1. Our research project involves a compressed modernity subject: ‘Comparative Analysis on the Regional Character of Compressed Modernity based on Personal Documents.’ There are two major project objectives: 1) to examine its analysis model, and to co ...
1. Our research project involves a compressed modernity subject: ‘Comparative Analysis on the Regional Character of Compressed Modernity based on Personal Documents.’ There are two major project objectives: 1) to examine its analysis model, and to collect and process personal documents for the first two years; 2) to utilize the collected data as social resources for the second and third years. To achieve these objectives, the “Changpyeong Diary,” produced by a farmer on Imsil-gun in Jeollabuk-do, and the “Daegok Diary,” produced by a farmer on Pyeongtaek-si in Gyeonggi-do, are identified and similarities and differences are discussed, specifically, in terms of issues such as contents, regional variables, and circumstances.
2. In order to establish reliable analytical methods and frameworks, several seminars are offered by professionals and experts in many different areas. Grounded theory, sequence analysis, and life-course approach are reviewed within a form of scientific inquiry in quantitative and qualitative approaches, and diary analysis methods and frameworks in Western countries and Japan are examined.
3. During the first two years, the Changpyeong Diary in four volumes (1969-1995) was figured out type of mistake, entered data into a computer, and carried considerable historical significance for providing scientific weight in the social science research.
4. During the third year, the “Apo Diary” (1969-2000), produced by a farmer on Kimcheon in Gyeongsangbuk-do, was put through detailed review and explicated. At the outset, the diaries from 1969 to 1985 are published along with a historical explanation for interpreting and understanding the original manuscript.
5. Our project team has made an agreement to run joint research with the Research Center for Regional Culture which retrieves, analyzes and publishes the “Peyongtak” Diary in Gyeonggi-do.
6. To overcome the limits of comparative analysis among domestic areas and to draw on the comparative advantage of countries in East Asia, we invited personal diary professionals and others from Japan, China, and Taiwan and hold the International Conference under the theme “Modernization and Diary in East Asia” for considering ways towards research trends, methods, and collaboration. As a result, strong foundations of comparative analysis among four countries such as Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan are established for the research interest of compressed modernity and personal records
7. The research achievements for three years include 10 articles, 10 books, participation in 26 academic conferences, 10 symposium opening, 3 special lectures from world-class scholars, and 6 local guest lectures. The aforementioned activities extend the scope of research and go beyond all initial research purposes.
8. Results of these projects make a close inquiry into the characteristics of compressed modernity in Korea, reveal the interesting features of the personal diary as a human documentation through content analysis and field research, and carry out the quantitative approach to build a database, In addition, they try to find a classic example of personal experience by the process of quantitative analysis on a national scale. Thus our project team eagerly anticipate improvement in the methodology of personal document research by adapting comparative research methods to explore dimensions of East Asian countries.