Monthly Archives: May 2012

Asia Institute Seminar with Professor Noam Chomsky (video)

2 Comments Posted by on May 31, 2012


Asia Institute Seminar

with

Professor Noam Chomsky

Department of Linguistics

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“WHAT CAN YOUTH DO TO CHANGE THE WORLD?”

The Asia Institute held this Webinar with Professor Noam Chomsky of MIT on December 3, 2011 as a webinar between Seoul, Korea and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Professor Chomsky discussed how youth can effectively work to change the world and improve policies at both the local and international levels. He stressed the need for youth around the world to work together and to come up with their own solutions, saying repeatedly that the answer must come from students, not from him. When told that he was the leading progressive intellectual in the United States, he promptly replied, “I resign!”

There have been several Korean media interviews with Professor Chomsky over the years, but this seminar was the first time that Korean students, including those not fluent in English, were able to ask Professor Chomsky questions directly. This dialog between experts and young people is emblematic of the Asia Institute approach to contemporary issues. Professor Chomsky later remarked, “I much appreciated the opportunity.”

Video on Youtube: 

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Asia Institute, Interview, Today in Korea, youth , , , , , , ,

해럴드 버머스 미국국립암연구소 소장 월간중앙 6월호

Leave a comment Posted by on May 30, 2012

해럴드 버머스 미국국립암연구소 소장 월간중앙 6월호

아시아인스티튜트 세미나

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Asia Institute, Technology and Society, Today in USA

Talk on how Korea can learn from the past in implementing a program to work together with China to combat the spread of deserts (Saturday, May 26, 2012)

Leave a comment Posted by on May 30, 2012

Emanuel addresses Korean college students in Future Forest set to travel to China to work in anti-desertifcation efforts.

I gave a talk for a group of Korean college students preparing to travel to China where they will work together with Chinese students on anti-desertification projects in July. The students are from universities across Korea and the event was sponsored by the Korea Foundation and Future Forest, the NGO dedicated to Korea-China cooperation on environmental issues of which I am a member. This new effort to bring together young people from Korea and China represents the initiative of the Asia Institute to build close networks between people of different nations that parallel technological and logistical integration.  Read more of this post

Asia Institute, Education, Environment, Today in China, Today in Korea

Seoul goes Global (this time for real!)

1 Comment Posted by on May 28, 2012

Seoul is stepping into a much accelerated rate of internationalization over the last six months, so much that I would argue that Seoul should no longer be considered as representative of Korea, but put in a new class of global cities that are competing for global domination in economics, culture, education and prestige. That is to say, Seoul is going head to head with Dubai, Singapore, New York, London and Shanghai in a race for the top seat. You can refer to my previous short post on the next Byzantium  for a few thoughts on this phenomenon.

For example Seoul is going through a wave of enormous building projects such as the Dongdaemun History and Culture Park that may well fundamentally alter the landscape of the city. Read more of this post

Articles, Business, Culture, Education, International Relations, Seoul, Today in Korea , , , ,

Comics on Economics:Korea’s Hidden Strength

Leave a comment Posted by on May 27, 2012

I have noted previously that one of the outstanding aspects of Korean education is the development of educational comic books aimed at elementary school students that present rather complex information about contemporary society and the world in a readable and entertaining manner. These educational comic books are so well done that I think they deserve to be translated into English for international use.

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Culture, Education, Today in Korea

A Day of Fasting in Seoul

Leave a comment Posted by on May 27, 2012

I decided to fast for the entire day on Saturday, June 23. There were a variety of reasons why I did so. I last fasted in 1997. I did so at that time in solidarity with the starving people in North Korea. I felt that I needed to know what it was like to go hungry, granted for me it was just a short experiment. In 1997, I did so at a time when a large number of people were fasting for that same purpose.

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Culture, Education

Sungmisan School in Seoul: A remarkable Approach to education.

13 Comments Posted by on May 27, 2012

I had a chance to visit the Sungmisan School (성미산학교) in Seoul today for their yearly festival and I spoke a few minutes with one of its founders, Yu Chang-bok (유창복) and the current principle Park Bok-seon (박복선).

Founded in 1996, Sungmisan School is one of the best-known of the alternative schools in Korea, running a program from nursery school through high school—and there is even a plan to establish a university. The school puts a tremendous emphasis on the role of students in society, and particularly courses related to the environment and agriculture (while the school is located in the middle of Seoul). Read more of this post

Education, Environment, Today in Korea , , , ,

Big Data Health in Korea: A Brave New Body?

Leave a comment Posted by on May 21, 2012

This article suggests the new concept of “big-data based health IT services” in Korea. The potential for innovation is considerable as many in the United States and Europe would simply not tolerate this use of information. But in Korea, and in China, and elsewhere, it could well be a new model.

MK Business News

2012.05.21

SKT, KT venture into big data health IT business

Yoo Ki-yoon (aged 51) recently received a personalized healthcare plan based on genome analysis, which processes the patient’s medical and family history and offers relevant healthcare information. This comprehensive health IT service suggests which hospital to visit Read more of this post

Technology and Society, Today in Korea

What is advertising?

Leave a comment Posted by on May 17, 2012

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Essays, Technology and Society, Today in USA

Deb Havens & Arthur Park of Grand Rapids, Michigan call for a Korean Cultural Center

Leave a comment Posted by on May 17, 2012

I recently received a note from two individuals in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who have engaged in an in ambitious project to build a center for Korean culture in Grand Rapids that could serve as a hub for introducing Korea to Americans. Tragically, although Americans drive Hyundais and watch Samsungs, many know more about North Korean missiles than they do about Korean history and culture. The approach put forth is very innovative and inspired. Dr.Deborah Havens, a scholar who has taken a deep interest in Korean culture since her son Haight married an Korean woman (and she was blessed with three grandchildren with Korean roots), has teamed up with the Korean-American Professor Arthur K. J. Park to launch a new initiative for education about Korea in the United States. Professor Park has already started his own effort to introduce Korea to Americans through his Morning Crane Tea and Morning Earth Korea projects (including cultural tours to Korea).

Deborah Haven’s family: Mrs. Haven’s mother is on the far left next to her mother-in-law. She is next to her husband David Charles Limbaugh who served in the Korean War. Their grandsons Brennan and Henry are in front, next to Henna and her daughter-in-law Jungson.

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Articles, Culture, Education, Today in USA

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