Department Events

Anthropology Graduate Program Colloquium Speaker Series presents

Who Counts as Korean?: Recognition and Diasporic Citizenship across the United States and Mexico

Based on over ten years of ethnographic and historical research with Korean diasporic communities in the United States and Mexico, this talk explores how descendants of migrants who left the Korean peninsula in the early 20th century - before the creation of either modern Korean state - navigate questions of descent, identity, and belonging.

Focusing on South Korea's recent efforts to commemorate overseas independence activists and engage descendants through heritage and educational programs, I examine how state projects of recognition intersect with community memories and practices. Rather than simply extending national membership abroad, these initiatives generate debates over who counts as Korean, whose histories are remembered, and how diasporic belonging is defined.

The talk highlights recognition and commemoration as key sites through which states and diaspora communities negotiate ethnicity, citizenship, and belonging in a transnational field.

SPEAKER:

Rachel H. Lim, Ph.D. (she/her)

Assistant Professor, Department of Ethnic Studies

WHEN: