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Sun Joo Kim Named Professor Of Korean History
Cambridge, Mass. - September 4, 2008 - Sun Joo Kim, a scholar who is reshaping how the history of pre-modern Korea is studied and taught, has been appointed professor of Korean history in Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1, 2008.
Kim, 46, was previously associate professor of Korean history. She has taught in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard since 2000.
"By focusing on regional and local perspectives, Professor Kim has offered a new and energizing approach to the study of pre-modern Korean history," said Diana Sorensen, dean for the arts and humanities in Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. "Her work, though focused, resonates broadly across the disciplines. We are pleased that she will continue to enrich the community of scholars and students at Harvard."
Kim's primary field of study is Korea's Choson period, which stretches from 1392 to 1910. Her book, "Marginality and Subversion in Korea: The Hong Kyongnae Rebellion of 1812" (University of Washington Press, 2007), received wide acclaim for its exploration of local identities and regional tensions. In January 2008 the book was nominated for the Berkshire Conference First Book Prize. Many of her colleagues believe that by moving away from nation- and class-centered perspectives, Kim has led the study of pre-modern Korean history in novel and exciting directions.
Kim is currently working on a second book, titled "Resurrecting the Forgotten: The Life and Work of Yi Sihang (1672-1736) in Late Choson Korea." She is also editing a conference volume titled "The Northern Region, Identity, and Culture in Korea."
Kim is an executive member of the Committee on Korean Studies (CKS) at the Association for Asian Studies. She also serves as a co-editor of the "Korean Studies Library," a Brill's monograph series, and as an editorial board member for the "Seoul Journal of Korean Studies," published by the Kyujanggak Institute of Korean Studies at Seoul National University.
Kim has played a key role in promoting Korean studies at Harvard as an Executive Committee Member of the Korea Institute. She teaches several courses on the history of Korea, with a focus on nationalism and the social history of the pre-modern era. She has also been an active participant in the Freshman Seminar Program and the Freshman Advising Program. In addition, Kim serves as faculty advisor for the Han-maeum Korean Drum Troupe, the Harvard Korean Adoptee Mentorship Program, and the Korean International Student Organization.
Kim holds a B.A. in history from Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea (1984). She received her M.A. (1992) and Ph.D. (2000) in history from the University of Washington. Before coming to Harvard, she served as a lecturer in the Department of History and the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. Kim has received numerous research grants from a range of organizations, including the Social Science Research Council, the Korea Foundation and the Korea Research Council.
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