A cronym s and A bbreviations viii A cknow ledgem ents xiFurther Notes on Romanisation and Citations xiv INTRODUCTION C ontentious A ctivism and Inter-K orean R elations 1 Research Question: Activism and Inter-Korean Relations Central Aims Inter-Korean Relations: A Review of Existing Approaches Traditional Approach 5 Alternative Accounts o f Inter-Korean Relations 8 Political Activism and Inter-Korean Relations: An Approach at the Intersection ofIR and Korean Studies 13 Central Argument 15 Methodology 17 Conceptual Framework 18 Selection o f Historical Case Studies 22 Fieldwork Methods 27 Significance of the Research 33 Organisation of the Thesis 34 CHAPTER ONE P olitical A ctivism , D iscu rsive Pow er and N orm N egotiation