Stanford University

Joong-Seop Kim

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Visiting Scholar at APARC, 2025
joong_seop_kim.jpg Ph.D.

Joong-Seop Kim joined the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) as visiting scholar for the 2025 calendar year. He currently serves as Emeritus Professor in the Department of Sociology at Gyeongsang National University in Korea. While at APARC, he conducted research on human rights and racism in East Asia.

He has written and edited numerous books and articles on social movements, human rights, and historical sociology. His notable publications include The Hyongpyong (Egalitarian) Movement in Retrospect: Commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of the Hyongpyongsa (2025); Hyongpyong Movement and the Era of Human Rights (co-ed., 2023); Localization of Human Rights: For the Implementation of Human Rights in Everyday Life (2016); Toward an Egalitarian Society: A Comparison between Korean Hyongpyongsa and Japanese Suiheisha (2015); The Korean Paekjong under Japanese Rule: The Quest for Equality and Human Rights (2003, in English); Hyongpyong Movement (2001, 2003 in Japanese); The Era of Social Movements: Historical Sociology of Local Community under Japanese Colonial Rule (2012); The Outlook for Human Rights in the Era of Globalization (co-ed., 2004; 2004 in Japanese); A Study of Hyongpyong Movement: Social History of Paekjong Under Japanese Rule (1994). (All works are in Korean unless otherwise indicated.)

After earning his BA and MA from Yonsei University in Korea, he completed his PhD at Hull University in the United Kingdom in 1989.


 

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Korean Cuisine Gone Global

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Cover of the working paper "Korean Cuisine Gone Global," showing a bowl of noodles.

To understand the transformation of Korean food from an “ethnic curiosity” into one of the world’s hottest cuisines, the Korea Program at Shorenstein APARC brought together culinary experts and  academics at the conference “Korean Cuisine Gone Global.” Held on April 11, 2024, the scholars offered insights into the transformation of Korean cuisine, the role of race and place in its success story, and new directions in studying food and Korean culture. Their papers are collected in this volume.

The conference also featured celebrity chef Judy Joo, a renowned television star, an international restaurateur, and owner of the famed Seoul Bird, and Ryu Soo-young, an acclaimed actor turned culinary maestro. 

About the Contributors

Rebecca Jo Kinney is an interdisciplinary teacher and scholar of American Studies and Ethnic Studies, and an associate professor at the School of Cultural Studies at Bowling Green State University. Kinney’s award-winning first book, Beautiful Wasteland: The Rise of Detroit as America’s Postindustrial Frontier (University of Minnesota Press, 2016), argues that contemporary stories told about Detroit’s potential for rise enable the erasure of white supremacist systems. Her research has appeared in American Quarterly, Food, Culture & Society, Verge: Studies in Global Asia, Radical History Review, and Race&Class, among other journals. Her second book, Mapping AsiaTown Cleveland: Race and Redevelopment in the Rust Belt, is forthcoming from Temple University Press in 2025. She is working on a third book, Making Home in Korea: The Transnational Lives of Adult Korean Adoptees, based on research undertaken while a Fulbright Scholar in South Korea. 

Robert Ji-Song Ku is an associate professor of Asian and Asian American Studies at Binghamton University (SUNY) and the managing editor of Foundations and Futures: Asian American and Pacific Islander Multimedia Textbook of the Asian American Studies Center at UCLA. His teaching and research interests include Asian American studies, food studies, and transnational and diasporic Korean popular culture. Prior to Binghamton, he taught at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Hunter College (CUNY). He is the author of Dubious Gastronomy: Eating Asian in the USA (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2014) and co-editor of Eating More Asian America: A Food Studies Reader (NYU Press, forthcoming 2025), the sequel to Eating Asian America (NYU Press, 2013). He is also co-editor of Pop Empires: Transnational and Diasporic Flows of India and Korea (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2019) and Future Yet to Come: Sociotechnical Imaginaries in Modern Korea (University of Hawai‘i Press, 2021), as well as the Food in Asia and the Pacific series for the University of Hawai‘i Press. Born in Korea, he grew up in Hawai‘i and currently lives in Culver City, California. 

Jooyeon Rhee is an associate professor of Asian Studies and Comparative Literature and director of the Penn State Institute for Korean Studies. She specializes in modern Korean literature and culture. Her main research concerns Korean popular literature, with particular emphasis on transnational literary exchanges and interactions. Currently, she is writing her second book on cultural imaginations of crime and deviance manifested in late colonial Korean detective fiction. Her other research interests include diasporic art and literature and food studies. 

Dafna Zur (editor) is an associate professor of Korean literature and culture in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and director of the Center for East Asian Studies at Stanford. Her first book, Figuring Korean Futures: Children’s Literature in Modern Korea (2017), interrogates the contradictory political visions made possible by children’s literature in colonial and postcolonial Korea. Her second project explores sound, science, and space in the children’s literature of North and South Korea. She has published articles on North Korean popular science and science fiction, translations in North Korean literature, the Korean War in children’s literature, childhood in cinema, children’s poetry and music, and popular culture. Zur’s translations of Korean fiction have appeared in wordwithoutborders.org, Modern Korean Fiction : An Anthology, and the Asia Literary Review. 

