South Koreans tailor American ideas about economic development and democracy. This ambitious and innovative study examines American nation building in South Korea during the Cold War. Marshaling a vast array of new American and Korean sources, Gregg Brazinsky explains why South Korea was one of the few postcolonial nations that achieved rapid economic development and democratization by the end of the twentieth century. He contends that a distinctive combination of American initiatives and Korean agency enabled South Korea's stunning transformation. Expanding the framework of traditional diplomatic history, Brazinsky examines not only state-to-state relations, but also the social and cultural interactions between Americans and South Koreans. He shows how Koreans adapted, resisted, and transformed American influence and promoted socioeconomic change that suited their own aspirations.

About the Author
Gregg Brazinsky is assistant professor of history at the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.


Book Information
ISBN 9780807861813
Author Gregg A. Brazinsky
Format Paperback
Page Count 328
Imprint The University of North Carolina Press
Publisher The University of North Carolina Press
Weight(grams) 493g