The popular uprisings of March 1, 1919, on the Korean peninsula marked a foundational moment in the history of both South Korea and North Korea. The University of Southern California and its Korean Studies Institute have special ties to this event. The KSI is housed in the family residence of Ahn Chang Ho, a leader of the colonial Korean independence movement, while USC’s Korean Heritage Library preserves the historical archives of the Korean National Association (1909-1988), a political organization that represented the perspectives of the Korean diaspora.
Each Spring, the March 1st Symposium on History and Democracy brings together some of the most distinguished scholars in history, the humanities, and the social sciences. The symposium aims to critically reflect on established paradigms in light of new and emerging methodologies. In Spring 2025, our inaugural conference will bear the title “Colonial Koreans Across Linguistic and National Boundaries.”
In addition to the annual conference, the March 1st Symposium hosts year-round lectures, panels, and screenings that address the political, social, and cultural dynamics of both Koreas and the Korea diaspora.
Upcoming Events
March 25th, 2025
 Doheny Memorial Library (DML), 240
This conference seeks to broaden and integrate existing historical accounts of colonial Korea (1910–1945) with an understanding of Korean diasporic experiences in countries such as the United States, China, and Japan. Bringing together leading scholars of both colonial Korea and early Korean America, the gathering will provoke reflection on personal experiences in the era of global imperialism on both sides of the Pacific. Inspired in part by the publication of Kim San and Nym Wales’ Song of Arirang, conference speakers will address a diverse range of topics, including the transpacific critical reimagining of Korean history, the contributions of diasporic activism to the domestic independence movement, and the effects of colonization on the development of a Korean American identity.
For full conference schedule and panelist bios, click here.
To RSVP, click here.
Past Events
Namhee Lee – Democracy and the Discourse of De-democratization in Post-1987 South Korea
đź•— November 13, 2024
đź“Ť Doheny Memorial Library (DML), 240
While South Korea successfully transitioned from nearly four decades of authoritarian rule to a parliamentary democracy, the high-level political democratization of post-1987 was also enmeshed with all-out neoliberal restructuring following the 1997 financial crisis. The consequent deepening of inequality and poverty, leading to extreme polarization of the society, along with disappointments with political reform, has resulted in the widespread sense of defeat and pessimism embodied in the discourse of “de-democratization;” that is, despite the hegemony of democratic rhetoric and political democratization, democracy in South Korea is in crisis.
This presentation argues that despite the widespread despair, a broad spectrum of civil society has made equally determined and vociferous efforts to demand and work for democratization in all spheres of life. It explores the political horizons and social imaginaries of these movements, which compel rethinking the meaning of democracy and broadening the existing concept of social movements.
Banner Image: Two Men at March First Parade in Dinuba, California (1920) by DaeYoung Lee, USC Korean American Digital Archive