Preface to a “ Cultural State :

This paper is a aitique of the existing theoretical tracliti analyze the po1itical and rultural characteristics of Korea as a nati。κ forusing specificaUy 00 the following two areas. The first is the lad f consicleration in current sch。arship for an appropriate methodolgy with which 10 adequately describe the countrγs change of political reality. The SE. COnd is the fact that the para digrr of these theories have their origin in Westem ctives. ln order 10 the overcome the inappropriateness of pectives， 1 propose the concept of a cultural state “ With the help of such a concept, 1 then attempl to analyze the ∞ rela tion of three tural levels in Korea administrative, civil (material and discursive), and individual(objective and subjcctive). My emphasis is 00 the cultural factors knowledge and tas te as social detenninants