Review by Choice Review
Japan's colonial domination of Korea is the subject of numerous studies, most of them quite valuable. None, however, is as fascinating as this thoughtful examination of the role of language in the legitimation of the use of force in international relations. Dudden (Connecticut College) explores topics such as the accepted discourse on international law that Japanese leaders both learned and learned to manipulate; the adaptation of international concepts and categories to the specific case of Japan and its relations with Korea; the silencing and sanctioning of dissenting voices attempting to articulate alternative statements within the Japanese discourse; and the dynamic interaction between Japanese reframing of language on one hand and international perceptions of the legality of Japanese behavior in Korea on the other. The result is a fascinating revelation of the critical interplay between language and power and the production and character of ideological discourse in both domestic and international relations. Readers will see the colonization of Korea, as well as the theoretical and practical dynamics of colonialism, in a new light. Students of modern Japan's history, domestic politics, and international relations will find this text extremely valuable, as will readers of theorists such as Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, and Gayatri Spivak. ^BSumming Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. C. L. Yates Earlham College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
