Contact Information
Fields of Interest
Biography
Hajin Jun is the James B. Palais Assistant Professor of Korean History in the Department of History and the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington.
She specializes in the history of modern Korea, the Japanese empire, and Christianity in East Asia. Her current book project examines the politics of ritual reform in early twentieth-century Korea. She explores how marriage, funerary, and ancestral rites became heated sites of contestation as Protestant leaders, Korean cultural nationalists, and Japanese colonial officials sought to realize disparate visions for the Korean people, as well as for the proper place of religion in modern society.
Prior to joining the University of Washington, Hajin Jun received her Ph.D. in history from Stanford University and a B.A. in history and political science from the University of Michigan.
Research
Courses Taught
Winter 2026
Autumn 2025
Spring 2025
Spring 2024
Autumn 2023
Winter 2023
Autumn 2022
Spring 2022
Winter 2021
Autumn 2020
Spring 2020
Graduate Study Areas
Divisions
Division: Asia: Pre-history to Present
Students may work with Professor Jun in modern Korean history. The field examines the social,
political, and cultural history of Korea from the late nineteenth century to the present. Students
will develop a broad understanding of key historiographical questions related to the emergence
of Korean nationalism, Japanese colonization, colonial state and society, decolonization, and
the divergent trajectories of North and South Korea. Students will also be encouraged to
deepen their expertise in a thematic subfield relevant for their teaching and/or research.
Required course for first and second fields: HSTAS 581 and two supervised directed readings.
Students who select modern Korean history as third or fourth fields are encouraged to take
HSTAS 581, though they may opt instead for a supervised directed reading depending on their
research and training needs.
Korean-language proficiency is required for students who pursue a primary specialization in
modern Korean history.