Finally, a Master’s degree fit for progressive activists!
I forgot to post on this upcoming program at SungKongHoe. It is one of the first of its kind, and needs to be promoted widely. Here is the ad:
Master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies (MAINS)at the Inter-Asia Graduate School of NGO Studies (IGSONS)
Jointly offered by SungKongHoe University & Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA),in Seoul, Korea
Inviting applications
Inter-Asia Graduate School of NGO Studies (IGSONS)
Master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies (MAINS) Programme
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A graduate degree course offered by
Inter-Asia Graduate School of NGO Studies, SungKongHoe University , and Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA)
The Master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies (MAINS)
About MAINS
The programme of Master of Arts in Inter-Asia NGO Studies starts in March 2007, jointly offered by the Graduate School of Asian NGO Studies of SungKongHoe University and the Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA). Its multidisciplinary curriculum, integrating academic and practitioners’ training with dynamic changes occurring in Asia and the globe, is unique in the field of studies on social changes, non-governmental organizations and civil society. The curriculum covers a wide range of current issues of international relations from both regional and global perspectives as a major field of studies, placing a special focus on the development of solidarity among civil society constituents.
MAINS is intended for the people who have been contributing or have the potential to contribute to a better understanding of or leading social changes in Asia. Benefiting from both academic and practical resources offered by two distinct host institutions, MAINS offers both intense and flexible preparation for either those seeking leadership and skills for more just and equitable social changes in Asia, or those seeking further studies in the field.
Admission
- Eligibility
We welcome applicants with an undergraduate degree, preferably in social science, and with experiences generally in the non-profit or non-governmental sectors in Asia. We are looking for individuals with sensitivity to and involvement in issues such as the promotion of social change, human rights, democratization, local community development, solidarity across borders, and humanitarian aid in Asia.
- Documents Required
Completed application form (download)
Official transcript from the college or university previously attended
One paper/report/article in English previously written by the applicant
2 letters of recommendation
2 photographs (passport photo size)
Research proposal (in English, 1,000-word length)
l Deadline for submission: 18 January 2007, by post or email
Curriculum
- Course nature
The Master of Arts in Asian NGO Studies (MAINS) is an alternative international and social studies programme taught in English with professional and practical focus in Asia. The programme particularly encourages applications from international students and Korean citizens with experiences of non-governmental activities in Asia. MAINS offers an advanced and intensive programme, with teaching methods based on individual self-research, mutual learning by students and thematic approaches. Reading and writing as well as debating and interacting with field groups are strongly emphasized.
- Course structure
MAINS is a 12-month, 4-quarter programme consisting of four required courses, four elective courses, and a thesis, totalling 30 credits. There is a particular theme given to each quarter as a synthesizing structure. Class schedules run from one quarter to the next with a 10-day break in between. Quarters have a varied number of sessions. Some courses are taught intensively by visiting lecturers. Courses combine lectures and student-led seminars.
Core Courses
- Globalization and Social Movements in Action
- Democracy and Democratization in Asia
- International Relations and Peace Issues in Asia
- Methodology and Thesis Writing
Elective Courses
(Not all elective courses are available each year.)
- Development and Social Changes in Asia
- Local Community and Asia
- Gender in Asia
- Globalization and Ecology in Asia
- Globalization and Migration in Asia
- Democracy and Social Movements in Korea
- Leadership and Strategies in NGOs
- International Conflict and Policy Studies
- Transnational Social Movements for Alternatives
- Emerging Inter-national Relations in Northeast Asia
- Emerging Inter-national Relations in Southeast Asia
- Religious Dialogue in Asian Context
- Workshop: Life and Issues in Asia – an Interactive workshop
- Field Study: Social Movements in Korea
Special Programmes (non-credit courses)
- Language Support Programmes, Korean and English
- Study Tour on Democratization and Civil Society Formation in South Korea
- Colloquium on Inter-Asia and Inter-national
- Simulated Conflict Resolution
Thesis
All students are required to write a thesis or an equivalent research report on a topic related to social changes and non-profit/governmental sectors in Asia. Applicants are strongly encouraged to define their research interests prior to the beginning of the programme. Students are expected to start working on their thesis/report proposal from the first quarter, with the support of supervisors. In the third quarter, students should be able to defend their thesis/report proposal. The fourth quarter is devoted mostly to the thesis/report, including field work, data collecting, write-up and defence.
Academic Schedule
- Application period
28 December 2006 – 18 January 2007
- Notification of admission
20 January 2007
- Spring Quarter: 15 weeks, 26 February to 7 June
- two-week holidays: 11-22 June
- Summer Quarter: 6weeks, intensive modules, 25 June – 3 August
- three-week holidays: 6-24 August
- Autumn Quarter: 15 weeks, 27 August to 7 December
- three-week holidays: 10-30 December
- Winter Quarter: 6 weeks, 1 January to 10 February 2008
- Thesis submission: by the first week of February 2008
Countries of origin of expected students for 2007
Bangladesh , China , India, Japan , Myanmar, Nepal, South Korea , Taiwan, Vietnam
Tuition, Scholarship and Other Expenses
(The approximate exchange rate of US$1 = 930 Korean Won)
Application fee: 70,000 KRW (75 USD)
* Application fee waived for those who are getting scholarships from SungKongHoe University
Full scholarship is given to students from developing countries, which covers;
Registration fee: 600,000 KRW (645 USD)
Tuition: 4,600,000 KRW (4,950 USD) per quarter
Minimum living cost: 700,000 KRW (753 USD) per month for 12 months
(including housing, meals, transportation, books, utilities, etc.)
