The Dark Side of our Society: An Ethnography of Suicide, Mental Health, and Education in (Post-) COVID...

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Bryce Anderson

The Dark Side of our Society

An Ethnography of Suicide, Mental Health, and Education in (Post-) COVID South Korea

Bryce Anderson

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English

Routledge India
24 October 2025

Regional studies; Illness & addiction: social aspects; Sociology; Anthropology; Education: care & counselling of students

Series: Academics, Politics and Society in the Post-Covid World

This book is an ethnography of the South Korean education system, the cultural pressures it reflects, and how these contribute to the mental health struggles of the Korean youth. It focuses on the young adult population of South Korea and examines how experiences of stress, alienation, and institutional pressure relate to Durkheimian themes such as anomie (normlessness) and fatalism (oppressive regulation). The author situates this analysis in the context of the post-COVID era, offering insights into youth suicide, educational inequality, mental health stigma, and generational conflict in contemporary South Korea. Drawing on rich ethnographic data, this book sheds light on social dynamics that are locally rooted yet globally resonant.

Part of the Academics, Politics and Society in the Post-COVID World series, this book will be of interest to students and researchers of Asian studies, mental health studies, education, sociology, sociological theory, cultural studies, anthropology, and general readers of Korean culture.

By: Bryce Anderson
Imprint: Routledge India
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 800g
ISBN: 9781032994246
ISBN 10: 103299424X
Series: Academics, Politics and Society in the Post-Covid World
Pages: 154
Publication Date: 24 October 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Figures Acknowledgements Introduction: Beginnings Prologue Chapter 1: Transitions and Private Education in South Korea Chapter 2: Engaging Narratives & Methodological Insights Chapter 3: The Kkondae: Social Expectations & the South Korean Boomer Chapter 4: Hell Joseon Chapter 5: Consequences of a Changing Society: Youth Suicide Amid an ""Enlightened"" South Korea Chapter 6: Mental Health and Support Systems in the South Korean Context Chapter 7: Art, Symbolism, and Social Reflection Epilogue: “The Suicide Guy” Index

Bryce Anderson received his PhD in social anthropology from Dalhousie University, Canada, in 2023. He teaches classes in anthropology, cultural studies, and sociology, while conducting research in social theory and suicide.