Jiyoon Lee Humanities and Social Science
Korean Diaspora Archaeology: Early Korean Diaspora Sites in the United States
Korean diaspora archaeology: Early Korean diaspora sites in the United States
Have you heard of Korean diaspora archaeology in the United States? If you havent, thats completely normal! While Chinese and Japanese diaspora archaeology have been actively researched in the US, Korean diaspora archaeology has been facing a lack of research within the country. Korean diaspora archaeology studies the dispersion of Koreans from an archaeological perspective, which gives voice to people who were silenced in historical documents. My project focuses on the early Korean immigrant population and their settlements in the West and in Hawaii from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. My project will (1) research types of heritage artifacts associated with early Korean diasporic people (2) generate a list of early Korean diaspora sites and (3) explain the need for research in the field of Korean diaspora archaeology. The project will not include any excavations, but will be done through extensive archival research and communications with historical societies. My project is one of the first research projects in the field of Korean diaspora archaeology and aims to provide the basis of future archaeological research in the country.
Message To Sponsor
I am immensely grateful for the wonderful opportunity you have given me this past summer. Your support has allowed me to conduct in-depth research on the new field of Korean Diaspora Archaeology, and in turn helped me grow tremendously as a scholar. This project has taught me the process of independent research, furthermore establishing the ground for my future academic career. I plan to write my senior thesis based on this project and continue the study in graduate school. This summer was beyond meaningful to me. Thank you so much for your support.