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Papers from Shorenstein APARC’s Korea Program Conference

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Trump’s Second Act and the Stakes for Asia

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Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election has reignited debates about the United States' role in a world increasingly defined by geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and democratic recession. The return of Trump to the White House will have profound implications for Asia. To assess the stakes for the region, APARC convened a panel of experts who weighed in on the potential risks and opportunities the second Trump administration’s policies may pose for Asian nations and how regional stakeholders look at their future with the United States. Another panel, organized by APARC’s China Program, focused on what’s ahead for U.S.-China relations.

High Stakes for the Asia-Pacific

APARC’s panel, The 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections: High Stakes for Asia, examined how the return of Trump’s political ideology and the macroeconomic effects of his foreign policy will affect Asia.

“We are witnessing the solidification of Trumpism as an influential political ideology,” stated APARC and Korea Program Director Gi-Wook Shin at the opening of the discussion, “one that has begun to transcend traditional  American conservatism. Trumpism — marked by a blend of economic nationalism, nativism, and a strongman approach to leadership —could have a huge impact not only in American society but also on the liberal global order.”

According to Shin, Trump’s policies, particularly his focus on unilateralism and economic self-interest, could significantly alter the political and economic dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region.

Political scientist Francis Fukuyama, the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute, argued that Trump’s victory was no longer an anomaly but part of a larger trend of working-class voters shifting allegiance from the Democratic to the Republican Party. Fukuyama expressed concerns about Trump’s aggressive economic policies, including imposing broad tariffs on allies and adversaries alike, and warned that such policies could result in inflation, trade tensions, and long-term economic instability. In addition, he asserted that Trump’s reluctance to engage in foreign conflicts could undermine the United States’ commitments to security alliances, particularly in Asia.

APARC Deputy Director and Japan Program Director Kiyoteru Tsutsui emphasized the broader geopolitical implications of Trump’s policies, noting that Trump’s "America First" approach could further erode the international liberal order. He suggested that Japan would face significant challenges navigating the unpredictability of Trump’s foreign policies. According to Tsutsui, “There might be greater pressure to line up with the United States in dealing with China economically, which would  put a great deal of strain on the Japanese economy.” Such an alignment might also muddle Japan’s own diplomatic and security interests.

Gita Wirjawan, a visiting scholar with Stanford's Precourt Institute for Energy and former visiting scholar at APARC, focused on the stakes for Southeast Asia. Wirjawan argued that Trump’s economic policies, such as protectionism and prioritizing economic growth over democratic principles, could embolden right-wing populist movements in Southeast Asia. He suggested that parts of Southeast Asia could be a natural beneficiary of a reallocation of financial capital from the U.S. as companies diversify supply chains by establishing operations outside China in response to Trump’s planned tariffs. Yet, growing economic inequality in Southeast Asia, particularly in urban areas, could fuel the rise of similar nationalist policies, undermining efforts to promote inclusive, democratic development.

Shin highlighted the challenges South Korea might face under a second Trump presidency. Trump will likely demand higher defense payments from South Korea, potentially straining the U.S.-ROK alliance. This could put President Yoon in a tough spot, especially as trilateral U.S.-Japan-Korea cooperation has been progressing well but faces uncertainty. Economically, South Korean firms may struggle if U.S. policies like the Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act are rolled back, as subsidies were crucial for their investments in the U.S. On North Korea, Shin noted that Trump may resume summit diplomacy with Kim Jong Un, leaving South Korea sidelined and potentially sparking an arms race in Northeast Asia. 

The panelists all emphasized that Asia, with its diverse political landscapes, would need to navigate a new era of economic nationalism and geopolitical unpredictability, with potential challenges to economic stability and democratic norms.

A Focus on U.S.-China Relations 

The second panel, "Crossroads of Power: U.S.-China Relations in a New Administration," focused specifically on the evolving dynamics of U.S.-China relations in the wake of the election. Moderated by APARC China Program Director Jean Oi, the discussion featured Shorenstein APARC Fellow Thomas Fingar, and Peking University's Yu Tiejun, the APARC's China Policy Fellow during fall 2024. The panelists analyzed the potential trade, security, and diplomacy shifts between the two global superpowers, particularly in light of Washington's bipartisan consensus on China. 

Central to the discussion was the continuity of U.S. policy toward China under the first Trump administration and the Biden administration. Examples of this continuity included recent tariff increases on Chinese imports, a new U.S. Department of the Treasury program to screen U.S. outbound foreign investments in key sectors, and tighter export controls on critical technologies like quantum computing and advanced semiconductors. The panelists explored the economic and strategic ramifications, noting that these policies could disrupt existing trade patterns. 

Another area of concern was China’s uneven implementation of the 2020 Phase One  trade deal it negotiated with the U.S., in which China had committed to domestic reforms and $200 billion of additional U.S. imports. This failure could buttress the new administration’s plan to increase tariffs, complicating diplomatic efforts between Washington and Beijing. Fingar noted that while China has made efforts to diversify its supply chains, these changes might not be enough to shield it from the effects of U.S. economic policies, which could include escalating tariffs or additional restrictions on Chinese exports. 

The conversation also touched on broader geopolitical considerations, particularly concerning China’s role in the ongoing war in Ukraine. The panelists discussed the potential for cooperation or de-escalation in U.S.-China relations, with China’s positioning on the war serving as both a point of contention and a possible avenue for diplomatic engagement. 