A return airfare from and to home country
* An initial 3-month, paid home-stay is arranged for those who wish to stay so.
Faculty
Dean of IGSONS
Prof. Oh Jae-shik
MAINS Programme Faculty
- Honorary Chair : Dr. Kinhide Mushakoji
- Co-Directors : Dr. Hur Song-woo and an invited ARENA fellow
- Board of Teaching and Resource Persons
Park Gyung-tae (sociology, director of IGSONS)
Cho Hee-yeon (sociology, SKHU)
Hur Song-woo (feminism, SKHU)
Johan Saravamuttu (Research dean for social transformation, Universiti Sains Malaysia )
Vinod Raina (physics, People’s Science Movement, India )
Lee Jung-ok (sociology, Daegu Catholic Univeristy)
Mohuiddin Ahmad (economics, Community Development Library, Bangladesh )
Nimalka Ferdinand (lawyer, Democratic People’s Movement, Sri Lanka)
Francis Loh (political studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia )
Kaoru Aoyama (gender studies, People’s Plan Study Group, Japan)
Lau Kin Chi (cultural studies, Lingnan Univ. Hong Kong)
Kim Min-woong (international relations, SKHU)
Lee Gi-ho (political studies, SKHU)
Francis Daehoon Lee (peace studies, ARENA)
Contacts
Ms. Janice Han, MAINS Programme staff, SKHU
tel. +82-2-2610-4753 (office)
+82-10-5850-8083 (mobile)
fax. +82-2-2610-4752
Mr. Francis Daehoon Lee, executive director, ARENA
tel. +82-2-2610-4751 (office)
+82-11-9256-5134 (mobile)
fax. +82-2-2610-4752
email: dlee@pspd.org
Hi Critical Constellations,
We are an Asian American group in Seattle that is strongly influenced and inspired by the Korean labor movement, particularly the resistance against US imperialism and neo-liberalism. In fact we are named after the anti-colonial March First Movement in Korea. We are organizing a rally in Seattle this Thurs 4/24, calling for US troops out of South Korea. We are demanding that our university, the University of Washington, pull out any investments from US military contractors supporting the USFK. We believe that the presence of US troops in Asia, and the Middle East, are an extension of US imperialism worldwide.
I am attaching our press release in this post. We are hoping that you can help us spread the word that Asian American activists are in solidarity with Korean activists in fighting white supremacy and empire.
Sincerely,
March First Solidarity
Press Advisory: For immediate release 21 April 2008
University of Washington students call for divestment from U.S. Military contractors and the withdrawal of US troops from Korea
Who: University of Washington students and concerned community members
What: Rally to pressure UW to divest from military contractors that support the presence of US troops in Korea
Where: University of Washington, HUB Lawn
When: 12:00pm Thursday, April 24, 2008
Contact: Shemon Salam Tel: +1 734 673 4657 Email: m1solidarity@gmail.com
At 12:00pm on Thursday, April 24, 2008, University of Washington students and concerned community members will rally to demand that UW withdraw any investments it may have in U.S. military contractors that produce items used by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
This rally is part of an ongoing campaign organized by March 1st Solidarity, a new anti-racist group on campus that opposes US imperialism in Asia. On April 7, 2008, March 1st Solidarity formally submitted a proposal demanding divestment. Members of the group believe the university should be a democratic institution where students, staff, faculty, community members, and fellow citizens have the right to make decisions regarding investments, foreign policy, and public ethics. We do not want our tuition and taxes supporting the production of weapons used to maintain US imperialism.
The presence of U.S. troops on the Korean peninsula limits the self-government of the Korean people. Since 1945, the US Forces Korea helped suppress South Korean movements for national reunification and genuine democracy. This resulted in the subjugation of the Korean people to U.S.-backed military dictatorships that lasted until 1987. UW students are rallying because we fear that the USFK could be used today to suppress the struggles of Korean workers and farmers against increased exploitation under the Kor-US Free Trade Agreement.
Today, the USFK is consolidating and relocating its bases in South Korea in order to solidify its military domination across Asia. The USFK is not there to protect the South Korean people; it is there to support the war on terror and the growing US rivalry with China. The Pentagon is redesigning US military bases in Korea to support deployment anywhere in Asia or the Middle East. The bases are used for training and logistical support for the Iraq war and USFK units have been deployed to Iraq.
To facilitate their consolidation of the U.S. military apparatus, the USFK and the South Korean government have collaborated to seize land from farmers in the Pyeongtaek region. Many villagers have refused reparations offers, resisted eviction orders, and engaged in civil disobedience against police and military efforts to remove them. They have gained widespread support from student anti-war activists from across Korea and around the world. In addition, many Korean citizens have protested against crimes committed by US soldiers and the oppressive international sex trade fueled by the presence of US bases.
On April 24, 2008, UW students and community members will be acting in solidarity with these Korean anti-war and anti-imperialist movements. We demand that UW divest from military contractors that support the USFK. UW has a large population of Asian American and Asian international students. US militarism in Asia is a threat to the peace and solidarity of our communities on both sides of the Pacific. In pursuing divestment we refuse to be subservient to US Empire and we stand for democracy and anti-racism in our communities
Comment by March First Solidarity — April 21, 2008 @ 5:09 pm