I am a Senior Lecturer and Assistant Director of the Data Analytics and Policy Program at Johns Hopkins University. I received my PhD in Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2022. My research interests focus on authoritarian nostalgia and related political behavior in post-authoritarian democracies. My regional focus is on South Korea and other Asian democracies. My research has appeared in Party Politics, Journal of East Asian Studies, International Journal of Press/Politics and Social Science Quarterly and is forthcoming at International Studies Quarterly.
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.
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.