Underscoring the deepening complexities in U.S.-China relations post-election, the panelists highlighted the uncertainty surrounding U.S. foreign policy under a second Trump administration, particularly regarding the role of people-to-people exchanges in fostering mutual understanding.

Both events emphasized the multifaceted consequences of Trump’s return to power for Asia and the global international order. While the discussions highlighted the challenges posed by the rise of economic nationalism, trade tensions, and shifting security priorities, they also pointed to potential areas of cooperation and the evolving dynamics of global diplomacy.

In the Media


From Center Fellow Oriana Skylar Mastro:

What a Second Trump Term Means for the World
OnPoint – WBUR, Nov 12 (interview)

Race to the White House: How the US Election Will Impact Foreign Policy
UBS Circle One, October 23 (interview)

From Visiting Scholar Michael Beeman:

On Korea-U.S. Economic Cooperation in the Era of Walking Out
Yonhap News, Nov 20 (featured)

Trump Looking for Trade 'Reset' with Most Countries: Ex-USTR Official
Nikkei, Nov 16 (interview)

How Southeast Asia Can Weather the Trump Trade Typhoon
The Economist, Nov 14 (quoted)

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Gi-Wook Shin, Evan Medeiros, and Xinru Ma in conversation at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
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Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab Engages Washington Stakeholders with Policy-Relevant Research on US-China Relations and Regional Issues in Asia

Lab members recently shared data-driven insights into U.S.-China tensions, public attitudes toward China, and racial dynamics in Asia, urging policy and academic communities in Washington, D.C. to rethink the Cold War analogy applied to China and views of race and racism in Asian nations.
Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab Engages Washington Stakeholders with Policy-Relevant Research on US-China Relations and Regional Issues in Asia
Chris Buckley delivers remarks at the 2024 Shorenstein Journalism Award.
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Shorenstein Journalism Award Winner Chris Buckley Considers How Historical Memory Determines China’s Present

In the era of Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party has reasserted control over the recollection and retelling of the past as vital sources for shaping Chinese national identity and global power projection, says Chris Buckley, the chief China correspondent for The New York Times and the recipient of the 2024 Shorenstein Journalism Award.
Shorenstein Journalism Award Winner Chris Buckley Considers How Historical Memory Determines China’s Present
group of people standing on steps of Encina Hall at the 2024 Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue
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Driving Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Inclusive Industrialization: Highlights from the Third Annual Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue

Held at Stanford and hosted by the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, the third annual Dialogue convened global leaders, academics, industry experts, and emerging experts to share best practices for advancing Sustainable Development Goal 9 in support of economic growth and human well-being.
Driving Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Inclusive Industrialization: Highlights from the Third Annual Trans-Pacific Sustainability Dialogue
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APARC recently hosted two panels to consider what a second Trump presidency might mean for economic, security, and political dynamics across Asia and U.S. relations with Asian nations.

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Shorenstein APARC 2023–24 Annual Report

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Shorenstein APARC's annual report for the academic year 2023-24 is now available.

Learn about the research, publications, and events produced by the Center and its programs over the last academic year. Read the feature sections, which look at the historic meeting at Stanford between the leaders of Korea and Japan and the launch of the Center's new Taiwan Program; learn about the research our faculty and postdoctoral fellows engaged in, including a study on China's integration of urban-rural health insurance and the policy work done by the Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL); and catch up on the Center's policy work, education initiatives, publications, and policy outreach. Download your copy or read it online below.

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A special film viewing event – The Making of a Japanese: A conversation with Ema Ryan Yamazaki on her documentary film on a Japanese elementary school

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In this documentary film of a large Japanese elementary school located in a Tokyo suburb, Ema Ryan Yamazaki weaves together scenes from 700-plus hours of films to tell a story of how a Japanese elementary school instills distinctly Japanese characteristics in children. Long seen with curiosity and suspicion from western eyes, Japanese ways of teaching discipline and responsibility at elementary schools have received much accolade in recent years, becoming a model to be exported. What happens at a Japanese elementary school that would turn many unsuspecting 6-year-olds into well-disciplined 12-year-olds, and what might be the possible costs and benefits of such an education system? A critically acclaimed young documentary filmmaker, Ema Ryan Yamazaki, who is known for "Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators" and "Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams," will join us for a viewing of her latest documentary and a discussion.

Instruments of a Beating Heart (New York Times Op-Docs version of Ema's Japanese Elementary school project, 23 minutes)

First graders in a Tokyo public elementary school are presented with a challenge for the final semester: to form an orchestra and perform “Ode to Joy” at a school ceremony. The film examines the Japanese educational system’s tenuous balance between self-sacrifice and personal growth as it teaches the next generation to become part of society.

 

Speaker:

ema_ryan_yamazaki_headshot

Raised in Osaka by a Japanese mother and British father, Ema Ryan Yamazaki grew up navigating between Japanese and Western cultures. Having studied filmmaking at New York University, she uses her unique storytelling perspective as an insider and outsider in Japan. In 2017, Ema’s first feature documentary, MONKEY BUSINESS: THE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE’S CREATORS was released worldwide after raising over $186,000 on Kickstarter. In 2019, Ema’s second feature documentary about the phenomenon of high school baseball in Japan, KOSHIEN: JAPAN’S FIELD OF DREAMS, premiered at DOC NYC. In 2020, the film aired on ESPN, and was released theatrically in Japan. It was a New York Times recommendation for international streaming and featured on the Criterion Channel. Ema's latest documentary feature, THE MAKING OF A JAPANESE, follows one year in a Japanese public school. The film premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2023 and is currently playing festivals around the world, with a release set in Japan for December 2024. 

