From a multicultural lens: Developing a university course in South Korea to examine the experiences of North Koreans

North Korean refugees in South Korea often struggle to adapt in an ultra-competitive environment that largely centers on capitalistic principles, innovation, and swift development. Additionally, many South Koreans are not well informed about the experiences of North Koreans. It is important to develop a university course that examines the experiences of North Korean people from a multicultural lens with an ultimate aim of promoting global citizenship. This paper provides a framework for the development of a university course that examines the experiences of North Koreans. The conceptual framework is rooted in the five dimensions of multiculturalism (Banks, 2012). Three course concepts are expanded on including: understanding the everyday lives of North Korean people, storytelling and discussion, and global citizenship education.