Jaehyun Kim (Morse College), Lucas Miner (Silliman College), and Isabelle Qian (Pierson College) were the winners of the 2024 Williams Prize in East Asian Studies. The Council on East Asian Studies had a chance to catch up with them at the start of the summer and they kindly answered a few of our questions about their essays.
Jaehyun Kim
To begin, could you please provide an abstract or brief summary of your essay entitled “Korean Newspapers and the ‘Irish Problem’: Japanese Censorship in Colonial Korea, 1920-1930”?
The colonial Korean press (1920-1940) has been both praised for acting as a voice of the oppressed and criticized for its association and acquiescence to Japanese authorities. Building on recent scholarship on Japanese colonial press censorship and the early Korean press, my essay examines to what extent nationalist journalism was possible in two major Korean newspapers (the Tonga Ilbo and Chosŏn Ilbo) using reports on the Irish Independence War as a case study. During the 1920s, these two papers published frequently on the Irish Independence War and their reports were directly anti-colonial and established solidarity with them. The fact that these newspapers could publish so many Irish independence articles during a time of strict Japanese censorship indicates there were numerous logistical challenges to censorship, as well as a journalist community and readership deeply interested in and dedicated to the global self-determination movement despite Japanese efforts to co-opt Korean intellectuals and cultural leaders.
How did you first get interested in your topic of research?
I became interested in early Korean journalism through my job at Yale’s Center for Preservation and Conservation, at which book acquisitions (such as donations) are processed and made available for Yale students and faculty in libraries. One of the books I came across was “A Collection of Tonga Ilbo Articles Seized under Japanese Rule.” I was struck by the depth and vividness with which the articles wrote about contemporary political issues, and those articles motivated me to explore Korea-Japan relations starting with a study of the colonial period. The next semester, I took Professor Shepherd’s class “Korea and the Japanese Empire.” I was particularly fascinated by the era of Cultural Rule (1920-c.1930), when Japan loosened some restrictions on Korean cultural output in an effort to better uncover the Korean nationalist movement and co-opt cultural leaders while Korean intellectuals took advantage of changing colonial policies to spread nationalist ideas to the populace. These two experiences led me to explore Korean newspapers and how they illuminate the efforts by colonial administrators and newspaper writers to outwit each other. While I was searching through Tonga Ilbo and Chosŏn Ilbo articles from 1920-1930s, I came across enough mentions of the “Irish problem” that I felt the reports on the Irish War of Independence were not only a great example of Korean newspapers’ role in keeping Korea engaged in the global anticolonial movement but also a topic that generated great interest and inspiration among Korean readers.
What would you say was the most interesting finding of your research? Were there any surprises?
I was surprised to learn that, in the early 1920s, Japanese censorship of Korean newspapers was more chaotic and disorganized than previously assumed. When I started my research, I had assumed that any article that directly supported Ireland and endorsed key anti-colonial arguments would have been censored. Given the frequency of articles on Ireland and close colonial surveillance of the Tonga Ilbo and Chosŏn Ilbo, Japanese censors were well-aware of Korean readers’ interest in the Irish War of Independence. However, many articles were digitized without noticeable traces of censorship, leading me to wonder how so many Irish independence articles could have been published in the first place.
Secondary research on Japanese press censorship argues that, at the beginning of the Cultural Rule period, Japanese censors severely underestimated the volume of Korean newspaper publishing as well as the challenges of censoring a newspaper which published a new edition and thousands of copies at least once a day. A particularly striking passage, with which I begin my thesis, describes how Japanese censors waited anxiously for the latest edition to come out, skimmed it as quickly as they could, and, if they found objectionable content, they communicated it to the representatives of the Korea newspaper by telephone as new copies were being printed.
I was also surprised to learn about the competition between the Tonga Ilbo and Chosŏn Ilbo to become the “paper of the Korean people,” and how, within the newspaper company, there were frequent negotiations and conflict between management, journalists, and readers on where the company should be ideologically.
What was the most challenging part of your research?
Finding secondary sources that directly mentioned Ireland as a topic of interest in Korean newspapers was initially challenging. Irish articles were not discussed in comprehensive studies on Korean newspapers under Japanese rule, making it challenging to support my observations and arguments. During the winter break, I experienced a breakthrough when I came across the works of Han Sŭng-hun, Yun Tŏg-yŏng, and Tonga Ilbo journalists Yi Jin and Yu Wŏn-mo, who explained and supported my argument that Korean newspapers paid special attention to Irish independence as a current event in the 1920s. While their works did not make it to my final draft, I also found the works of Kim Hong-ch’ŏl and Pak Chi-hyang valuable sources for this fascinating topic.
