• Journal of English Language & Literature
• /
• v.64 no.4
• /
• pp.585-600
• /
• 2018

Over the last three decades, the field of American Studies has increasingly paid attention to transnational approaches in an effort to diversify and expand the field's concerns beyond the narrow sense of the nation-state in today's globalizing world. Yet, the mediation of the transnational requires a careful analysis of the nation that is still in transit. In this context, this essay examines Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick (1851) as a case study that vividly shows how reading American literature and culture through transnationalism not only offers new interpretations of canonical texts, but also helps us to better understand the historical roots and cultural contexts of contemporary issues such as global labor and migration, US citizenship and racial justice. To address the complexity of the text's circulation and reproduction, coupled with US national ideology and cultural conditions, I first turn to the canonization of Melville's Moby-Dick during the Cold War era as a national project and then explore the possibilities of transnational readings by focusing on the politics of race and global capitalism in the nineteenth century whaling industry. In doing so, I argue that critical transnationalism allows readers to keep questioning about their own understanding of race, nation, and cultural identity while remaining attentive to the destructive force of US imperialism and global capitalism in the twenty-first century.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.37
• /
• pp.157-183
• /
• 2014

Although Marguerite Yourcenar, a representative French woman writer, lived 47 years in the United States from 1939 to 1987, the American influence on her life has not been studied either at home or abroad. The purpose of this study is to examine chronologically the American influence on the following three literary works of Yourcenar: The Little Mermaid (1942), River Deep, Dark River (1966) and Recluse (1982). The Little Mermaid is a drama, presented in musical format, about the identity crisis and inner conflict of Yourcenar. Unlike the little mermaid who burst like a bubble in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, Yourcenar associates her death with the image of ascension. River Deep, dark river is a translation of the Negro spiritual expressing the suffering of African Americans. Recluse, her last novel, deals with the life story of a simple man living in nature on a small island. This novel shows Yourcenar's desire for a pure world that is not defiled by human greed. Yourcenar sponsored major human rights organizations and environmental groups in her life, and donated her entire fortune for human rights and the protection of Wild Fauna and Flora. The American influence on the literary works of Yourcenar can be summarized as a "great turning point", because she was transformed from a humanistic writer into an intellectual actor.

• English & American cultural studies
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.49-75
• /
• 2014

This paper argues that John Leguizamo disguises ethical intention with humor in his one-person show, Freak. The argument proceeds in three stages. First, on the basis of Slavoj ${\check{Z}}i{\check{z}}ek^{\prime}s$ theory that fantasies teach us how to desire discussed in The Sublime Object of Ideology, I analyze how and why Leguizamo exaggerates and thus de-constructs the ideological fantasies about Latin Americans in Freak. Through this analysis the ridiculous exaggeration of the fantasies and their deconstruction emerges as the means to surface the trauma caused by the fantasies, internally and externally curing and reconciling the audience. Second, I apply ${\check{Z}}i{\check{z}}ek^{\prime}s$ theory of the quilting point introduced in Looking Awry: An Introduction to Jacques Lacan through Popular Culture to reveal how "blots" in Freak form "black holes" in the audience's consciousness to smash their established view of the reality, inducing them to encounter with "the real." The investigation into Leguizamo's use of humor as the quilting point illuminates how he invites the audience to look awry beyond the popular fantasy at "the real" America. Third, on the ground of Emmanuel Levinas's theory that theaters are the space of ethics, namely "ethotopos" to emphasize responsible actions discussed in "Ethics as First Philosophy," I assert that Leguizamo disguises his ethical message with humor so as for the audience to recognize their responsibility for others in America and take action towards change.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.10 no.10
• /
• pp.274-285
• /
• 2010

In the United States, a marked emphasis on personal achievement has been among enduring values characterizing American culture from the beginning of the republic. Particularly, Americans have attached great value to the spirit of self-reliance in striving for personal achievement. However, there have been few empirical studies focusing on the effects of Americans' self-reliant spirit on American electoral politics. Through a field experimentation focusing on the voters of Portage County in Ohio, this study examined the effects of Americans' self-reliant spirit on the evaluations of presidential candidates' personal traits, which constitute the candidates' character. The results of this study demonstrated that American voters evaluated those presidential candidates who were described as self-reliant significantly more favorably than the presidential candidates who were not so described, for 8 out of the 11 personal traits. The findings provide meaningful evidence for ascertaining the potential and legitimacy of the influences of the spirit of self-reliance, in the American society including electoral politics.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.427-445
• /
• 1996

According as the fashion at the latter half part of the 20th century is diversified and made into high-class gradually, it is demanding the individuality of each one. Especially, since the beginning of 1980s, fashion came to represent the restoration mood in a modern style because of the popularization of post-modernism. And with this, it came to result in the reappearance of minimalism which was one of anti-culture in 1960s. In this study, this researcher grasped the appearance background, concept and structural concept of minimalism, and tried to study the influence that he minimalism had on fashion in the flow of fashion over the first half period of the 20th century. Minimalism is the fine art trend of American characteristic which quicked by the meeting of European culture and American culture, according as the new avant-grade art of Europe moved to America after World War II Minimalism which appeared, refusing the mechanisation, industrialization and mass production of America and the falsehood of consciousness and sensitivity under existing system remained obscure by the pop art which is the commercial fine art of same period, but it came to expand the domain of work possibility of modern fine art, and it became the basis of appearance of post-modernism. Minimalism has 4 kinds of structural features which are nonside nature, repetitiousness and environment nature with 3 dimensional feature which is issue nature. Minimalism is appearing in the exfcellent and future-oriented fashon of Andre Kureju t the time of 1960 well. Then science revolution and minimalism aroused the mini-revolution, and they made the compact radio in electric home appliances and the miniskirt in fashion appear. The features of minimal fashion as Retro '60' which appeared in the decedent mood with the 21st century just before on are as follows: First, the are the pursuit of concise plastic line. Second, it is the use of high tech material Third, the miniaturization in size amy be enumerated. Minimal fashion will appear s the positive confrontation from of mankind as the optimistic viewpoint about feature in the situation hat environment was destroyed and the resources were exhausted.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.62 no.8
• /
• pp.28-44
• /
• 2012

