The Development of “Presentism” and Modern–Contemporary History-Centered Education Discourse in Korea

This study examines the formation and institutionalization of modern–contemporary history-centered education in Korean history education after liberation through the conceptual lens of presentism. Presentism is defined here as a mode of historical thinking that interprets the past in light of present-day values and concerns, thereby shaping both the selection of historical periods and narrative orientation. The study traces three major phases: the introduction of social studies during the U.S. Military Government period and the emergence of the principle emphasizing modern and contemporary history; the accumulation of presentist problem consciousness since the 1950s and the ensuing debates on modern–contemporary history-centered education; and the consolidation of this educational orientation in conjunction with the discourse on historical consciousness from the 1970s onward. The findings demonstrate that this shift was not merely a redistribution of historical content but a reconfiguration of the relationship between past and present driven by presentist thinking. While this orientation enhanced the social relevance and practical function of history education by integrating contemporary agendas such as democratization, unification, and modernization, it also intensified the dominance of present-oriented perspectives. As a result, premodern history was relatively marginalized and teleological narratives were reinforced, ultimately narrowing “history as a whole” into “history useful for the present.” This study thus highlights the dual character of presentism embedded in modern–contemporary history-centered education.