In Pursuit of English: Language and Subjectivity in Neoliberal South Korea
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Abstract
The purpose of the book In Pursuit of English: Language and Subjectivity in Neoliberal South Korea by Joseph Sung-Yul Park is to demonstrate the connection between English and neoliberalism in South Korea through the lens of subjectivity. Park argues that, within the context of South Korea’s neoliberal transformation, English language learning is positioned not only as an economic asset, but also as a moral obligation. It is the moral dimension and affective experience of language users that produces and reinforces both neoliberal power structures and English hegemony in South Korea.
This book has a broad scope, addressing neoliberal policies and language education policies at the state level. This book consists of nine chapters, with Park examining the theoretical foundations of neoliberalism (Chapter 2), the historic processes of South Korea’s neoliberalization (Chapter 3), the roles of institutions such as education systems, media, and major corporations influencing language experiences (Chapters 3-6). Following this, Park evaluates the significance of affective stances of anxiety (Chapter 6), linguistic insecurity (Chapter 7), and precarity (Chapter 8). Park uses ethnographic methods and theoretical analysis to make his argument. This book critiques the association of English with neoliberalism purely through the commodification of English and language learning and intervenes by connecting English to neoliberalism through subjectivity and the production of language users as human capital.
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