The ‘Excess of Memory’ and Cyber-Nationalism in East Asia: The de-territorial narratives between Korea & China, and ‘emotional regime’ (2021.03)
- Author : Doo-Jin Kim
- Journal : The Journal of International Relations
- Publisher : The East Asian Association of International Studies (EAAIS)
- Volume : Vol.24 No.1
- Date : 2021. 03
Abstract : Contrary to the assumption that the progress of globalization associated with de-territorialization would normally lead to the dilution of nationalism, it is frequently observed that nationalism tends to intensify through cyberspace. In particular, combined with “collective memory” over territorial, historical, and sociocultural issues, narratives of online spaces have allowed Korea and China to show severe inter-state emotional conflicts in comparison with other international societies, e.g. the EU. The “re-territorialization” of East Asian nationalism should be properly reinterpreted within the context of the “emotional regime.” The social sciences tend to have an emotional bias. Emotional narratives were viewed as aberrations and as unfortunate deviations from a rationalistic norm. Nationalist conflicts between Korea and China, which are usually hostile and uncompromising, are regarded as exceptional or pathological. Related to an ‘excess of memory’, the politicization of East Asian nationalism through cyberspace needs to be reconsidered by the variable of ’emotional rationality’ rather than conventionally viewed as an irrational deviation.