Ham Sok Hon’s Nonviolent Revolution

This book addresses a notable lacuna within the corpus of English-language scholarship by investigating Ham Sok Hon’s philosophy of peace. Ham Sok Hon (1901-1989) is hailed as one of modern Korea’s most influential figures, having been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. Throughout his life, he embraced various roles, including those of activist, journalist, historian, poet, and philosopher, while consistently advocating for democratization, human rights, and labor rights. Whereas existing literature primarily offers biographical narrative, this work provides a focused and systematic analysis of Ham's fundamental doctrines concerning peace and non-violence. Central to this analysis is an in-depth exploration of Ham's key concepts, such as “ssial philosophy,” “saengmyeong (life) consciousness,” and the intriguing notion of “tteut (meaning).” By drawing from a wide range of philosophical and religious traditions believed to have influenced Ham’s thinking, including Christianity, Hinduism, Confucianism, Daoism, as well as works by notable figures like H.G. Wells, Henry David Thoreau, Henry Bergson, Rabindranath Tagore, and Mahatma Gandhi, the proposed text aims to provide a nuanced, syncretic understanding of his conception of peace. Furthermore, the book contributes to the overall global discourse on peace and nonviolence.