Thursday, the 25th of January from 5 to 7 pm CET via Zoom.
“Like a Gambler with No Future: the South Korean Youth as Neoliberal Individuals in a Casinoized Society“
by Kang Daehoon, Césor/EHESS
Discourses such as “Sampo generation 삼포세대” (generation giving up love, marriage, and procreation), or “spoon class theory 수저계급론” (idea that a child’s class and life is determined by socioeconomic status of their parents) convey tellingly predicaments of the South Korean youth. Statistics attest them, since South Korea records one of the highest suicide rates and the lowest birth rate in the world. While several factors might be responsible for their sufferings, I will argue that “pseudo-effervescence without supporting group” and “gambler-type future perception in a casinoized society” can explain why so many young South Koreans are struggling today. Where only a few jackpot-style success models are worshiped (which are inspired by neoliberal innovation and entrepreneurship), commonality, ordinariness, and everyday sincerity of human life are belittled, in such a way that one bets on the future but cannot construct it, spends away the present but cannot live in it.
The ENPA Works-in-Progress Seminar is a venue for researchers, faculty and postgraduate students to present ongoing work, receive feedback and share ideas about their research in psychological anthropology and allied fields.
The seminar meets monthly via Zoom.
To join ENPA WiPS and receive the link for the seminar, please register here.
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