 

Discussant:

mariko yoshihara yang

Mariko Yang-Yoshihara is an Instructor and Education Researcher at the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE). She is also a Visiting Professor at Tohoku University in the Department of Management Science and Technology. Mariko earned her Ph.D. in political science from Stanford, and her research interests include innovation policy, research management, and STEAM (STEM + arts/humanities) education. Since 2009, she has designed curricula for educational and professional development and taught courses on qualitative methods and design thinking. In 2016, she co-founded SKY Labo, a nonprofit promoting STEAM education in Japan. SKY Labo’s inquiry-based program received official recognition from Japan’s Gender Equality Bureau in 2019 and won the Semi-Grand Prix of the Nissan Foundation’s Rikajyo Ikusei Sho (Award Promoting the Next Generation of Women in STEM) in 2022.

 

Moderator:

Square portrait photo of Kiyoteru Tsutsui

Kiyoteru Tsutsui is the Henri H. and Tomoye Takahashi Professor and Senior Fellow in Japanese Studies at Shorenstein APARC, the Director of the Japan Program and Deputy Director at APARC, a senior fellow of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and Professor of Sociology, all at Stanford University. Tsutsui received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kyoto University and earned an additional master’s degree and Ph.D. from Stanford’s sociology department in 2002. Tsutsui’s research interests lie in political/comparative sociology, social movements, globalization, human rights, and Japanese society. His most recent publication, Human Rights and the State: The Power of Ideas and the Realities of International Politics (Iwanami Shinsho, 2022), was awarded the 2022 Ishibashi Tanzan Award and the 44th Suntory Prize for Arts and Sciences.

Questions? Contact Kana Igarashi Limpanukorn
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Stanford Alumni Center, Fisher Conference Center
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Mariko Yang-Yoshihara Instructor and Education Researcher Discussant Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE)
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Japanese Ambassador to the US Visits Stanford for Dialogue on U.S.-Japan Relations and Global Security

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On September 13, 2024, the Japan Program at APARC welcomed to Stanford a delegation from the Embassy of Japan in the United States and the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco, including Ambassador Shigeo Yamada and Consul General Yo Osumi. The visit included a discussion of the Japanese diplomats with Stanford faculty members. Moderated by Japan Program Director Kiyoteru Tsutsui, the discussion focused on current issues affecting U.S.-Japan relations, regional and global security, and opportunities for strengthening U.S.-Japan academic exchange.

Yamada, who assumed his post as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States of America in December 2023, shared his experiences serving in the Abe and Kishida administrations and reflected on Japan’s concerns regarding the Russia-Ukraine war. He emphasized that Russia's aggression is a threat to the rule of law and represents a broader threat in East Asia. He expressed his hope that bilateral efforts will continue to counter these challenges.

The September 27 Liberal Democratic Party presidential election in Japan and the forthcoming November presidential election in the United States were also a major topic of conversation. Ambassador Yamada voiced his optimism, stating that regardless of the election outcomes, the strong foundation of the U.S.-Japan alliance will remain a constant. This bilateral relationship, he noted, is essential to navigating future geopolitical shifts.

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Delegation from the Embassy of Japan in the US and the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco meet with Stanford scholars in a conference room.
Ambassador Yamada, Consul General Osumi, and members of their delegation meet with Stanford scholars.

Stanford faculty members posed questions to Ambassador Yamada, touching on topics ranging from Japan-U.S.-Republic of Korea trilateral relations to the future of NATO’s role in Asia security. Ambassador Yamada underscored his belief in the growing strength of the Japan-Korea relationship, particularly among younger generations.

Ambassador Yamada and Consul General Osumi expressed a desire to deepen collaboration with academic institutions like Stanford and cultivate environments where Japanese scholars can thrive in global research ecosystems. In this context, the Ambassador addressed the decline in Japan’s global standing in science and technology research. He noted that, while Japan once led the way in innovation, there is a concern that the nation’s researchers are not sufficiently engaging with their international counterparts, including those in the United States.

A highlight of the discussion was the participation of Miku Yamada, a recent graduate of the Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy Program at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies now serving as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, DC. Yamada described how her experience at Stanford has shaped her career path and shared her passion for inspiring other Japanese students to pursue academic and research opportunities abroad.

The visit reaffirmed the commitment of Japan and the United States to maintaining a strong bilateral relationship, with continued emphasis on academic partnerships as a means of fostering mutual understanding and addressing global challenges. Ambassador Yamada expressed his enthusiasm for continued engagement with Stanford scholars and sharing their insights to inform U.S.-Japan policy discussions.

