Communities form based on the needs of their members, where individuals with similar demands come together to cooperate and move towards cooperative associations or social enterprises. Efforts are also made to include those who cannot directly participate in these communities, forming “a community of cooperation and inclusion.” For example, in Wonju, there is a senior cooperative where elderly individuals create their jobs without taking opportunities away from the youth. Similarly, in Munrae-dong Creative Village, artists have formed a community. This lecture prompts the audience to consider their own “needs” and how communities formed around those needs should progress. Today, as mobility technology has made society more fluid and anonymous, it questions, “What kind of community should we create?”
Life World
Examples of Food Community and Village Enterprises
While everyone acknowledges the importance of community, building a thriving community is complex. Recently, social-economic researchers have been concerned that the government or local government support system, as part of an “Institutionalised social economy,” could harm community formation. Moreover, starting social enterprises only to access support funds is also problematic. This lecture emphasises that socially oriented enterprises should be established on community principles and should work to expand and revitalise communities. The lecturer shares the beginning and operation ways of “Gwacheon Cooperative Village Café TONG,” in which the lecturer has participated until now, and proposes to make a picture of an ideal community.
Potatoes: Crops with the Rise and Fall of Inca Civilization
Potatoes, like peppers, tobacco, and tomatoes, are eggplants native to the Americas. It is known as the crop of the soul alongside the legend that they were a divine gift. In ancient Latin America, potatoes and corn were pivotal in large-scale engineering projects. Due to their high potato productivity, civilisations such as the Mayans, Aztecs, and Inca were possible.
This lecture examines the path of potatoes ingrained in modern life, exploring how potatoes were the source of Inca civilisation and a staple for indigenous people in Latin America. Additionally, it reflects on the value of potatoes embedded in the history and culture of indigenous communities in Latin America.
Modern People’s Fluid Life in Terms of Mobility
Using public transportation to commute to and from work, moving from Seoul to Busan, and traveling by airplane is typical for modern individuals. However, these everyday activities have only become prevalent recently with the advancement of mobility technology. With mobility, modern individuals enjoy a more flexible and abundant lifestyle yet face the busiest and most stressful times in human history. This lecture explores the flexible life of modern individuals based on the history and evolution of mobility technology. Furthermore, it examines mobility within the economic and cultural aspects of contemporary life and illustrates how mobile devices have transformed interpersonal communication, encompassing the overall structure of modern life.
Pepper: The Oldest Crop in Latin America
Peppers, like potatoes, tobacco, and tomatoes, are eggplants native to the Americas. With varieties such as cayenne, habanero, tabasco, harissa, curry, paprika, and chili, peppers are widely used as spices worldwide. While many might assume peppers originated from regions like India or Turkey, their roots lie in Latin America.
Portuguese explorers played a pivotal role in spreading peppers worldwide. Five years after Columbus arrived in the New World, another significant voyage occurred in 1497. Considering peppers were also known as “Indian pepper,” “Calicut pepper,” or “Guinea pepper,” it’s assumed there might have been a third route from Brazil to Africa and Asia by the Portuguese, bypassing Europe altogether. This lecture explores the path peppers took to reach Africa, highlighting how the transatlantic slave trade influenced the connection between the Americas and Africa. Furthermore, this lecture examines how peppers arrived in Korea and when they became a staple in Korean kimchi recipes.