Posner, Simon: Travel Grant - 2016-2017

In 2002, Korea began to experiment with neoliberal principles in designated ‘Free Economic Zones’. Most recently, these same principles have washed over Busan, Korea’s second largest city, as the city aims to become a global hub. However, Busan’s development has been unevenly distributed, with poorer sections receiving few funds from the government. These section have nonetheless made efforts to conform to the city's dominant vision. For my project, I wish to interrogate how aestheticized visions of the future intersect with forms of governance in urban areas that are largely neglected by formal governmental assistance. Support from the Einaudi Center and the East Asia Program is crucial to the early steps of this research.