What resources at Yale were the most helpful for your research?
I am indebted first and foremost to Professor Hwansoo Kim, who not only went out of his way to advise a student not in his academic department, but, throughout my senior year, generously shared his regional expertise, writing advice, and personal wisdom to make me a better student of history. Dr. Jude Yang, Yale’s Korean Studies librarian, guided me to crucial secondary sources which would have been difficult for me, a student who had recently gained proficiency in academic Korean, to find on my own. Professor Hannah Shepherd, whose class through which I found my research topic, provided me with a great foundation for understanding the Cultural Rule period of Korean and Japanese history.
While all of my primary sources were digitized and available online, I learned so much about how to search for and analyze primary sources through the Beinecke’s workshops (which I attended as part of a few history classes).
Were you able to travel to Asia during your time at Yale? If so, where and when, and what type of program? Did you go on a Light Fellowship?
I did not travel to Asia during my time at Yale, but I will study in Japan for the summer and academic year on the Light Fellowship after graduation.
How important would you say your language study at Yale was to your research?
Without language study, my research would not have been possible. Professor Lee-Smith and Professor Choi were instrumental in improving my Korean to the point where I could read Korean secondary and primary sources.
My interest in East Asian history, particularly Korea-Japan relations, motivated me to begin studying Japanese starting junior year. While I have a long way to go, Yale’s Japanese department has done an excellent job making language learning fun, accessible, and collaborative. I can definitely see myself continuing to learn Japanese after graduation, and my goal is to be able to read Japanese historical sources in a few years.
When you had some downtime on campus, what did you like to do for fun? Any particular interests or hobbies related to East Asia?
I am a violinist at the Davenport Pops Orchestra, a 100+ member ensemble that performs popular songs and music from movies and video games. I also like to dance! I am part of Yale Danceworks and Peristalsis (a club that teaches dance to children at the Yale New Haven Hospital).
During my sophomore year, I worked part-time at Center for Preservation and Conservation, where I helped process over 400 books on Korean studies donated to Yale. I am also lucky to have attended cultural events hosted by Yale’s Korean and Japanese departments; I would highly recommend them!
What advice would you offer to rising seniors about how to tackle their senior theses?
Use the summer to find and read primary sources related to your topic. They do not need to be the ones that make it into your final draft, but it is important to start searching early, especially if you plan on using sources written in a non-native language.
If you are stuck in your research or writing process, talk to your advisor! Don’t try to ignore it or wait it out. Your advisor is there to give help but it is your responsibility to reach out when you need it. I had lunch a few times with Professor Kim during my senior year, and our conversations not only gave me new ideas and perspectives on my research but also were a great opportunity to get to know him personally.
Also, I want to pass along what I heard at the senior essay meeting for History majors during my junior spring: that the only difference between writing an academic work and a novel is that academic works have footnotes; you can’t make stuff up, but you still have to write a good story. You are writing about a topic that both means a lot to you personally and you believe is important for the world to know. You also have the space in a 10,000+ word essay to let your ideas, voice, and creativity shine. Don’t simply focus on getting the history right—take the time to make your writing exciting, engaging, and unique!
What will you be doing after graduation?
I have received the Light Fellowship to study in Japan for the summer and academic year. I plan to return with proficient Japanese communication skills, a better understanding of Japanese society and culture, and be prepared to research Korean-Japanese history in Japanese in addition to Korean and English.
Lucas Miner
To begin, could you please provide an abstract or brief summary of your essay entitled “The One-and-a-Half Chinas’ Problem: Taiwan and the Origins of Peaceful Reunification, 1978–1988”?
My essay studies Cross-Strait relations during the pivotal decade from 1978 to 1988, during which time a series of momentous changes altered the status quo between Taiwan and the Mainland. My essay primarily focuses on one such change—the PRC’s sudden shift from a hostile policy to “peaceful reunification.” My essay explores how Taiwan responded to peaceful reunification; how proposals meant to realize peaceful reunification evolved; how the PRC and ROC maneuvered rhetorically and politically on the matter of reunification; and how a new equilibrium in Cross-Strait relations emerged as a result.
How did you first get interested in your topic of research?
