Transnational Korea Lab
Welcome to the Transnational Korea Lab
Studying Korea across borders, ideologies, and histories to advance collaborative, critical scholarship on globalization, postcoloniality, and the divided Korean peninsula.
Mission Statement
The Korean peninsula offers a vital lens for understanding major global dynamics. South Korea's dramatic rise—from a postcolonial, war-torn nation to a global economic and cultural force—contrasts with North Korea’s trajectory as an isolated authoritarian state. Yet both are deeply shaped by shared histories of colonization, division, Cold War politics, and global circulation of ideas, people, and media. The Transnational Korea Lab is an interdisciplinary research and teaching initiative that explores Korea as a site of transnational connection and contestation. We study both North and South Korea, as well as the Korean diaspora, to challenge narrow, state-centered perspectives and to deepen theoretical discussions on development, modernity, identity, and global power.
What We Do:
- Train and Mentor: We support students in conducting Korea-related research, including opportunities to study in Korea and explore Korea’s connections to global and comparative issues.
- Build Scholarly Resources: The Lab curates reading lists, archives, and teaching materials on a wide range of Korea-related topics.
- Foster Academic Networks: We connect scholars across institutions, particularly throughout Chicagoland and the US Midwest, and collaborate with international researchers and institutions.
- Pursue Funding Opportunities: The Lab identifies and applies for grants from relevant organizations, such as the Association for Asian Studies, the Korea Foundation, and the Academy of Korean Studies to support research, public events, and student opportunities.
- Support Collaborative Research: We host and launch interdisciplinary projects involving researchers and students at Loyola and beyond. Our work aligns with faculty and student research agendas, fosters international collaboration, and promotes critical approaches to Korean scholarship.
Through events, guest speakers, working groups, and student-led projects, the Transnational Korea Lab aims to position Korea not as an isolated nation-state, but as a global site shaped by historical legacies, political entanglements, and transnational cultural flows that continue to resonate far beyond the peninsula.
Contact:
Dr. Minwoo Jung (mjung@luc.edu)
Director, Transnational Korea Lab
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Associate Faculty, Women’s Studies and Gender Studies Program
Welcome to the Transnational Korea Lab
Studying Korea across borders, ideologies, and histories to advance collaborative, critical scholarship on globalization, postcoloniality, and the divided Korean peninsula.
Mission Statement
The Korean peninsula offers a vital lens for understanding major global dynamics. South Korea's dramatic rise—from a postcolonial, war-torn nation to a global economic and cultural force—contrasts with North Korea’s trajectory as an isolated authoritarian state. Yet both are deeply shaped by shared histories of colonization, division, Cold War politics, and global circulation of ideas, people, and media. The Transnational Korea Lab is an interdisciplinary research and teaching initiative that explores Korea as a site of transnational connection and contestation. We study both North and South Korea, as well as the Korean diaspora, to challenge narrow, state-centered perspectives and to deepen theoretical discussions on development, modernity, identity, and global power.
What We Do:
- Train and Mentor: We support students in conducting Korea-related research, including opportunities to study in Korea and explore Korea’s connections to global and comparative issues.
- Build Scholarly Resources: The Lab curates reading lists, archives, and teaching materials on a wide range of Korea-related topics.
- Foster Academic Networks: We connect scholars across institutions, particularly throughout Chicagoland and the US Midwest, and collaborate with international researchers and institutions.
- Pursue Funding Opportunities: The Lab identifies and applies for grants from relevant organizations, such as the Association for Asian Studies, the Korea Foundation, and the Academy of Korean Studies to support research, public events, and student opportunities.
- Support Collaborative Research: We host and launch interdisciplinary projects involving researchers and students at Loyola and beyond. Our work aligns with faculty and student research agendas, fosters international collaboration, and promotes critical approaches to Korean scholarship.
Through events, guest speakers, working groups, and student-led projects, the Transnational Korea Lab aims to position Korea not as an isolated nation-state, but as a global site shaped by historical legacies, political entanglements, and transnational cultural flows that continue to resonate far beyond the peninsula.
Contact:
Dr. Minwoo Jung (mjung@luc.edu)
Director, Transnational Korea Lab
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Associate Faculty, Women’s Studies and Gender Studies Program