This research aims to explore the future vision of community culture research and the value of utilization as intellectual resource. The purpose of this research is to seek examples of contemporary utilization and transformation of community culture, ...
This research aims to explore the future vision of community culture research and the value of utilization as intellectual resource. The purpose of this research is to seek examples of contemporary utilization and transformation of community culture, demonstrating convergent, practical, and alternative characteristics in accordance with various problems in contemporary Korea. The agenda, “Establishment and Application of Theoretical Study on Community Culture as Future Studies” was devised to establish and apply a new paradigm of folklore as futurology. In the research process, we focus on collecting research data, analyzing them, and investigating their application of community culture which has newly been established in contemporary Korean society. This research procedure which contains field-based participation and problem-solving process, emphasizes establishing a new status of folklore as future studies.
This research had set a medium-and-long-term goal of each stage; the research goal of first stage is to “Searching for the Method of Utilization in the Paradigm Research of Community Culture Movement.” Meanwhile, the research goal of second stage is to “Futuristic Planning of the Paradigm in the Research of Community Culture and its Construction of the Application System.” The first stage of the research aims to comprehend and analyze the empirical phenomena diagnosed as the current community crisis in Korean society, while the second stage intends to establish an alternative utilization system for developing a paradigm for community culture research. As a result, in fields of community culture research based on the reality of community phenomena, detailed tasks such as “Tradition and Resource,” “Represent and Conversion,” and “Alternatives and Utilization” are being designed and examined. The first research team, “Tradition and Resource” investigates the traditional existence of community research discourse and community culture, as well as the topography of research discourse, to find systematic resource storage, accumulation, and its utilization. The second research team, “Representation and conversion,” examines the patterns and characteristics of folklore, and community representation and transformation, in community culture phenomena or data, as well as conducting a multilateral analysis of new arrangements and contemporary folklore transformation. The third research team, “Alternatives and Utilization” devises a model that could enhance communicate with the actualities along with theoretically seeking the nature and statues of folklore as future studies.
The research on community culture developed in response to various problems in Korean society needs to be sought to conduct various studies such as analysis and interpretation, derivation of theories based on them, and methodological search. Therefore, it aims to effectively respond to Korean society’s issue area by collecting data in various ways and undertaking a more comprehensive and multi-layered analysis and interpretation process on practice cases in the community cultural practice. To achieve these objectives, this research establishes detailed annual subjects to systematically investigated and analyze the practical and policy paradigm of the field of community culture. The first stage of this research, “Searching for the Method of Utilization in the Paradigm Research of Community Culture Movement,” has been conducted to analyze and utilize the paradigm of community culture research by devising the paradigm of practice of community culture, such as, “Regional Regeneration,” “Social Innovation,” and “Safe Society.” The second stage of this research, “Futuristic Planning of the Paradigm in the Research of Community Culture and its Construction of the Application System” has undertaken to examine comprehensively, the themes of “Commons and Affect,” “Discourses of Nation,” and “Alternative Knowledges” as paradigms.
In addition, intensive fieldwork areas have been selected annually to conduct community culture research based on in-depth understanding of community culture phenomena, field participation, and context-oriented approaches in order to understand community culture organizations and phenomena developing in various regions of Korea. In particularly, by establishing a rapport with community members, we are seeking for ways to collaborate or unify not only in-dept interviews but also in connection to composition of agendas based on common demands that could be developed in the process of research. The first stage of this research has been achieved with 26 KCI listed(candidate) academic papers published, 1 SSCI paper published, and 32 domestic and international academic conferences participated. In addition, all sum up 13 academic events have been held throughout academic conferences, regional cooperative academic network conferences, and colloquiums. Moreover, with Gyeongsangbukdo (Provice), “Social Economy Meeting” has been held annually to discuss in-depth the history and prospects of the social economy area in community culture, as well as to promote cooperation actively with external organizations by participating in the national village development competition. Throughout this performance, this research has been drawn academic research areas of community culture as well as various practical exchanges which could be achieved in field. In addition, academic journal, <The Folklore Studies> had been published bi-annual, and from the third year of its first stage, we have launched a new academic periodical, <Journal of Community Culture and Folklore> which is more suitable for our agenda. In addition, 7 academic books have been published to collect the results of the first stage of research, and an online webzine have been launched for further academic exchange. The webzine had been published 5 times till the end of the first stage. Annual Research Paper Competition for undergraduate students and graduate students is held to promote community culture research and develop junior researchers. In the nearest future, this research will investigate the future vision of community culture research and the value of its utilization as knowledge resources focusing both contemporary application of community culture and its transformation. In the following second stages of this research, systematic and empirical studies on various phenomena of community culture will be conducted and the specificity of the theoretical paradigm will be investigated.
Ultimately, the result of this research which are created from field-work activities, academic activities, and publishing activities implemented throughout “Community Culture Research Camp” within all achievements as alternative knowledge-based system for solving community issues, could be converted, utilized, and got feedback. Also, achievements of this research would construct a knowledge data base for each communities’ culture and its application system.
The alternative knowledges of community culture, derived from this research would be secure a contact point between folklore and humanities. Vice versa, this research result would suggest its academic theory and direction. The achievement would allow us to discuss the mechanisms and prospects of community culture practice in setting of various theoretical programs arising from new research horizons, as well as to materialize the possibility of integrating and utilizing research results. Ultimately, this research will be able to accomplish the agenda, “Establishment and Application of Theoretical Study on Community Culture as Future Studies,” and lay the research ground as alternative knowledges for long-term.