Student Work

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 5-27-2020

Abstract

A 2019-2020 Williams Prize for best essay in East Asian Studies was awarded to Yoojin Han (Berkeley College '20) for her essay submitted to the Department of History, "Redefining through Remembering: China’s Political Objectives as Reflected in Chinese State Commemoration of the Korean War, 1950 - 2010” (Denise Ho, Assistant Professor of History, advisor).

A highly analytical and engaging senior essay grounded in an impressive array of both primary and secondary sources, Yoojin Han’s thesis, “Redefining through Remembering: China’s Political Objectives as Reflected in Chinese State Commemoration of the Korea War,” utilizes Chinese “leadership speeches” made and published during Korean War commemorations to examine: 1) the domestic and international use of Korean War history and 2) the ways in which Korean War commemorations reflect not only China and North Korean relations, but also China’s position in the socialistic bloc, in East Asia, and on the global stage. Using the People’s Daily, the People’s Liberation Army Daily, and the collected writings of Chinese leaders from Mao to Xi, Han analyzes the persistent themes underlying Korean War commemorations and deftly traces the nuances of how the propaganda of history reflected subtle shifts in Chinese domestic politics and international relations.

Open Access

This Article is Open Access

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