Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

As shown by China's relationship to Japan, and Japan's relationship to South Korea, even growing regional economic interdependencies are not enough to overcome bitter memories grounded in earlier wars, invasions, and periods of colonial domination. Although efforts to ease historical animosity have been made, few have proven to be successful in Northeast Asia. In previous research scholars anticipated an improvement in relations through thick economic interdependence or increased societal contact. In economic terms, however, Japan and China already trade heavily: Japan has emerged as China's largest trading partner and China as second largest to Japan. Societal contact is already intense, as millions of Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese visit one another's countries annually as students, tourists, and on business trips. But these developments have not alleviated international distrust and negative perception, or resolved disagreement on what constitutes "adequate reparation" regarding the countries' painful history.

Noticing clashes of strong nationalisms around the world in areas like Northeast Asia, numerous studies have suggested that more peaceful relations are likely only if countries submerge or paper over existing national identities by promoting universalism. Pride, Not Prejudice argues, to the contrary, that affirmation of national identities may be a more effective way to build international cooperation. If each national population reflects on the values of their national identity, trust and positive perception can increase between countries. This idea is consistent with the theoretical foundation that those who have a clear, secure, and content sense of self, in turn, can be more open, evenhanded, and less defensive toward others. In addition, this reduced defensiveness also enhances guilt admission by past "inflictors" of conflict and colonialism. Eunbin Chung borrows the social psychological theory of self-affirmation and applies it to an international context to argue that affirmation of a national identity, or reflecting on what it means to be part of one's country, can increase trust, guilt recognition, and positive perception between countries.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of Figures (p. ix)
• List of Tables (p. xiii)
• Acknowledgments (p. xvii)
• Chapter 1 Are Strong National Identities Harmful for Peace? (p. 1)
• Chapter 2 Why Can't We Move Beyond the Past? Distrust, Guilt Avoidance, and Negative Images (p. 18)
• Chapter 3 Theories of Identity Affirmation: Trust, Guilt, and Images (p. 39)
• Chapter 4 National Identity and Trust: Experiments in China, Japan, and South Korea (p. 83)
• Chapter 5 National Identity and Guilt Recognition: Experiments in Japan (p. 113)
• Chapter 6 National Identity and the Ally Image: Surveys in South Korea (p. 156)
• Chapter 7 Application to Policy 1: Security Cooperation (p. 171)
• Chapter 8 Application to Policy 2: Reparation Endorsement (p. 196)
• Chapter 9 Conclusion (p. 219)
• Appendix A Survey Materials (p. 239)
• Appendix B Supplementary Empirical Materials (p. 249)
• Notes (p. 257)
• References (p. 263)
• Index (p. 299)
• Digital materials related to this title can be found on the Fulcrum platform via the following citable URL: https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.12010257

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Contrary to what many political scientists today believe, Chung (Univ. of Utah) proposes that a secure, confident sense of national identity in East Asia may be a far more effective way of promoting peaceful international relations than globalism or universalism. In this novel approach, Chung argues that strong, well-established national values can reduce political distrust, guilt avoidance, and negative perceptions, which have accumulated through a history of past aggression--invasion, war, or colonial dominance--and create better mutual understanding and increased cooperation. Citing examples of the long-standing hostilities between China, South Korea, and Japan and the difficulties those countries face in achieving and maintaining productive bilateral relationships, Chung notes that positive outcomes can be reached through the discovery of commonalities, which permit a singular psychological shift from hatred to reconciliation, if not complete acceptance. This intriguingly fresh idea--that national identify can serve as a pacifying rather than a divisive force--should be welcome news because it is highly unlikely that any of these regional powers will ever abandon their well-developed national pride. This book paves new paths forward for international relations in East Asia. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty and general readers. --Sophia Crysler Hart, William and Mary

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Eunbin Chung is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Utah