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Walking Out: America’s New Trade Policy in the Asia-Pacific and Beyond
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Walking Out: New Book Unravels the Shift in America's Trade Policy and Its Global Consequences

A new book by APARC Visiting Scholar Michael Beeman offers a timely analysis of the shift in United States' foreign trade policy, examines its recent choices to “walk out” on the principles that had defined the global trade system it had created, and offers recommendations for a redefined and more productive trade policy strategy.
Walking Out: New Book Unravels the Shift in America's Trade Policy and Its Global Consequences
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Open Faculty Positions in Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy, Korean Studies, and Taiwan Studies

Stanford University seeks candidates for a new faculty position in Japanese politics and foreign policy, a faculty position in Korean Studies, and a new faculty position on Taiwan. All three appointments will be at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and affiliated with Shorenstein APARC.
Open Faculty Positions in Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy, Korean Studies, and Taiwan Studies
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Stanford Japan Barometer Unveils Insights into Japanese Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage and Marital Surname Choices

A new installment of the Asahi Shimbun’s GLOBE+ series highlights Stanford Japan Barometer findings about Japanese public opinion on recognizing same-sex unions and legalizing a dual-surname option for married couples. Co-developed by Stanford sociologist Kiyoteru Tsutsui and Dartmouth College political scientist Charles Crabtree, the public opinion survey tracks evolving Japanese attitudes on political, economic, and social issues and unveils how question framing changes the results of public opinion polls.
Stanford Japan Barometer Unveils Insights into Japanese Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage and Marital Surname Choices
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Japan's Ambassador to the US Shigeo Yamada, Consul General Yo Osumi, and Kiyoteru Tsutsui, posing on the front steps of Encina Hall, Stanford.
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In a recent visit by a delegation from Japan's Embassy to the United States and Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco, Ambassador Shigeo Yamada and Stanford experts discussed pressing issues affecting U.S.-Japan relations, regional security, and the international legal order. Hosted by APARC's Japan Program, the visit highlighted the role of academic institutions in informing policy and global cooperation.

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Open Faculty Positions in Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy, Korean Studies, and Taiwan Studies

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Stanford University seeks candidates for three faculty positions in Asian Studies. All three appointments will be at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) and affiliated with the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC). The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2024. Read on for more information about each position. Candidates should submit their applications via the Stanford Faculty Positions website.

Faculty Appointment in Japanese Politics and Foreign Policy

Stanford University seeks candidates for a new faculty position in the politics and foreign policy of Japan. The successful candidate will have expertise in politics, policy studies, diplomacy, security studies, international relations, or global affairs relating to Japan and the Indo-Pacific region, and will be expected to advance research and education on Japanese politics and foreign policy, in the Japan Program of APARC. This is an open-rank search.

The new faculty member will be appointed as a Senior Fellow or Center Fellow in FSI, affiliated with APARC. Senior Fellows at Stanford University are full members of the Professoriate and Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenured associate or full professor. Center Fellows at Stanford University are also members of the Professoriate and the Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenure-track assistant professor. Center Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Fellow.

For more information and to apply, view the job posting on the Stanford Faculty Positions website > 

Faculty Appointment in Korean Studies

Stanford University seeks candidates for a faculty position in Korean Studies. The successful candidate will be expected to advance research and education on Korea, in the Korea Program of APARC.

The new faculty member will be appointed as Center Fellow in FSI, affiliated with APARC. Center Fellows at Stanford University are the equivalent rank of tenure-track assistant professor. They are members of the Professoriate and the Academic Council, eligible to serve as principal investigators, and accrue sabbatical. Center Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Fellow.

For more information and to apply, view the job posting on the Stanford Faculty Positions website >

Faculty Appointment in Taiwan Studies

Stanford University seeks candidates for a new faculty position on Taiwan. The successful candidate will have expertise in policy studies, social sciences, international relations, or global affairs relating to Taiwan, and will be expected to advance research and education on Taiwan studies, in the newly established Taiwan Program of APARC. This is an open-rank search.

The new faculty member will be appointed as a Senior Fellow or Center Fellow in FSI, affiliated with APARC. Senior Fellows at Stanford University are full members of the Professoriate and Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenured associate or full professor. Center Fellows at Stanford University are also members of the Professoriate and the Academic Council, with a rank equivalent to tenure-track assistant professor. Center Fellows are appointed for a fixed term of years with the possibility of promotion to Senior Fellow.

For more information and to apply, view the job posting on the Stanford Faculty Positions website >

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Stanford’s Asia-Pacific Research Center Invites Applications for Fall 2025 Asia Studies Fellowships

The Center offers multiple fellowships for Asia researchers to begin in Autumn quarter 2025. These include postdoctoral fellowships on Asia-focused health policy, contemporary Japan, and the Asia-Pacific region, postdoctoral fellowships and visiting scholar positions with the Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab, a visiting scholar position on contemporary Taiwan, and fellowships for experts on Southeast Asia.
Stanford’s Asia-Pacific Research Center Invites Applications for Fall 2025 Asia Studies Fellowships
Paul Y. Chang, FSI Senior Fellow
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Korea Expert Paul Y. Chang Joins FSI as Senior Fellow

A leading sociologist of Korea, Professor Chang’s scholarship has influenced a number of subfields such as democratization, social movements, political repression, and demographic transition.
Korea Expert Paul Y. Chang Joins FSI as Senior Fellow
Kiyoteru Tsutsui
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The Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies Welcomes Kiyoteru Tsutsui as Executive Director

Tsutsui, whose research focuses on social movements, human rights, political sociology, and Japanese society, joins the IUC as it recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.
The Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies Welcomes Kiyoteru Tsutsui as Executive Director
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Stanford University seeks candidates for a new faculty position in Japanese politics and foreign policy, a faculty position in Korean Studies, and a new faculty position on Taiwan. All three appointments will be at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and affiliated with Shorenstein APARC.

