Join us for a discussion with Dr. Russell Burge, author of “The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and the Making of Modern Seoul.” In conversation with policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre, Burge delves into the hidden histories of South Korea’s rapid urban transformation during South Korea’s developmental period under Park Chung Hee. Drawing from a rich archive of memoirs, interviews, photographs, and more, Burge challenges the traditional “miracle on the Han River” narrative by centering the rural migrants who built and inhabited Seoul’s shantytowns. He provides a critical lens through which to view the high price of progress and the enduring struggle for a truly inclusive republic.
This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation.
The book is available for sale here
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The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and The Making of Modern Seoul, 1961-1971
Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 4 PM (EDT)
About the Speaker:
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Russell Burge is Korea Foundation Assistant Professor of Korean History at Indiana University Bloomington. He holds a B.A. in Art History from UCLA, an A.M. in Regional Studies East Asia from Harvard, and a Ph.D. in History from Stanford. Prior to starting at IU Bloomington, he was a Council on East Asian Studies postdoctoral associate at Yale University. |