Seo-Hyun Park | Photo by Adam Atkinson
Research area: I am an international relations scholar with training in political science and Asian studies. I study national identity politics, political legitimacy, state formation, territorial disputes, military alliances, and immigration politics, with a regional focus on East Asia. I am currently working on two separate research projects: on the role of nonstate actors in regional and global wars in 19th-century East Asia; and on refugee politics in East Asian democracies.
My Lafayette journey: I started working at Lafayette College in 2009 as a freshly minted Ph.D. Having spent several years working as a visiting scholar at several different institutions (University of Tokyo, Yonsei University, Harvard University, and Stanford University), I was excited to find a more permanent academic home. In the past 15 years, I have truly enjoyed working with talented and dedicated students, who are now making their mark in the world as academics, researchers, lawyers, corporate and nonprofit executives, congressional aides, and foreign policy professionals at the State Department, Council on Foreign Relations, etc. There is nothing more gratifying and heartwarming than hearing from former students who take the time to share their career and life updates with me. I also feel very fortunate to work at an institution that values and incentivizes faculty research, as I am able to keep abreast of the latest developments in my field and actively engage with other scholars (as well as policymakers and the general public) through my conference presentations, workshops, publications, and op-eds.
What receiving a full professorship means to me: Above all, it is a good opportunity to take stock of my professional achievements as well as refresh and reset my goals for the future. A few years ago, a colleague suggested making five-year plans periodically in order to remind myself of where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m headed. I’ve taken that advice to heart. I’m also reminded every day of how throughout my professional development, I’ve been guided by countless mentors and friends, who’ve shown me what thoughtful, trustworthy, inclusive, and effective leadership looks like. I hope to honor them by paying forward some of what I’ve learned and experienced.
What I will be teaching in the fall: In fall 2024, I will be teaching capstone seminar GOVT 415: Nationalism in World Politics and two sections of GOVT 102: Introduction to International Politics. I love teaching these two courses in tandem, as I get to interact with some of our most talented and engaged majors as well as first- and second-year students who have an interest in learning more about world politics.
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