I originally became interested with the period of history—Deng’s reforms and the post-Mao transition—during a Chinese history seminar I took with Professor Denise Ho in my sophomore spring. I spent the subsequent summer in Taiwan as a Richard U. Light Fellow and became deeply fascinated with the history of the island and its contemporary geopolitical significance. I decided to marry these two interests with my thesis by looking at Cross-Strait relations under Deng Xiaoping, and my research proceeded from there.
What would you say was the most interesting finding of your research? Were there any surprises?
I think the most interesting findings generally pertain to how much the PRC prioritized accomplishing reunification. At face value, the whole notion of “peaceful reunification” might seem like a disingenuous ploy, but I think my research convincingly demonstrates that both the PRC and ROC treated the prospect of reunification with an existential seriousness. I think this comes through clearest in my analysis of the PRC’s United Front, and how both sides of the Taiwan Strait engaged in intense and wide-ranging political warfare meant to advance or resist peaceful reunification. These findings are made all the more surprising by the fact that few other works on Cross-Strait relations treat peaceful reunification and this decade with anywhere near the level of rigor and depth it deserves. The implications remain pertinent for present day Cross-Strait relations, and I think I think Professor Maura Dykstra put it best in her reader report for my essay:
“The deterioration of cross-strait relations has darkened the hopes of many… . To read Miner’s essay on how these things once came together while they seem to be falling apart offers a lovely symmetry that encourages the reader to imagine whether the best analogy for this problem is more like spilt milk or an unfinished puzzle.”
What was the most challenging part of your research?
The writing. I sifted through hundreds of pages of primary sources in Chinese that touched on a broad range of historical events, characters, and themes. This alone was challenging, but I then had to decide how to incorporate all these sources and pulled-on threads into a cohesive structure for my thesis with a cogent, unique argument. It was an enormous mental challenge, and for all the time I spent reading and researching, I spent at least double the time just thinking about how to put pen to paper.
What resources at Yale were the most helpful for your research?
More so than any archive collection or database, I found the people at Yale to be the most helpful resource while writing my thesis. I spent many hours discussing the structure and developing the arguments of my essay with my advisor, Professor Odd Arne Westad. Throughout the entire research process, I also constantly bounced ideas off friends writing their own theses, regardless of whether their topics related to mine. At the very least, it was a great outlet for commiseration about deadlines and procrastination, but hearing about my friends’ research often gave me fresh intellectual inspiration for my own thesis.
Were you able to travel to Asia during your time at Yale? If so, where and when, and what type of program? Did you go on a Light Fellowship?
I travelled to Taiwan on a Light Fellowship in the summer of 2022. My experience there sparked my research interest in Taiwan and Cross-Strait relations, and I returned the following summer with funding from CEAS to undertake thesis research at the Academia Historica archives in Taipei.
How important would you say your language study at Yale was to your research?
Extremely important. I placed into L5 Chinese as a first-year student and have taken five Chinese language classes in total. I also spent additional time as a Light Fellow studying Chinese in Taiwan. The primary sources I accessed, especially those from the Academia Historica, required high-level Chinese reading comprehension to parse in an efficient manner. Even with the preparation I received from my language study, I still initially had trouble deciphering the highly formalized political lingo used in these primary sources.
When you had some downtime on campus, what did you like to do for fun? Any particular interests or hobbies related to East Asia?
During my senior year I have prioritized spending time with friends during my downtime, whether it be playing squash, lifting in the gym, competing in bar trivia together, or enjoying movie nights. I also frequently invite friends over to my apartment to study/chat and enjoy Alishan high mountain tea, prepared using my Chinese tea set.
What advice would you offer to rising seniors about how to tackle their senior theses?
Let the sources guide your thesis and be comfortable with uncertainty. Just a few fascinating primary sources can inspire your entire thesis, but it takes time to dig through mounds of documents (especially in a foreign language) so start the research process over the summer. In the meantime, do not stress if you are not entirely certain about the exact direction of your essay. It will come in due time, maybe inspired by just a single quote or paragraph you dig up during your primary source research and secondary reading.
What will you be doing after graduation?
I will be undertaking graduate studies in Beijing as a Yenching Scholar at Peking University.
Isabelle Qian
To begin, could you please provide an abstract or brief summary of your essay entitled “True Bones: Catholic Infanticide Scandals and the Act of Truth-Making in 1950s China”?
