The field explorations in Suwon and Pyeongtaek are key academic components of IVSA 2025, directly reflecting the congress theme, “Visible/Invisible Asia.” These on-site programs invite participants to critically engage with the complex layers of military presence, historical memory, urban transformation, and social resistance embedded within Korea’s contemporary landscapes.

 In Suwon, participants will encounter a city shaped by centuries of militarization and modernization. From the Joseon Dynasty's strategic city planning under King Jeongjo, through the Japanese colonial period’s architectural legacy, to today’s tourism-driven gentrification, Suwon presents a unique site for observing how historical spaces are continuously reshaped by political power and consumer culture.

 In Pyeongtaek, the exploration turns to the enduring imprint of the Cold War and the continued presence of U.S. military forces. Participants will visit Daechuri Peace Village, a powerful site of collective resistance and community rebuilding. The Camptown Women’s Peace Museum offers a poignant counter-narrative to official military history, illuminating the intersection of gender, colonialism, and structural violence in camptown life.

Through these explorations, we invite you to practice visual sociology in the field—to use your camera and your perspective to document both the visible structures and the often invisible dynamics of power, identity, and resistance shaping these contested spaces. 

Participation is open to all registered IVSA 2025 attendees. 

Each program includes a professionally guided tour, transportation from Ajou University, and meals.