The 9th International Conference of NextGen Korean Studies Scholars (NEKST) was held in Ann Arbor from May 13-14, 2022. The conference organizing committee was composed of graduate students at the University of Michigan, led by committee chairs Yeon-ju Bae and Hojung Joo. The conference featured panel presentations, workshop sessions for dissertation chapters and advanced papers, roundtable discussion sessions, and a professional development workshop on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Panel themes included ROK-DPRK relations and global responses, plural masculinities, and livelihood and struggles at the margins of Korean society. Prominent Korean studies faculty members across many disciplines and institutions served as discussants and mentors.
14 graduate students in Korean studies internationally had the opportunity to share their research, receive feedback from Korean studies faculty members and other graduate students, as well as contribute toward building a dynamic, multidisciplinary community of future Korean studies scholars. A total of 30 students and faculty attended the conference.
