• English & American cultural studies
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.251-285
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• 2014

Monsters cannot speak. They have been objectified and represented through a particular concept 'monstrosity' that renders the presence of monsters effectively simplified and nullified. In contemporary monster narratives, however, the site of monsters reveals that they could be the complex construction of society, culture, language and ideology. As going into the structure that concept is based on, therefore, meanings of monsters would be seen to be highly unstable. When symbolic language strives to match monsters with a unified concept, their meanings become only further deferred rather than valorized. This shows the language of monsters should disclose the self-contradiction inherent in 'monstrosity,' which has made others—namely beings we define as 'different' from ourselves in culture or physical appearance—embodied as abject and horrifying monsters. Unable to be understood, accepted, or called humans. I analyse Frankenstein and Dracula that firmly converge monstrous bodies into a symbolic meaning, demonstrating how this fusion causes problems in the multicultural society. I especially emphasize the undeniable affirmation of expurgated others we need to have empathetic relations with, because their difference, unfamiliarity, and slight divergences are likely to be defined as abnormalities. In the multicultural society, thus, we must learn to embrace diversity, while also having to recognize there are many others that have been thought of as monsters; ironically enabling us to think about an undeniable imperative of being responsive to other people. In this respect, the monstrous inhuman goes to the heart of the ethical undercurrent of multiculturalism, its resolute attempt to recognize and respect someone else's difference from me. A focus on empathetic relations with others, thus, can strengthen the process of creating social mechanisms that do justice to the competing claims of different cultural groups and individuals.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2019

This study attempts to analyze the critical issues of globalization and present an alternative framework that places ICT in the function of development in comparative perspective. To adjudicate the controversies concerning the effect of developmental factors, it examines the determinants of global trend that leads to the comprehensive mechanism of ICT and cultural residues. The advent of the global community in cyber space requires a new balancing point by the mode of communication and culture among all societies and operation with decentralized authority. This interdependence, by providing diverse network structures and participating in cyberspace, includes the power shift from the dynamics of international relations with voluntary collaboration and brings some important implications for a global empathetic society.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2019

Empathy has been observed to be pivotal in enhancing both social relations and the efficiency of task performance. Empathetic interaction has been shown to begin with individuals mirroring each other's facial expressions, vocal tone, actions, and so on. The internal responses of the cardiovascular activity of people engaged in empathetic interaction are also known to be synchronized. This study attempted to objectively and quantitatively define the rules of empathy with regard to the synchronization of cardiac rhythm between persons. Seventy-four subjects participated in the investigation and were paired to imitate the facial expressions of their partner. An electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement was taken as the participants conducted the task. Quantitative indicators were extracted from the heart rhythm pattern (HRP) and the heart rhythm coherence (HRC) to determine the difference of synchronization of heart rhythms between two individuals as they pertained to empathy. Statistical significance was confirmed by an independent sample t-test. The HRP and HRC correlation(r) between persons increased significantly with empathy in comparison to an interaction that was not empathetic. A difference of the standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN) and the dominant peak frequency decreased. Therefore, significant parameters to evaluate empathy have been proposed through a step-wise discrimination analysis. Empathic interactions may thus be managed and monitored for high quality social interaction and communication.