustainable multicultural society. Related to the reflection on a multicultural Korea are other studies comparing the multicultural characters of various Asian and European countries in order to develop measures to promote a sustainable multicultural society and democracy in Korea. There are also studies analyzing cross-cultural elements in the Muslim world to find suitable social integration policies for immigrants, along with comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of all research undertaken. Other studies address issues around immigration through marriage, international migrants, and North Korean defectors.
Other programs related to multiculturalism are the ‘global bridge project’ and the ‘multicultural education lecture program project.’ The ‘global bridge project’ is based on the recognition that there are not enough programs to provide support for students from multicultural families in Korea, even though their number is growing rapidly. Science and mathematics excellence programs are offered to those students who have excellent language capacity and potential. Currently, the Multicultural Education Research and the Science Talent Education Institutes of Seoul National University of Education and the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) are offering such programs. Moreover, Korea's education universities offer and support education programs for elementary school, middle school, and high school students from multicultural families in order to prepare them for changing educational environments of an increasingly multicultural society.
V. Korea's Mid-to-Long-Term Humanities Promotion Policy
In order for Korea's humanities promotion policies to create sustainable results, whether tangible or intangible, mid-to-long-term humanities development strategies need to be developed and implemented. This process covers three phases: Phase 1 involves laying a foundation for strengthening academic research capacity in the humanities and social sciences, and for this, a relevant legal framework and support mechanism needs to be established, and a budget secured. The Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology revised the Academic Research Promotion Act (July 21, 2011) to improve management methods for academic policies and to strengthen the autonomous research capacities of academic research institutes. A further challenge is to establish a policy organization to develop systematic and comprehensive policies for the future directions of the humanities. In the case of science and technology, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), and the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), have the responsibility for developing and evaluating policies related to these fields. The humanities also need to establish such policy planning and evaluation institutions.
Phase 2 entails diversifying academic research support and nurturing qualified researchers in the humanities to provide future social leadership. Specifically, Korea is planning to restructure academic research support methods to improve the characteristics of each academic field and is examining the establishment of a permanent research support system to elicit, screen, and encourage necessary research projects. Through such a system it is anticipated that publications on the humanities can be more broadly disseminated, creative and challenging topics can be discussed, and timely social issues can be brought forward on a frequent basis, opening up the regular screening of new ideas and suggestions.
In addition, it is planned to strengthen evaluation and follow-up management procedures for humanities and social sciences research projects in order to achieve not just quantitative but also qualitative competitiveness. For example, the introduction of an ‘excellent results review system’ could be explored to evaluate the qualitative level of research in the humanities and social sciences fields. Along with this, measures to provide incentives for excellent research outcomes and to offer additional pointers for follow-up research are currently under review.
Phase 3 consists of improving the accountability of humanities programs and their communication with society. In pursuit of this end, it is planned to foster convergence between the humanities and social sciences and other fields by for example offering humanities lectures for engineering majors who otherwise have little opportunity to engage with the humanities. By reorganizing both the scholarly and citizen lecture programs, the Korean government also plans to expand awareness of the humanities in local communities (through universities and corporations). The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is currently developing the concept of the ‘humanities city’ (tentative name) as a means of building a local humanities community model. The humanities city refers to a community that tries to find solutions for issues in everyday life and to restore ‘the value of humankind and life’ by expanding the base of humanities to encompass literature, history, philosophy, and the arts and by conducting various programs such as lectures, experiences, and festivals on themes related to the humanities. In the city of Tongyeong in Gyeongsangnam Province, for instance, there are rich cultural features such as the Park Gyeong-Ri Memorial and the Great Battle of Hansan Festival. Tongyeong has a beautiful natural environment (it has been dubbed the ‘Naples of the East’) and it has much experience in promoting life-long education projects and is involved in a sustainable development education project sponsored by the United Nations. Thus, Tongyeong would have good credentials to be recognized as a ‘humanities city.’ Through on-site development projects, regional humanities assets and humanities popularization projects are expected to be combined to create synergetic effects and to contribute to creating social added value in the regions.
Furthermore, Korea is planning to develop the ‘the humanities as a hope’ (tentative name) project and mid-to-long-term support frameworks for the socially disadvantaged (low-income families and multicultural families). Earl Shorris's Clemente Course in the Humanities in the US can provide a good model for such a policy: it is a university-level lecture course provided for the socially marginalized (homeless or poor people and prisoners). Shorris demonstrated that poor people tend to resort to violence simply in order to survive, but that having the opportunity to engage with the humanities allowed those poor people to find means to disengage from the path of violence and to enter on that of independence and autonomy. Since 1995, when it was first introduced in North America, the Clemente Course has been offered in many other countries including Canada and Mexico.
VI. Conclusion
Novels are created out of the experiences and creativity of writers, but they do not remain purely in the realm of fiction as they have the capability of moving the hearts of readers to perceive the truth of their messages for their real lives. The life of a society requires not only the imagination of writers but also creative imagination in all of us. One person's dream and imagination can bring happiness to many. It is the humanities which lie at the heart of such imagination.
The recognition by the Korean government of the importance and value of the humanities is expected to lead to long-term policy support and to turning Korea into a culturally strong country. However, it should be remembered that a government's efforts alone cannot result in the improvement of quality of life. For this, more fundamental solutions must be put together by building new partnerships between governments and researchers, citizens, universities, humanities institutions, and those related to science and technology. The Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology plans to gather various opinions through a variety of channels in order to continually develop Korea's commitment to and outputs of the humanities up to a level comparable with anything else in the world.
