Description
The Korean peninsula is one of the most heavily militarised regions in the world and the conflict between the North and South is continually exacerbated by the presence of nearly 30,000 US soldiers in the area. Crimes committed in GI entertainment areas have been amplified by an outraged public as both a symbol for, and a symptom of, the uneven relationship between the United States and the small East Asian nation.
Elisabeth Schober's ethnographic history scrutinises these controversial zones in and near Seoul. Sharing the lives of soldiers, female entertainers and anti-base activists, she gives a comprehensive introduction to the social, economic and political factors that have contributed to the tensions over US bases in South Korea.
About the Author
Elisabeth Schober is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo, where she is affiliated with the 'Overheating' project. She is also the author of Base Encounters: The US Armed Forces in South Korea (Pluto Press, 2016).
Reviews
'A very powerful book which deserves a broad readership. Eloquently written, ethnographically rich and theoretically sophisticated' -- Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo, and author of 'Small Places, Large Issues' (Pluto, 2015)
'An excellent contribution to social anthropology and military sociology collections ... Highly Recommended' -- CHOICE
'With lucid analytic prose and vivid storytelling, Elisabeth Schober shows us that the relationship between the US military and the people of South Korea is much more complex than many previous accounts let on' -- Catherine Lutz
'An excellent starting point for anyone interested in how the geopolitical ROK-US relationship plays out in the everyday lives of Koreans and the young Americans sent to 'Freedom's Frontier' -- The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology
Book Information
ISBN 9780745336053
Author Elisabeth Schober
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint Pluto Press
Publisher Pluto Press
Weight(grams) 303g