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Stanford Japan Barometer Unveils Insights into Japanese Public Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage and Marital Surname Choices

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What policy options does the Japanese public prefer, and what might shift its attitudes? These are some questions the Stanford Japan Barometer (SJB) sets out to answer. SJB is a large-scale public opinion survey on political, economic, and social issues in Japan. Co-developed and led by Stanford sociologist Kiyoteru Tsutsui, the deputy director of APARC and director of the Center’s Japan Program, and Dartmouth College political scientist Charles Crabtree, a former visiting assistant professor with the Japan Program, SJB has so far published the results from its first two waves.

Wave 1 focused on issues related to gender and sexuality in Japanese politics, while Wave 2 focused on issues related to foreign policy and national defense. SJB findings fielded in these two waves indicate that most Japanese support recognizing same-sex unions, legalizing a dual-surname option for married couples, promoting women’s leadership in society, and that, in a Taiwan contingency, ​​Japanese people would be hesitant to fight China but would respond to a request from the U.S. military for logistical support.

Jointly with the Japan Program, GLOBE+, an international news outlet operated by the esteemed Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, is publishing a series highlighting SJB findings. You can read an English translation of the first three pieces in this series. Here, we provide an English translation of the latest installment in the series, published on September 19, 2024. The translation was initially generated via DeepL. The text below was edited for accuracy and style.


Japanese Public Opinion on Legalizing Same-Sex Unions


Japan remains the only G7 country that has not legalized same-sex marriage or introduced a partnership system that offers marriage-equivalent rights at the national level. It is also the only country worldwide that mandates married couples to adopt the same surname.

Yet, according to the SJB survey, 47.2% of respondents were either "very much in favor" (18.6%) or "somewhat in favor" (28.6%) of legalizing same-sex marriage in Japan. In contrast, 15.8% were either "very much against" (6.8%) or "somewhat against" (9.0%), while 36.9% held a neutral stance, being “neither in favor nor against.” Support for same-sex marriage outpaced neutral responses by nearly three times.

The survey also explored public support for same-sex couples in leadership roles by asking respondents what kind of individuals they would like to see as members of the Diet or as outside directors of companies.

Participants were asked to consider six key attributes when identifying the types of candidates they would prefer to see in the next House of Representatives elections:

  • Age (from 32 years old to 82 years old, in 10-year increments)　
  • Gender　
  • Marriage (married, never married, divorced, same-sex couple)　
  • Number of children　
  • Educational background　
  • Work experience (11 types, including finance, economy, industry, and foreign affairs bureaucrats, business owners and executives, governors, local legislators, and homemakers)


Respondents were asked to create two “candidate images” by randomly combining six attributes and selecting one in a two-choice format. The same question was repeated a total of 10 times with different choices. The responses obtained from all survey participants were tabulated and analyzed.

The reason for the complexity of the method is that, from a statistical point of view, it allows the researchers to get closer to the “true feelings” (public opinion) of the respondents.

For each of the attributes, the percentage would be 50% if the respondents were indifferent to sexual orientation, but 45% of the respondents were in favor of electing a person from a same-sex couple to the National Assembly and 43.5% were in favor of electing a person from a same-sex couple to be a non-executive director, showing a downward trend in support. Although many people are in favor of same-sex marriage, it is evident that there is still a sense of discrimination against sexual minorities holding important public positions.

Of note, male respondents were less supportive of electing a person from a same-sex couple to the National Assembly, at 37.6%, compared to 50.6% of women. Support for electing a person from a same-sex couple to the National Assembly was also lower among respondents aged 70 and older at 31.1%, and higher among younger respondents: 58.9% of those aged 18 and 19, 60.5% of those aged 20 to 24, and 56.5% of those aged 25 to 29.

To identify what conditions could move public opinion, the researchers designed seven prompts regarding same-sex marriage, assigned them randomly to respondents, and compared their answers. The prompts included assumptions such as “In Japanese society, marriage is traditionally between two people of the opposite sex;” “If same-sex marriage is recognized, it will make it easier for same-sex couples to raise children, which may lead to an improvement in the declining birth rate and have beneficial effects for Japanese society;” and “From the perspective of human rights and gender equality, it would be unfair not to recognize same-sex marriage.”

The results show that support for same-sex marriage increases the most when respondents are presented with an argument that not allowing same-sex marriage is unfair from the point of view of human rights and gender equality.
 

Public Opinion on Legalizing Dual-Surname Option for Married Couples


The SJB survey also examined the public opinion of the selective surname system, which would allow married Japanese people to keep their premarital surnames if they wished. In surveying this issue, the researchers used two different question formats to shed light on a debate surrounding the Japanese government’s modification of its public opinion survey on this issue between 2017 and 2021. After the government revised the question asked on this matter, support for the selective surname system dropped from a record high of 42.5% in 2017 to a record low of only 28.9% in 2021. Therefore, the SJB randomly assigned respondents to answer two versions of the government survey under scrutiny, from 2017 and 2021.

