We are excited to celebrate the recent prestigious election of U-M Sociology’s Jaeeun Kim as a Non-Resident Permanent Fellow to the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin. Kim is a Korea Foundation Endowed Associate Professor of Sociology and a Professor of Law (by courtesy), as well as the Associate Sociology Graduate Director. This honor from the Wissenschaftskolleg recognizes her significant academic contributions and leadership within her field. Kim will be one of only 21 scholars to have held this role since the institute's establishment in 1981, exemplifying her standing among top sociologists.
During the 2020-2021 academic year, Kim was a fellow at Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, where she advanced her project, “Repertoires of Redemption: Migration, Asylum, and Religion in the Era of Involuntary Immobility.” Kim's research explores the critical issues of migration, asylum, and religious conversion, with a particular focus on ethnic Korean migrants from China to the United States who claim refugee status as Christians.
Permanent Fellows (PFs) are appointed by the Members' Assembly and play a vital role in guiding the institute’s academic trajectory and selecting new fellows. As a PF, Kim will support the Rector in academic leadership, contributing to the strategic direction of the Wissenschaftskolleg. The recent addition of just five new Non-Resident Permanent Fellows further signifies the stature of Kim’s election.
The U-M Department of Sociology congratulates Jaeeun Kim on this significant achievement and looks forward to her continued contributions to both Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin and the broader academic community.