John G. Grisafi, PhD

Scholar Spotlight: John G. Grisafi | U-M LSA Nam Center for Korean Studies The Nam Center welcomes John G. Grisafi to the University of Michigan as a Korea Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow for the 2025-26 academic year.

The formal announcement of my joining the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan as a postdoctoral fellow:

Trump says he is concerned about investigation targeting Korean churches U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was seeking information from South Korea about investigations in that country that he said targeted churches and a military base.

And now Trump is talking about religion in Korea. It's unclear what he's trying to accomplish. It may that he's repeating what he heard, or perhaps just a talking point to nitpick his counterpart. But it could be about domestic affairs, as I suspected about Gingrich.
www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...

There is, as always, some cause for concern about politically motivated targeting of religious institutions and minorities, but his take feels politically biased and ultimately, I think, about US politics more than about Korea.

He mentions unequal restrictions on churches in COVID, but only in the US. Such inequity in pandemic policy and attitude did occur in South Korea, but he doesn't mention it.

Preserving religious freedom in South Korea When South Korean President Lee Jae Myung visits President Trump on Aug. 25, the issue of religious freedom should be high on the agenda.

Newt Gingrich gave his two cents on religion in Korea. Predictably conservative, he talks of attacks on Christian churches from the political left in Korea and the US and lauds Trump for promoting religious rights.

Today I had my first day as a postdoctoral fellow at the Nam Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan! Looking forward to a productive and enlightening year of research and involvement here!

Though a short program, I feel a sense of accomplishment completing the Emerging Leaders Fellowship at National Institute for Unification Education (국립통일교육원) in South Korea this month. I learned a lot, had the privilege of visiting places most people never get to see, and met some wonderful people.

Colleagues and I visited the 4.19 National Cemetery 국립4.19민주묘지 in Seoul on a beautiful evening. It is a resting place and memorial for students killed in the mass protests against President Syngman Rhee in the 1960 April Revolution (4.19혁명).

I'm honored and privileged to have been part of the 13th Emerging Leaders Fellowship Unification Academy (신진학자 통일아카데미) at the National Institute for Unification Education (국립통일교육원) in South Korea this month. It was wonderful to share the experience with a cohort of colleagues from 10 countries.

I am delighted to have been conferred my PhD in Religious Studies from Yale University today! A tremendous thank you to the countless people in my life who have helped make this possible!

It's difficult to know who the real contenders are, let alone predict the outcome papal conclave, but Cardinal You Heung-sik has been named as a possible contender. If chosen, he would be the first pope from Asia.
www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/2...

#AAS2025 coasters at Gallerie in the Hilton

I'll be presenting this Saturday at #AAS2025. My presentation, "The Inter-imperial Construction of Religion in Korea’s Open Ports Era, 1876-1905," is based on the first chapter of my dissertation. Part of the "Religion in Flux: Dynamic Constructions in Asian Religiosity" panel beginning at 8:30am.

I organize by region and topic, and by sub-topic and chronologically within that. I have a single tall bookcase dedicated to religion, organized by region. Other shelves are for other books on the same regions. One shelf for library books so I don't mingle them.

I'm glad to have been part of the first ever Yale Korean Philosophy of Religion and Theology Graduate Conference yesterday. I appreciate being invited to participate as a moderator and enjoyed the research presentations and the conversations! Thank you to the organizers!

This is indeed concerning. FRUS is a vital resource for accessing the official US government record of US foreign relations, relied upon heavily by scholars. I used it in my MA thesis and my PhD dissertation, both about religion in Korea. It's not only history and politics of the US affected.

"South Korea’s overnight struggle has reminded the world of a stark truth: democracy is not self-sustaining. It demands vigilance. It requires collective action."

An updated version of my piece has been published on Zeteo.com. Thank you @mehdirhasan.bsky.social for sharing. #SouthKorea #Democracy

Democratic Party resolves to initiate impeachment proceedings against Yoon if he refuses immediate resignation, following overnight martial law crisis.

What just happened in South Korea:

At around 10:25 pm: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in a televised announcement

Within hours, 190 lawmakers voted in parliament to block the move while martial law officials entered the building.

At 4:27 am: Yoon lifts martial law

Some contextual differences between the US and Korea are worth noting, particularly regarding why certain outcomes are less likely to occur over here (sorry!):

One major difference I've noticed between South Korean and US politics is the willingness of South Korean political parties to break with sitting presidents from their party, seemingly seeing distancing themselves from a president as more beneficial. Not so common in the US.

The Making of Minjung by Namhee Lee | Paperback | Cornell University Press "This book is the best, and virtually the only, political ethnography of South Korean antigovernment political activism by students and intellectuals during the 1980s."—Korean Studies

Methinks my fellow Americans might benefit from learning a bit more about the long struggle in South Korea against authoritarian rule and the flowering of its protest culture.

Namhee Lee's book is one good place to start. Any other recs?

www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9780801...

Another great book by Charles Kim to recommend on the history of South Korea's long democratic struggle: uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/youth-...

BREAKING: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says he has ordered the withdrawal of troops and will formally lift the martial law.

Natl Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik just made a statement calling for Yoon to lift the decree immediately, and the military and police to stop partaking in an illegal act. Nailed Yoon’s political coffin by adding that the military acted on principle and not politically.

Quite a hopeful sign indeed!

Nat'l Assembly votes to demand lifting of martial law | Yonhap News Agency SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Yonhap) -- The National Assembly voted Wednesday to demand President Yoon S...

Nat'l Assembly votes to demand lifting of martial law en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2024...

South Korea's national assembly passed a resolution declaring martial law invalid

It took only ~2.5 hrs for the National Assembly to gather a majority of members (190 of 300) and generate a unanimous vote (190 of 190) to vote down the emergency martial law. The law says the president "shall comply" with parliament's vote, but doesn't specify a time frame.