A Study of the Use of the Family in Enlightenment Discourses: an analysis of Taehan Maeil Sinbo

This is a study of discourses on the family used during the Enlightenment period in Korea. To this end, 1 have conducted a qualitative analysis of the editorials taken from the Taehan Maeil Sinbo of that period. The major findings are as follows: First, these Enlightenment period discourses claimed that civilized nations evolved from a family in primitive society. This concept of family is different from the concept of family in a Confucian society. Civilized societies believed the family is less important than the nation. At that time, Korean Press used the term bumoguk (Parental nation) to refer to the nation in an attempt to equate national loyalty to filial piety. Second, the Enlightenment period claimed that the nation belonged in the Public sphere while the family belonged in the private sphere. However, it was stated that it was the duty of the family to discipline the members and make them into good citizens. Finally, Enlightenment discourses used familyism as the basis of their arguments.

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