A new graduate summer school opportunity at 91ɫ will use geopolitical borders to explore conflict, division and peacebuilding in Korea.
Hosted by the Korean Office for Research and Education (KORE), War and Peace at the DMZ will bring graduate students together at 91ɫ's Keele Campus in June 2027 for an intensive two-week program examining the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea, and what it means to Koreans.
Co-ordinated by Professor Thomas Klassen at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the summer school will be taught by two internationally recognized scholars: Professor Dong Jin Kim of Hanshin University in South Korea and Professor Steven Lee of the University of British Columbia.
"The DMZ is a unique space representing division but also a hope for reunification,” says Klassen.
The first week will explore the division of the Korean Peninsula following the Korean War and the domestic and international conflicts that shaped the region during the 20th century. The second week will place the Korean DMZ in a broader global context by considering peacebuilding initiatives and the role of civil society organizations.
"The DMZ represents both a unique place and history, but also a more general example of international conflict, reconciliation and attempts at unification," says Klassen. "The summer school will connect to broader debates about peace and conflict in other regions of the world, especially the role of civil society actors in contributing to peace."
The 2027 program builds on KORE's previous summer school initiatives and expands the scope of study to include North Korea, South Korea and the relationship between the two.
Open to graduate students interested in international relations, East Asia, North and South Korea, as well as peace and conflict studies, the program gives students an opportunity to learn from experts in the field while studying the continuing division of the Korean Peninsula.
Applications are due before Dec. 21.
For more information, visit War and Peace at the DMZ: Korea Graduate Summer School. The summer school is supported by funding from the .