Ties That Bind - (Studies in Pacific Worlds) by Hannah Kim (Hardcover)

About the Book

Hannah Kim examines the efforts of nongovernmental actors such as American missionaries, the press, Korean expatriates, social workers, and educators in strengthening Korean and American relations from the early twentieth century through the Cold War.

Book Synopsis

Ties That Bind narrates five stories of how a transnational community helped shape American perceptions and understandings of Korea and Koreans, from a time when only a small number of Americans knew anything about Korea to a time when most Americans were aware of Korea's geopolitical significance. Three of the moments took place when Korea was a colony of Japan: the so-called Conspiracy Case in 1911, the independence movement of 1919, and the efforts to recognize Korean independence during World War II. The other two moments transpired in the context of the Cold War, when Korean orphans and Korean exchange students came to the United States in the 1950s.

In these five stories, the interplay of people, perceptions, and official and unofficial policy can be seen in the work of people who tried to influence U.S. and Korean relations by binding Americans and Koreans through shared values and experiences. They did so by portraying Koreans as Christian converts, as supporters of democracy and democratic ideals, and as people embracing Western or American cultural norms. The actors in this book did not always succeed in their goals, but through their endeavors, they facilitated policy discussions, forged ties between the United States and Korea, and began to break down cultural barriers between Koreans and Americans.

Review Quotes

"Ties That Bind takes a novel and interesting approach to a topic that has received little attention. Based on groundbreaking research and eminently readable, it nicely bridges the fields of diplomatic and Asian American history, both of which have been working toward a new Pacific history that integrates transnational and international elements."--Gregg A. Brazinsky, author of Winning the Third World: Sino-American Rivalry during the Cold War

About the Author

Hannah Kim is an associate professor of history and a co-coordinator of the social studies education program at the University of Delaware, Newark.