Harlow's Monkey Studies - wired v. cloth mother

History of Buddhism and Politics in Korea - Sem Vermeersch

"A look into South Korea reveals a confusing number of influences: the society is commonly described as Confucian, the politics are clearly influenced by Christianity, yet visit South Korea and you may think Buddhism is the religion of the land – there are temples virtually everywhere. Almost a quarter of the Korean population define themselves as Buddhists.

Yet how can we explain Buddhism’s seeming lack of power and influence in shaping contemporary Korean politics and society? Why are there no strong Buddhist political parties or charismatic Buddhist leaders setting the agenda?"

"In Korean history, mostly Buddhism didn’t play an active political role […] I cannot think of any examples of Buddhists pushing their own agenda into the political world  so I don’t see that happening. But the profile of Buddhism is changing."

source

19th C Korea

"The late 19th century in Korea was a period of political and social turmoil. Japanese interference culminates in the assassination of Queen Min and King Kojong later seeking refuge in the Russian legation. At the same time, Korea is confronted with vast scale civil strife as Koreans hostile to the growing influence of foreign nations foment riots and angry mobs roam the streets of Seoul.

This is the Korea the Sills witnessed between early 1894 and the later months of 1896. John Sill, who had been sent to Seoul as Ambassador of the United States, and his wife, Sally Sill, wrote a steady stream of letters to their children and acquaintances who had remained in America. The Sills’ correspondence is a remarkable account of the lives of Westerners in Korea; the tensions between Western influence and traditional values; Japan’s gradual power grab on the Peninsula; and of the dying days of the Joseon dynasty."

You see the great white knight coming all the time [with their mission civilisatrice]. It’s a constant thing.  “You people need to be civilized!” What is civilization? It’s a matter of perspective. Korea was a very civilized country at the time – but it wasn’t western civilization.

source
 

Morality of the State

"When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honours are things to be ashamed of."

- Confucius (Analects, bk. viii., c. xiii., v. 3.)

Money and its redemption

Speaker(s): Dr Laura Bear, Professor David Graeber, Professor Bill Maurer
Chair: Reverend Dr Giles Fraser
Recorded on 7 May 2015 at Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House
Can “bad money” be made good? Leading economic anthropologists will debate the morality of money, philosophies of philanthropy, and the lure of redemption.

Laura Bear is Associate Professor of Anthropology at LSE.

David Graeber (@davidgraeber) is Professor of Anthropology at LSE.

Bill Maurer is Professor of Anthropology and Law at UC Irvine.

Giles Fraser (@giles_fraser) is a Priest, former Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral and Guardian columnist.

Listen here