My essay investigates the Chinese government’s allegations of infanticide against Catholic orphanages in the 1950s. Relying primarily on newspaper and government reports—but also on children’s books, online forums, and video games—I sought to consider these allegations beyond simple judgements of true or false. Instead, I analyzed the infanticide scandals as examples of the Chinese state’s attempts to “create truth” during the early years of the PRC. I closely analyzed rhetorical devices such as the theme of revelation within the infanticide depictions and the active participation of the Chinese public to illustrate how the PRC was an affective and pedagogical regime, in which the government used emotion to actively teach their new citizens the “correct” ways of looking at the world. I also traced the scandals’ afterlives into the present to demonstrate the various ways that propagandistic narratives can be memorialized in both state and grassroots memory.
How did you first get interested in your topic of research?
I was first inspired when my mother mentioned a picture book that she read as a child in China during the 1960s or 70s. Although she had forgotten the book’s title, she remembered that it was about a group of Chinese orphans who were abused by a nun in a Catholic orphanage. When we think about orphanages within the Chinese context, we often think about the wave of American adoptions that occurred in the 1990s. However, I realized that I knew very little about orphanages during the earlier years of the PRC and decided that I wanted to learn more. One of the most exciting moments in my research was when I was able to track down the original picture book that my mother had read all those years ago. That book eventually became one of the most interesting and crucial sources for my analysis.
What would you say was the most interesting finding of your research? Were there any surprises?
I was most surprised and excited by the richness of the scandal’s afterlives. I originally believed that the infanticide allegations had mostly been forgotten; other than a few physical memorials and social media posts that tied the scandals to other abuses in the Catholic Church, there didn’t seem to be much about the orphanages in common memory. Then, when I had already moved on to the writing stage, I discovered a Chinese video game that was centered on infanticide in Catholic orphanages. This then led me to an urban myth about a Shanghai department store haunted by the ghosts of orphans, which ended up tracing back to the aforementioned picture book. I was fascinated by these examples of how propaganda narratives can be perpetuated even decades after their first dissemination—maintained not explicitly by the CCP, but rather by a subtler general consciousness, an example of how the reproduction of “truth” can transfer from the state to the public.
What was the most challenging part of your research?
I found myself struggling with a lot of doubt about the subject and direction of my research. I pivoted multiple times throughout the process because of roadblocks in accessing sources, as well as a fear that I just didn’t have anything interesting or ambitious to say. Of course, the research itself was challenging simply because research often is challenging. For me, however, the most difficult part probably was a lack of confidence and focus that often led me down unhelpful paths, only for me to realize that I should have just chosen one angle and stuck with it.
Were you able to travel to Asia during your time at Yale? If so, where and when, and what type of program? Did you go on a Light Fellowship?
I received the Light Fellowship the summer after my sophomore year to study Japanese in Osaka with the CET program.
How important would you say your language study at Yale was to your research?
It was certainly very important. I took advanced Chinese courses during my sophomore and junior year, which helped prepare me to search for and analyze my primary sources, almost all of which were in Chinese.
When you had some downtime on campus, what did you like to do for fun? Any particular interests or hobbies related to East Asia?
I enjoy going out for Chinese food, as well as watching independent Chinese films from the 1990s and 2000s. I was also an editor for the Yale Historical Review, which allowed me to develop my familiarity with historical research and provided me with a warm community of individuals who are excited by history.
That being said, I spent most of my free time with friends. Especially in my senior year, I realized how important it was to just be around all these people whom I love—not thinking about research. We will never all be in college together again. I don’t regret spending any of that time with them.
What advice would you offer to rising seniors about how to tackle their senior theses?
I heard a lot of advice going into the senior thesis: start reading over the summer, make use of Yale funds to conduct research, begin your writing early. This is all good advice; I wish that I had followed it. Personally, I would remind rising seniors that the senior thesis is just a project. It’s a long project, and it will likely be difficult, but it’s just a project. There are some people who are extraordinarily in love with their thesis and who are excited whenever they get to work on it. Those are lucky people, and I don’t know any of them myself. The senior thesis does not have to be the best or most important thing that you have ever written. It just needs to be a serious attempt. Take it seriously while giving yourself grace for imperfection, and I think you will have something that you are proud of at the end of the year.
What will you be doing after graduation?
I actually don’t know yet. I’m weighing a couple different options at the moment for the coming year, but ultimately, I am hoping to attend a graduate program after some time off from school.