David McCann, the Korea Foundation Professor of Korean Literature and Director of the Korea Institute, received his B.A. from Amherst College, taught English for two years in Korea in the Peace Corps, and received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard. He has published twenty-four books: anthologies, studies on Korean literary culture, translations of the poets Sowol, Pak Chaesam, Kim Chi Ha, Ko Un, Kim Namjo, and So Chongju, as well as four collections of his own poetry. His work in the field of Korean literature has been recognized by the Manhae Prize in 2004, and the Korean Culture Order of Merit in 2006. His current work explores the performance functions of literature during periods of cultural confrontation, the case-study functions of historical compilations, and other features of Korean literature and literary culture.

GENERAL EXAMINATION FIELDS

Pre-Modern Korean Literature

Candidates are expected to demonstrate a general knowledge of Korean literary genres, works, and authors through the end of the Chos�n Dynasty (1910). This will include vernacular Korean prose and poetry, as well as selected major works in Chinese. Students for whom this is a primary field are expected to have completed the survey course on Korean literature as well as the graduate seminar on pre-modern literature, or their equivalents.

Primary Research Language

Demonstrated through seminar work with the examiner.

Modern Korean Literature

Candidates are expected to have a general knowledge of twentieth century Korean literary genres, works, and authors. Familiarity is expected with issues in Korean scholarship, such as the divergences between South and North Korean interpretive and historical frames, as well as significant translations and critical or historical works in English. Students for whom this is a primary field are expected to have completed the survey course on Korean literature as well as the graduate seminar on modern Korean poetry, or their equivalents.

Primary Research Language

Demonstrated through seminar work with the examiner.

SPRING COURSES

East Asian Studies 160. Writing Asian Poetry
Korean Literature 132. Korean Literature in Translation