Examining Korean nationalisms, identities, and politics through sport

Abstract

South Korea is a sport-loving country. Indeed, sport is not simply a popular physical activity but it is a symbolically significant social practice in the country. In particular, sport operates as an important cultural resource through which a specific discourse of Korean nationalism is reproduced and disseminated. In this respect, as supplementary reading to the papers contained in this special issue, this editorial introduction identifies three major types of Korean nationalism, namely post-colonial anti-imperialist nationalism, pan-Korean ethnic nationalism, and the South Korean state’s patriotic nationalism. It also looks at the way in which sport reflects and reinforces those nationalisms. The introductory essay ends with brief summaries of the six articles in this special issue.

Keywords:

• Korea:sport
• nationalism
• post-colonialism
• inter-Korean relations