By Emeritus Professor James H. Grayson

In this powerpoint-based lecture, I will explore the use of semiotic analysis to the study of postage stamps. The case example will be the post-Liberation Korean stamps which were issued in both north and south Korea between 1945 and 1955. Postage stamps are government documents. Semiotic analysis applied to the study of stamp designs gives us a clue to the issues and ideas being promoted by a government. In some cases, postage stamps can be used as documentary evidence in debates about historical events.