An Asian Frontier

In the nineteenth century the predominant focus of American anthropology centered on the native peoples of North America, and most anthropologists would argue that Korea during this period was hardly a cultural area of great anthropological interest. However, this perspective underestimates Korea as a significant object of concern for American anthropology during the period from 1882 to 1945otherwise a turbulent, transitional period in Koreas history. An Asian Frontier focuses on the dialogue between the American anthropological tradition and Korea, from Koreas first treaty with the United States to the end of World War II, with the goal of rereading anthropologys history and theoretical development through its Pacific frontier. Drawing on notebooks and personal correspondence as well as the publications of anthropologists of the day, Robert Oppenheim shows how and why Korea became an important object of studywith, for instance, more published about Korea in the pages of American Anthropologist before 1900 than would be seen for decades after. Oppenheim chronicles the actions of American collectors, Korean mediators, and metropolitan curators who first created Korean anthropological exhibitions for the public. He moves on to examine anthropologistssuch as Ale Hrdlicka, Walter Hough, Stewart Culin, Frederick Starr, and Frank Hamilton Cushingwho fit Korea into frameworks of evolution, culture, and race even as they engaged questions of imperialism that were raised by Japans colonization of the country. In tracing the development of American anthropologys understanding of Korea, Oppenheim discloses the legacy present in our ongoing understanding of Korea and of anthropologys past.