In the 2021 government survey, respondents had to read certain materials before saying whether they approve or disapprove of the selective surname system. The materials included two tables. One, titled “Reference Material on Married Couples’ Surnames and Family Names,” explains the current system of married couples' surnames, the selective system of married couples' surnames, and the legal system for the use of the common name of the maiden name, respectively.

The other table explains the options, with the horizontal axis divided into “maintain the system of married couples with the same surname” and “introduce a selective system of married couples with separate surnames,” and the vertical axis divided into “no” and “yes” for “need to establish a legal system for using the maiden name as the common name.”

In 2021, the respondents were asked to choose from the following three options: “It is preferable to maintain the current system of married couples having the same family name;” “It is preferable to maintain the current system of married couples having the same family name and establish a legal system for the use of the maiden name;” and “It is preferable to introduce a selective system of married couples having separate family names.”

On the other hand, the question until 2017 was “Currently, married couples must always take the same surname.” After explaining the current system and the system of selective married couples' surnames, the question was “As long as a couple is married, they should always take the same surname.. If a couple wishes to take their premarital surname, they may change the law to allow each person to take their pre-marital surname. The couple should take the same surname, but it is acceptable to change the law so that a person who has changed his/her surname by marriage can use his/her pre-marital surname as a common name anywhere.”

As a result, under the 2021 method, 30% of the respondents chose “it is better to maintain the current system of the same family name for married couples,” 39% chose “it is better to maintain the current system of the same family name for married couples and establish a legal system for the use of the maiden name as a common name,” and 30% chose “it is better to introduce an optional system of separate family names for married couples.

On the other hand, in the 2017 method, 23% of respondents said “As long as a couple is married, they should always take the same surname (family name), and there is no need to change the current law,” while 57% said “If a couple wishes to take their pre-marital surname (family name), it is fine to change the law to allow each couple to take their pre-marital surname (family name). 57% said they “do not mind” and 19% said they “do not mind” if the law is changed to allow married couples to use their maiden name as a common name even if they wish to keep their maiden name. In other words, 57% of the respondents chose to selectively separate their surnames.

The 2021 method was criticized for how the question was asked, which was different from how it had been asked until 2017 and allegedly induced more support for using common names. The results of the SJB survey show that even if respondents were randomly assigned to the 2017 and 2021 methods at the same time, the results of the 2021 method would show more support for using common names. In other words, one should be wary of citing the results of the 2021 method to argue that support for the use of common names is higher than support for a legal change to selective married couples.

To find out under what conditions public opinion would move toward selective surnames for married couples, the SJB also conducted an experiment on different arguments that might influence support for a legal change to allow married couples to keep different surnames.

The arguments included different prompts: “In Japanese society, there is a tradition that married couples take the same surname once they get married;” “In Japanese society, there is a tradition that married couples take separate surnames once they get married;” “Among those who had surnames in pre-modern Japan, and even in early Meiji Era Japan, it was normal for married couples to have separate surnames after marriage;” “It is largely women who change their surnames after marriage;” “If married couples take different surnames after marriage, it will weaken family ties and have negative impact on children, which will lead to a loss for Japanese society.” The respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the prompts.

The results show that the argument about social costs — how allowing married couples to maintain different surnames would weaken family ties with harmful effects on children — seems to substantially change public attitudes, reducing support for a legal change.

The SJB survey results suggest that responses to polls vary depending on how the questions are asked and on the assumptions made. When looking at poll results, it is therefore important to note the framing of the questions and prompts.

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A new installment of the Asahi Shimbun’s GLOBE+ series highlights Stanford Japan Barometer findings about Japanese public opinion on recognizing same-sex unions and legalizing a dual-surname option for married couples. Co-developed by Stanford sociologist Kiyoteru Tsutsui and Dartmouth College political scientist Charles Crabtree, the public opinion survey tracks evolving Japanese attitudes on political, economic, and social issues and unveils how question framing changes the results of public opinion polls.

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Book Launch — Walking Out: America’s New Trade Policy in the Asia-Pacific and Beyond

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From tariff wars to torn-up trade agreements, Michael Beeman's new book “Walking Out” explores America's recent and dramatic turn away from support for freer, rules-based trade to instead go its own new way. Focusing on America's trade engagements in the Asia-Pacific and drawing on his experience as a former senior U.S. trade official, Beeman contrasts the trade policy choices made by America's leaders over several generations with those of today-decisions that are now undermining the trading system America created and triggering new tensions between America and its trading partners, allies and adversaries alike. With enormous implications for the future of regional and global trade, this timely analysis unravels the implications of America's seismic shift in approach for the future of the rules-based trading order and America's role in it.

Join us for a lunchtime conversation with author Michael Beeman at this book launch event.

 

Speaker:

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Dr. Michael Beeman is a Visiting Scholar at the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) through 2024, where he researches and writes about trade policy issues such as economic security between the United States and Asia. He has also taught international policy as a lecturer with the Ford Dorsey Masters in International Policy program.

From January 2017 until January 2023, he was Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan, Korea and APEC at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). In that role, he led the renegotiation of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, among other initiatives. Prior to this, he served in other capacities at USTR and, between 1998 and 2004, at the U.S. Department of Commerce.  He received his D.Phil. (Ph.D.) in Politics from the University of Oxford in 1998 and an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1991.  He is the author of Walking Out: America’s New Trade Policy in the Asia-Pacific and Beyond (Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, 2024) and Public Policy and Economic Competition in Japan (Routledge, 2003). 

