• Date: April 26th, Wednesday, 2023, 12:00 – 13:40
• Online via Zoom

When Stuart Hall passed away in February 2014, Korean newspapers all reported the news and commemorated his life by attributing to him the invention of the word ‘Thatcherism’, calling him the ‘Godfather’ of British cultural studies, and mentioning his ‘monumental works’. It was an exceptional case for even conservative daily newspapers to express regard for the life and work of a progressive scholar. It is because Hall has had a large influence on Korean academia. However, how little Hall is actually cited and used in research is surprising. Except for a few studies, British cultural theory is mentioned only superficially in a selective manner in Korea; it is mostly consumed for its popularity.

Such superficial reception of British cultural theory in Korea shows how desperately we are in need of introducing and translating classic works. Thorough reading and the contextualizing process are often omitted for obscure and extensive works. It is because it is hard to deliver theories that are famous yet not read so that they are assimilated into domestic situations. Professor Young Ho Im has consistently worked on systematically translating and introducing the original works of Stuart Hall and Raymond Williams. This long-term work can only be a process of ‘translating’ and ‘contextualizing’ theory, and ‘revealing implications’ to the domestic situation. This lecture will consist of his reflection on the process, present the meaning of his work, introduce his long-term work plans, and share his opinions.

Presenter: Young Ho Im (Emeritus Professor, Media & Communication, Pusan National University)
Discussants: Yeran Kim (Gwangwoon University) / Sung Woo Park (Woosong University)
Moderator: Sojeong Park (The Center for Hallyu Studies)