• Journal of English Language & Literature
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.3-24
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• 2009

The Harry Potter series is considered to represent the multicultural aspect of contemporary British society and to show critical perspectives of racism. This series, however, also includes many elements of British imperialism. This paper examines the ideas about education and Harry's role in relation to British imperialism. One of the main ideas prevalent in 19th century British boys' public schools was that people's blood origin is the most important element in determining their characteristics, ability and moral qualities. The students' inherited capacity and their family background are more highly regarded than their secondary learning and training. This reflects a 19th century concept that ultimately, inborn quality makes 'a hero', a truth presented in the educational policies of Hogwarts. Hogwarts' educational policies and systems can also be related to 'developmentalism', which defines children as imperfect, in-progress and incomplete, thus needing proper training and discipline. As this concept functioned to justify the control of children while educating them, Hogwarts adopts diverse controlling devices and oppressive policies, which are mainly justified in the name of education. On the one hand, child characters are controlled and oppressed by the school authorities, on the other hand, some of the students such as Harry have remarkable magic powers enough to resist the adult authority and even to save the magic society from the evil power. Harry plays dual roles, which the British boys of the Empire were assigned from their society; they are important heirs to conquer the 'evil' or 'barbarous' world but need to be obedient to a 'good' authority to achieve the mission. Harry's magic power and self-discipline ultimately contribute to fulfilling Dumbledore's mission, which mirrors 19th century British boys' roles as the heirs of the British Empire.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.33
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• pp.335-358
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• 2008

Hosan Park Moon Ho lived in the truly eventful era with keen competition of western powers, invasion of Japan, Confucianism based Movement against Western Power, Volunteer Army Movement against Japanese and etc. Therefore, his learning and idea could not help being related with such difficult environment of his country. Especially, his idea is directly related with such historical environment of his era in terms of his claims as follow: He thought that Christianity destroyed Korean traditional idea and good customs; he claimed that the nation should subdue the betrayers who were at the Japanese side and be revenged on the murder of the empress Myeongseong; and he advocated his own theory for civilization that the nation should be strictly against the imperial invasion of western powers but work for GaeMulSeongMu(開物成務: Achieving Everything through Enlightenment on Meaning of Everything) and HwaMin SeongSok(化民成俗: Forming Beautiful Customs by Educating the People). The problem that should be urgently solved that time was, first of all, to repel the invasion of Japan and western powers and to realize Confucianism based political ideal by scheming political and social stability and saving the people's livelihood from distress through such repelling.