Questions? Contact Kana Igarashi Limpanukorn

Michael Beeman

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Visiting Scholar at APARC, 2023-24
Michael Beeman_0.jpg PhD

Dr. Beeman was a Visiting Scholar at the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC) from 2023 to 2024. He researched and wrote about trade policy issues such as economic security between the United States and Asia. He also taught international policy as a lecturer with the Ford Dorsey Masters in International Policy program. 

From January 2017 until January 2023, he was Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan, Korea and APEC at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). In that role, he led the renegotiation of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, among other initiatives. Prior to this, he served in other capacities at USTR and, between 1998 and 2004, at the U.S. Department of Commerce.  He received his D.Phil. (Ph.D.) in Politics from the University of Oxford in 1998 and an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in 1991.  He is the author of Walking Out: America’s New Trade Policy in the Asia-Pacific and Beyond (Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, 2024) and Public Policy and Economic Competition in Japan (Routledge, 2003). 

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Beyond Power Transitions

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Cover of book "Beyond Power Transitions" showing a Chinese painting of officials

Questions about the likelihood of conflict between the United States and China have dominated international policy discussion for years. But the leading theory of power transitions between a declining hegemon and a rising rival is based exclusively on European examples, such as the Peloponnesian War, as chronicled by Thucydides, as well as the rise of Germany under Bismarck and the Anglo-German rivalry of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. What lessons does East Asian history offer for both the power transitions debate and the future of U.S.-China relations?

Examining the rise and fall of East Asian powers over 1,500 years, Beyond Power Transitions offers a new perspective on the forces that shape war and peace. Xinru Ma and David C. Kang argue that focusing on the East Asian experience underscores domestic risks and constraints on great powers, not relative rise and decline in international competition. They find that almost every regime transition before the twentieth century was instigated by internal challenges, and even the exceptions deviated markedly from the predictions of power transition theory. Instead, East Asia was stable for a remarkably long time despite massive power differences because of common understandings about countries’ relative status. Provocative and incisive, this book challenges prevailing assumptions about the universality of power transition theory and shows why East Asian history has profound implications for international affairs today.

About the Authors


Xinru Ma is a Research Fellow on the Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab research team at Stanford University’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center. Her scholarship focuses on nationalism, great power politics, and East Asian security.

David C. Kang is Maria Crutcher Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California, where he also directs the Korean Studies Institute. His Columbia University Press books include East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute (2010) and, with Victor D. Cha, Nuclear North Korea: A Debate on Engagement Strategies (revised and updated edition, 2018).

Book Review

 

By Stefan Messingschlager, Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, Germany
International Studies Review, Volume 28, Issue 1, March 2026

 

"Beyond Power Transitions distinguishes itself through its theoretical originality, empirical rigor, and incisive critique of dominant IR paradigms. By adeptly integrating meticulous historical scholarship with critical theoretical insights, Ma and Kang not only challenge entrenched Eurocentric perspectives but significantly advance discourse on the normative underpinnings of international stability."

 

Extract


Amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the USA and China, Xinru Ma and David C. Kang’s Beyond Power Transitions thoughtfully engages one of the most pivotal contemporary debates in International Relations (IR): How can shifts between established and rising powers be conceptualized without presuming an inevitable conflict? Critically examining “power transition theory”—a paradigm famously articulated by A.F.K. Organski and recently popularized through Graham Allison’s concept of the “Thucydides Trap,” which contends that rapid shifts in relative power between a declining hegemon and an ascending challenger significantly heighten the risk of war—Ma and Kang persuasively argue that the theory’s predominantly materialist and Eurocentric foundations severely limit its explanatory power beyond Western historical contexts. By disproportionately emphasizing cases such as the Anglo-German rivalry of the late nineteenth century, traditional analyses systematically obscure alternative historical experiences and non-Western mechanisms for managing power shifts.

To redress this imbalance, Ma and Kang propose a theoretical recalibration that emphasizes the crucial role of normative and culturally embedded structures in managing interstate relations (Chapter 1). Central to their reconceptualization is the innovative notion of the “common conjecture,” defined as a socially constructed consensus among East Asian states regarding legitimate leadership roles, recognized hierarchies, and accepted status positions within the regional order (p. 5). Significantly, the authors stress that this normative consensus was not merely an abstract ideal but rather a concretely institutionalized system maintained through culturally embedded diplomatic rituals and tributary practices. Korea’s regular tribute missions to the Ming and Qing courts, involving highly formalized ceremonies, exemplify how these normative practices symbolically enacted legitimacy and mutual recognition, thereby actively reinforcing and stabilizing regional hierarchies. Ma and Kang convincingly argue that these normative frameworks functioned as “snap-back mechanisms,” effectively restoring regional stability after major disruptions, such as dynastic transitions or external invasions. Additionally, they underscore the strategic agency exercised by smaller states within these normative orders, demonstrating how such actors carefully balanced hierarchical obligations with their own political autonomy—thus highlighting the tangible political significance and practical effectiveness of normative diplomacy.

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The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations

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Xinru Ma
David Kang
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Columbia University Press
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