The aim of this research is to examine the tendency of national tastes reflected in global SPA brands based on the theories of Gans' taste culture and Bourdieu's cultural capital. In this study, the leading global SPA brands such as H&M, ZARA, GAP and UNIQLO can be considered as a representative taste culture as well as an icon of popular culture in the $21^{st}$ century global fashion and also the aesthetic taste of each brand differentiated from their national aesthetic values based on socio-cultural backgrounds. H&M represents fashionableness, practicality and environmental friendliness based on naturalism, democratic humanism, and functional practicality of Sweden. ZARA emerges as the most trend oriented brand as well as customer centered on the basis of cultural diversity, passion and glamorous artistic sensibility of Spain. GAP shows American iconic style, which is the functional sports casual wear, originated from American leisure culture and mass production. Lastly, UNIQLO represents high-tech functionalism and practical simplicity based on Japanese delicate workmanship and simple, concise lifestyle while relatively does not much follow the fashion forward trends. Consequently, the national taste has been proved as a solid foundation to identify each global brand. This should be the key component also applied to Korean global brands for developing their concepts and strategies more successfully based on our own national aesthetic taste.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.11 no.11
• /
• pp.71-83
• /
• 2013

In a EFL situation, most Korean students and teachers are exclusively dependent on English textbooks to acquire the cultural factors of English. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze cultural elements in the English Textbooks. The results of the study are as follows: First, although all of the textbooks contain the culture part at the end of each lesson, it is insufficient for students to build a cultural schema. Second, in the analysis of cultural types, three types of cultures are presented in a similar percentage. Third, the culture elements were analyzed based on the 7th national curriculum revised in 2011. The most dominant is the culture regarding arts and literature. Forth, in nationality analysis, universal culture takes up the largest portion. Therefore, it is required more efforts to improve students' knowledge of the American and English culture.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.307-316
• /
• 1994

This study is concerned with a comparative linguistic analysis of the Manchu costume terminologies. The Manchu costume terminologies revealed the elements Hebrew, Norweygian, English, Assyrian, Chinese, American Indian, Sanskrit, Tatar, Turkestan, Greek, Arabic, Indian, Kashmiri. The most influential elements of the Manchu costume terminologies were the Chinese costume terminologies. specifically, the elements of the Chinese costume terms were found in the terminologies of the fabrics, the gems and the precious stones. Also the influence of the Mongolic costume on the Manchu costume terminologies appeared in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.42 no.8
• /
• pp.187-201
• /
• 2004

This study identified the characteristics of the consumer culture of the American Bobos(Bourgeois Bohemian) and the British POSH(Port Out, Starboard Home) and their influence on the consumption culture in Korea. The sociocultural background, values and consumption patterns of both Bobos and POSH were analyzed through a literature survey. Korean periodicals were analyzed to identify the influence of Bobos and POSH on the Korean consumer culture. The results suggested that the characteristics of both Bobos and POSH were reflected in their lifestyles or values through their consumption and possessions. In addition, it was found that Korean consumers appeared to be more influenced by Bobosthan POSH.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.33-68
• /
• 1993

The purpose of this paper is to survey the influence of the culture change on the dress and personal adornments, and to survey the change of factors from the August 15. 1945 to 1960, in connection with the social and cultural background, applying B. Malinowski′s "Theory of Culture Change" which means an acculturation is the change′s elements of the dress and its ornaments. It is remarkable that the dress and personal adornments of Korean women after August 15, 1945 has great change from the traditional dress of the thousands years. Through the Liveration on August 15, 1945, American military government and the establishment of the Korean government, American democracy has brought many changes on Korean society. Advancement of education, an society with developed economic life, and introduction of scientific skill have influenced on the women′s way of thinking and a style of behavior and the view of value. The acculturation, the supply of mass communication, introduction of new institution and the reorganization of the old institution, the change of the economic situation, the change of the educational system, the change of the point of value, the development of scientific skill have greatly influenced on the dress and personal adornments. Modern dress and personal adornments of Korean women has the following developing procedure. The Liberation from Japan on the 15th, of August, 1945, the stationing of American Soldiers during hte Koran War, returning of the oversea′s brethern, and the mass communication have the direct and indirect contact with western civilization, and bring the occasion of development of the modern dress of Korean women. The increase of mass communication, such as radio, TV, newspaper, magazines and the frequent fashion shows showed fine design and practical western style dress to the women. This was the real beginning of the western style dress in Korea. By the increase of employment and the improvement of the economic situation, the consumption of clothing and the adornments was increased, so that a wide variety of fashions was set, and numerous kind and form of dress came in. As the increase of the number of women students, their practical and free dress life demanded western style dress. After the Liberation from Japan, the open-door policy of sex, public morals and traditional ethics became lax, and in this disordered society, indecent expose of the body was common. By the different kind of technological development, the form, fabrics, colors and patterns in clothes were much influenced and the hair style, make up, shoes and adornments were much influenced too. As shown above, the change of the dress has the same connection with that of society and culture. This shows that the dress and personal adornments represent clearly the cultural phenomenon of the society and cultural change of the society.