1. According to the Kim-Renaud introduction, why does the book mostly look at yangban women rather than commoner or lowborn women? What was the relative importance of class and gender in premodern Korea?
2. How do Pettid and Kim approach the issue of Confucianism in the Chosen period and why? What are the implications of their understanding of Confucianism to the study of women in the same period?
3. Referring to the Seo reading, how are women depicted in the History of the Three Kingdoms (Samguik sagi), and what was Kim Pusik trying to say about women's roles?
4. According to the Kidong Lee reading, what is the connection between women and shamanism in Silla? (Please omit discussion of females in foundation myths.)
S. How was Queen Sondok able to become a monarch in her own right because of the bone rank system? Include the Hwang reading's discussion of positive traits attributed to Queen Sondok.
6. How does the Eun-su Cho reading explain the historical role of nuns in Korean Buddhism? Why is it that the Buddhist nun tradition has been more widespread in Korea than in other Asian countries?
7. According to the Robinson reading and class lectures, how did Koryo women in the Mongol Yuan and Mongol women in Kory6 change society and politics?
8. What kind of changes did the Confucianization of Chosen bring to yangban women's lives? In what ways did they gain or lose privileges, according to Deuchler?
9. How does Haejoang Cho explain Mother Power as a way women could gain some clout vis-à-vis male dominance within the family and society?
10. How do the Sources of Korean Tradition primary source readings for 10/21 and 10/28 show women's lives in mid-late Chosen? Do they depict women's empowerment or male dominance?