James Joo-Jin Kim Center for Korean Studies
The James Joo-Jin Kim Center for Korean Studies at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) is pleased to announce the 5th KSYS Graduate Student Conference to be held on March 6th–7th, 2026 at Penn. The conference is all day March 6th, 2026 and half the day March 7, ending with the conference lunch.
This international and multi-disciplinary conference welcomes submissions from graduate students across various academic disciplines in humanities and social sciences with a scholarly interest in Korea.
To apply, please complete the Google Form (link), which will require your contact information, affiliation, an abstract (300-500 words), and a short biography (max. 100 words).
Research Focus
We invite any project that critically examines different realms of Korean society and Korean diaspora.
Potential topics for presentations include, but are not limited to:
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Race, Language, and Culture
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Individual and Family
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Gender and Sexuality
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Human Developmental Pathways
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Economics, Politics, and International Relations
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Religion and Spirituality
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Civic Engagements and Civic Life
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Social Welfare and Social Security
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Environment and Crisis
Conference Benefits
Participating scholars will have the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from fellow student participants as well as experienced faculty and postdoctoral mentors in a wide array of academic disciplines. We also aim to render this event as a place where we can bridge young scholars from different institutes and disciplinary backgrounds to foster novel collaboration.
Conference Structure
The conference will feature multiple regular sessions and professional development workshops. During the regular sessions, presenters will have 15-20 minutes to showcase their research, followed by comments from an invited discussant. Faculty members and postdoctoral fellows from both the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions will serve as discussants. Professional development workshops will offer students advice on navigating graduate school and academic careers in Korean Studies and related fields.
Logistics
Accommodations and meals will be provided for all selected presenters. Attendance at all sessions, including the professional development workshops, on both March 6th and 7th is required. The conference will be conducted in person, and the conference dinner will be held on March 6 and 7. Please note that hotel lodging (two people per room) will be provided for up to 3 nights.
Anticipated Timeline
Proposal due date: November 30th, 2025
Acceptance notification: by the end of December 2025
Acceptance response: due within 1 week after the notification
Full paper due date: by mid-February 2026 (exact date TBD)
Conference date: March 6-7, 2026
Conference Organizers
Brandon Callegari (Political Science)
Jaeyeon Lee (Sociology)
Julie Kim (English)
Marina Nascimento (East Asian Languages and Civilizations)
Wonkyoo Lee (History)
Xinlei Wang (East Asian Languages and Civilizations)
This conference is supported by the James Joo-Jin Kim Center for Korean Studies. If you have any questions, please contact ksysconference@gmail.com.