Comparing Historical and Contemporary Elements of Jasal (Suicide) in South Korea

South Korea has relatively high rates of suicide, making suicide a contemporary social issue that merits study. Korea has a long history of colonial violence, as well as decades of rapid modernization and social change. I believe the concept of suicide, and broader concepts of health for that matter, should be mapped throughout Korea’s unfortunate and ever-changing history to undercover cultural meanings. Understanding how suicide has changed over time in Korea will provide an interesting and useful analysis on the concept itself, as well as finding elements that should be a part of understandings today. My preliminary research will consist of analyzing historical documents from colonial times, mapping suicide through time, while considering how suicide is understood and addressed in Korea today. With the help of the knowledgeable faculty and archives at Yonsei, I expect to be able to effectively map the meanings of suicide in Korea, past and present. I intend for this study to contribute ideas to more effective suicide prevention efforts, as well as mental health counselling.

Faculty Supervisor:

Robin Oakley

Student:

Partner:

Yonsei University;Seoul National University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: