Gi-Wook Shin

Gi-Wook Shin is the William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea in the Department of Sociology at Stanford University, where he has been a Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies since 2005 and founding director of the Korea Program (2001) and Taiwan Program (2024). A historical-comparative and political sociologist, his research spans social movements, nationalism, migration, democratization, and international relations in Korea and the Asia-Pacific.

• PhD, MA, and BA in Sociology from University of Washington and Yonsei University
• Former faculty: University of Iowa (1991-94), UCLA (1994-2001)

His scholarly work examines democratization challenges in Korea, talent strategies in Asia-Pacific nations, and historical reconciliation in Northeast Asia. The Stanford Next Asia Policy Lab (SNAPL), which he launched in 2023, addresses contemporary regional challenges through interdisciplinary research.

Key article trends include comparative studies on migration, talent development, and historical memory conflicts across Asia. Recipient of numerous grants for Korean/Asian studies, he actively fundraises for academic programs and serves on multiple advisory councils in the U.S. and South Korea.

Shin advises doctoral students in sociology and political science, with mentees including Elisa Kim and Tim Im. He has taught courses on nations and nationalism, state-society relations in Korea, and historical sociology.