Neoliberal Governmentality at Work: Post-IMF Korean Society and the Construction of Neoliberal Women.

CHO Joo-hyun

This paper focuses on a chain of closely knit social phenomena in the post-IMF Korean society that has complex and interesting effects on Korean women and their responses, both passive and active. The terrain for these phenomena is permeated by neoliberal governmentality. First, the paper presents a review of theoretical frameworks based on Foucault's later works on biopower and governmentality, especially his interpretations and criticisms of American neoliberalism. Foucault's framework seems to work quite efficiently in treating the phenomena discussed here, but leaves something to be desired. Especially conspicuous gaps can be seen in its gender blindness. This paper argues that these gaps can be more or less remedied by resorting to works by other feminists and Foucauldians. Next, general descriptions of gender issues in the labor market and social welfare system are given to show that the post-IMF Korean society has been transforming to a neoliberal system. To reveal the salient features of this transition, the phenomena of increasingly booming body care and cosmetic surgery, private marriage matching service, and efforts of students both in secondary schools and colleges to raise their human capital for better jobs in future are introduced and interpreted from the aforementioned theoretical viewpoint.

KOREA; NEOLIBERALISM; INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund; POWER (Social sciences); PUBLIC welfare; LABOR supply; SOCIAL change; WOMEN'S rights; FEMINISM; LABOR market; KOREAN history, 1945-; ECONOMIC history; SOCIAL history

Korea Journal, 2009, Vol 49, Issue 3, p15

0023-3900

Academic Journal

10.25024/kj.2009.49.3.15