Introductory Post:

Hello everyone, 

I am currently a rising third-year undergraduate student in the Walsh School of Foreign Service majoring in International Politics and minoring in History and Korean. This summer, I am eager to begin on my summer research project alongside my peers in Georgetown University’s second cohort of Laidlaw Scholars. 

In my studies, I am particularly interested in examining history through political and cultural lenses. This is especially true as it pertains to the intersections between the U.S. and the Pacific World as it pertains to subjects of imperialism, colonialism, and post-colonial memory. For these reasons, I will be using my time to research the extent of U.S. influence in the development of media in the years following the establishment of the Republic of Korea (South Korea). I am hoping to specifically examine the use of anti-communist propaganda in the new state and how these initiatives were influenced by the political, economic, and military support of the United States in the backdrop of the Cold War. Additionally, I hope to explore the relationship between American intervention and the lingering colonial trauma of Japanese occupation. 

I'm always looking to grow my personal and professional connections with fellow Laidlaw Scholars across a range of industries. Do not hesitate to connect via LinkedIn or contact me directly at sas529@georgetown.edu if you would like to get in touch.

Week 1-3 Updates: 

For the first three weeks of my research I have primarily focused on establishing a strong understanding of the historical context of my subject. Though I have worked on research projects related to interactions between the United States and the Pacific World throughout history, I do not have an expensive in South Korean-U.S. relations specifically - this includes interactions during US military occupation of Korea after end of Japanese occupation and World War II, the Korean War, the presidency of Syngman Rhee, etc. 

Though I did not originally intend or expect to do so, my research on these subjects encourage me to dedicate a great deal of time learning more about U.S. strategies and operations during the early years of the Cold War and beyond, specifically in relation to anti-communist propaganda. The goal of this was to provide insight into the motivating ideologies in the foreign policies of the United States during this time period, even if not directly related to the Republic of Korea. 

My background research also coincided with the start of my literature review of the preexisting works on subjects related to my research. I spent time working with my mentor to find and review various works by both American and South Korean scholars on the subject. Though I still have more reading to do, this is allowing me to gain a much better understanding of existing gaps in literature during this time period - eventually allowing me to develop my thesis. 

In the coming weeks, I expect that my research endeavors will look similar to what I have already worked on. Since my project is historical in nature, I am somewhat limited in my methodologies and resources. Though I originally expected translation of written works in Korean to be a significant challenge, I have been lucky thus far that my project’s focus on the U.S. role in South Korea has not made it much of an issue yet. Since I will be focusing more on finding and reviewing primary sources in the future, I may still have to face this issue. 

Week 4-6 Updates: 

In the last three weeks of my project, I have continued to work on my research in a similar manner - with a focus on literature review. Since doing more readings I have decided to focus less broadly on anti-communist propaganda in South Korea and complete a more comprehensive review of the development of media industries and systems of communication during the First Republic. I believe that expanding the focus of my project beyond anti-communist propaganda will not only allow for a more complex understanding of the interactions between the United States and South Korea, but it will also provide greater understanding of the impact of the U.S. promotion of the Western lifestyle and capitalist consumerism throughout the Cold War. I have also now decided to include a modern component in my final research paper in which I will seek to use my historical analysis to trace the establishment of contemporary media in South Korea. Though this section will likely be brief, it is something that I have kept in mind as I continue to develop my final argument.

These weeks I also spent more time examining primary sources, recognizing my reliance on secondary research in the past few weeks. The Georgetown University library was quite helpful in helping me identify online databases and resources with information on the subject. Specifically, I examined historical photographs, advertisements, informational pamphlets, newspaper articles and government documents related to U.S. occupation of Korea, the Korean War, Cold War strategies, and the onset of the Vietnam War. Though I still need to spend more time examining these and other similar resources, it has been especially helpful in understanding the motivations of U.S. government officials and of the American public. I believe that once my final paper is almost complete I will be able to review these resources once again and cite them to support my argument.

Since I have finished reviewing my sources and outlining my findings, my goal for next week is to complete a draft of my paper outline. I anticipate the putting together the final paper will not be very difficult considering the extensive research I have already prepared. My personal goal for our last few weeks is to communicate more with my mentor and get more input as I finalize my project. 

Reflecting on the first six weeks of my project, I am grateful for all the support and guidance of my cohort, my mentor, my peer mentor, and the Center for Research & Fellowships at Georgetown throughout the start of this program. I look forward to using the skills I have developed and all that I have learned about myself in the final weeks of research. Looking forward to accomplishing great things in the near future!