David Shaffer (Gwangju International Center, Korea)
Abstract
There has been dramatic change in the Republic of Korea over the last 50 years: from Park Chung-hee’s Third Republic and Gwangju’s main artery being unpaved to Korea becoming an OECD member and one of the most wired nations in the world. In this presentation, I will lead the attendees chronologically through the major events gripping the republic over the span of my residency in the nation – the assassination of President Park, the sinking of the Sewol ferry, and the Gwangju 5.18 Uprising, to name but a few. Attendees will be able to leave this presentation with a more structured timeline of events and a more detailed understanding of historical milestones transpiring in Korea from my first-hand experience, as I’ve made Gwangju my home since the early 1970s. A Q&A session will be included.
KOTESOL Invited Session; In-Person Talk, 25 minutes
Other Issues: Local Historical Context
General Interest
About the Presenter
Dr. David Shaffer has lived and worked in Gwangju since 1971, when he came to Korea as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer. His master’s and doctoral degrees are in linguistics, and he spent his teaching career at Chosun University. He has written numerous articles and books on Korea’s culture, history, and literature. His academic interests span TESOL, linguistics, and applied linguistics.
