I am a Senior Lecturer and Assistant Director of the Data Analytics and Policy Program and a Faculty Affiliate at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University. My primary research focuses on authoritarian nostalgia and related political behavior in post-authoritarian democracies. I further develop research projects in the intersection of domestic and international politics of China’s expansion in Asia. My regional focus is on South Korea and other Asian democracies. I introduce various research methods in answering key research questions, including experiments and text and image analysis. I received my PhD in Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2022 and MA and BA at Korea University. My research has appeared in International Journal of Press/Politics, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of East Asian Studies, Party Politics, Social Science Quarterly, and World Development.
My research has received support from various sources, including a Faculty Grant Award from the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, a Taiwan Fellowship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, a Doctoral Fellowship from the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, and multiple institutions at the University of Illinois.
PhD in Political Science, 2022
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MA in Political Science, 2016
Korea University
BA in Political Science; Economics, 2011
Korea University
Authoritarian nostalgia
My research explores authoritarian nostalgia and how it shapes voter behavior in post-authoritarian democracies. The primary focus of my research is understanding the role of authoritarian nostalgia as a source of social identity and its effects on voter behavior. In my book project, I further explore cross-national variation in authoritarian legacies by introducing a political psychological perspective with an emphasis on symbolic politics, in addition to the conventional focus on political economy.
(2024).Book Project
Political Economy in Asia
I have developed a separate research project understanding the political economy in East Asia. This work has focused on the expansion of China’s presence in the neighboring countries and how this can shape voters’ attitudes toward China.
Political Communication
From my work on corruption, I have developed an interest in studying factors that can promote political accountability. In collaborative projects with Nikki Usher, I examine the impacts of declining local journalism on political accountability.
Working Papers
I received an Excellence in Teaching Award in 2023 at Johns Hopkins University and the A. Belden Fields Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching as a Teaching Assisant in 2019 at the University of Illinois. Teaching evaluations are available upon request.