I am an MA student at the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia, where I also got my undergraduate degree in Political Science (Hons) and Economics. My research focuses on the political economy of East Asia, with an emphasis on civil society and democratization. I am currently the Event Coordinator at the Centre for Japanese Research at the Institute of Asian Research.
My interest in East Asia is due to its diverse civil society cases and its unique institutional arrangements between businesses, politicians, and bureaucracies. It is a region that demonstrates the limits and possibilities of civic engagement within a globalized economy. South Korea, for example, presents a fascinating case study where its civil society organizations are credited with its democratization. Despite civil society’s political activism, South Korea faces the legacies of a developmental state; its intertwined relationship with business interests have yet to unravel, and its policy environment remains hostile to social programs. This is a region that also faces shifting international politics and trade dynamics and increasing domestic pressures due to inequality and slowing economic growth. I believe that a greater focus in these contexts can reveal new dimensions of markets, state intervention and civic involvement.