ABSTRACT
Religion undoubtedly functions to create a collective commonality which can be either analogous to or substitutable for secular nationalism. Nevertheless, the question of the compatibility of religious nationalism with universal values, such as human rights, still needs to be satisfactorily answered. Based on these observations, this chapter examines Ahn Changho’s writings which reflect not only the longing for national independence but also the aspiration to peaceful coexistence in Northeast Asia. Specifically, by juxtaposing Ahn’s political thought with the ideal of non‐domination, I make the following two claims: First, I will argue that Ahn adheres to the politics of non‐domination that gives epistemological coherence to his ideas, ranging from the advocacy of national independence to the assertion of peaceful coexistence in Northeast Asia. As we shall see subsequently, different from the general trend of Korean nationalists thoroughly overwhelmed by the Social Darwinian quest for power after the March First Movement, Ahn held fast to the spirit of the movement which countered the politics of domination at the time. Second, I will maintain that Ahn’s conception of non‐domination, embodied in his religious aspiration for innocent humanity, demonstrates the need to overcome the simple antimonies between patriotism and cosmopolitanism. Ahn’s cosmopolitan patriotism sheds light on the ideal of non‐domination as a regulative principle that could help better prevent nationalistic agitation for liberation from degenerating into a pursuit of domination.
