NEKST 2025: International Conference of NextGen Korean Studies Scholars University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI, United States, May 9-10, 2025

Call for Papers

12th International Conference of NextGen Korean Studies Scholars

“Mobility and Liminality: Korea Across Boundaries”

May 9-10, 2025  | University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, USA 

Deadline for submission of abstracts: Jan 31, 2025

Notification of acceptance: Feb 17, 2025

Manuscript submission: Apr 14, 2025

Amidst constant exchange of ideas and active mobilities across regional boundaries as acts of translocal and transnational engagement, Korean Studies has expanded its horizon beyond specific times and places. Under the theme “Mobility and Liminality: Korea Across Boundaries,” NextGen Korean Studies Scholars Conference cordially invites graduate students to participate in the 12th International Conference of NextGen Korean Studies Scholars. The graduate student body of the NEKST conference aims to provide an opportunity for  graduate students to share their research, receive feedback from faculty, network with fellow graduate students, and contribute to building a collaborative community of scholars.

In line with our conference theme this year, we seek to bring together diverse perspectives that explore Korea across physical, symbolic, and conceptual boundaries. We encourage participants to consider this theme as an analytical tool or a framework to shape their research topic. As such, we welcome submissions from a variety of disciplines that include, but are not limited to, the (digital) humanities, social sciences, art/performance, and applied studies. We also encourage contributions that cross disciplinary and methodological lines. With the understanding of Korea writ large, we strive towards fostering dialogue that can open up new avenues of inquiry.

Submission Guidelines

All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference. The following paper categories are welcome:

Eligibility to apply for this conference is open not only to graduate students(M.A./M.M/M.Phil/M.F.A/Ph.D./D.M.A) but also those who hold a terminal master’s degree. We welcome submissions on the research topics related to our main theme, "Mobility and Liminality: Korea Across Boundaries." We accept three forms of submission: 1) individual paperpresentation, 2) panel proposal, and 3) chapter workshop.

More information is below:

1. Deadline for submission of abstracts: Jan 31, 2025
   1. Individual paper presentation: Abstract is required (250-word limit). Speakers will hold a 15-minutepresentation, followed by a Q&A session. In order to receive feedback from a faculty member, your fullwritten manuscript should be sent by Apr 14, 2025.
   2. Panel proposal: Panel abstract (200-word limit) and each speakers’ paper abstract (250-word limit) arerequired. Speakers can consist of 3-4 members. Each speaker will have a maximum of 15 minutes to present,followed by Q&A. All individual speakers’ presentations should be sent by Apr 14, 2025.
   3. Chapter workshop: This is for PhD candidates who are at an advanced level in their doctoral program.Your dissertation abstract, your chapter manuscript, and a short description of how your selected chapter is relevant to your dissertation should be included in the submission. Each speaker will have a 45-minuteworkshop and a faculty member will offer extensive feedback on the manuscript during this time. Thedeadline for submission is by Apr 7, 2025.
2. Notification of acceptance: Feb 17, 2025

All abstract submissions should be uploaded through Easychair. The link is here: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=nekst2025. (Click “make a new submission” in the section of Author)

Panel abstracts and manuscript submissions should be sent to NEKST2025@umich.edu.

Committees

Program Committee

• Sunhong Kim (Chair; Ethnomusicology)
• James Kiselik (English Literature and Cultures)
• Ok Ji Lee (Asian History)
• Adelina Pinzaru (Asian Languages and Cultures)

Organizing committee

• Seohyung Kim (Anthropology)
• Hanna Lee (Political Science)
• Jane Haeun Lee (Asian Languages and Cultures)
• Jieun Oh (Political Science)
• Kaeun Park (Asian Languages and Cultures)
• Sonia Singh (Asian Languages and Cultures)

Faculty Advisors

• Youngju Ryu (Director, Nam Center for Korean Studies; Asian Languages and Cultures)
• Ji Yeon Hong (Nam Center for Korean Studies; Political Science)

Coordinators

• Minyoung Song (Nam Center for Korean Studies)
• Eval Fall (Nam Center for Korean Studies)

Logistical Information

International/domestic flights and lodging funding will be partially provided with the support of the Nam Center for Korean Studies (NCKS) and the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) Grant.

Additional funding information: For those who are interested in researching the archives at the University of Michigan, the U-M Libraryprovides generous Asia Library Travel Grants for advanced graduate students and faculty of Chinese,Japanese, and Korean studies from other institutions to explore our Asian Library collections that encompassrich resources related to Korea, Japan, and China. We highly recommend potential speakers to apply for thistravel grant. Potential speakers who receive this grant can extend their stay in Ann Arbor to conduct archivalresearch in any out of ten libraries at the University of Michigan. This grant supports up to $1,000 to assistwith the cost of travel, lodging, meals, and photo duplication. (https://www.lib.umich.edu/research-and-scholarship/awards-and-grants/asia-library-travel-grants)

Contact

For further information, please contact NEKST2025@umich.edu