hyun-joo lim - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by hyun-joo lim
Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessibl... more Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Since China shares a border with North Korea, it has become the first destination for desperate N... more Since China shares a border with North Korea, it has become the first destination for desperate North Koreans who risk their lives to escape. An unofficial figure estimates that there are between 50,000 and 200,000 North Koreans living in China. The Chinese government denies most of them refugee status, instead treating them as economic migrants who have illegally crossed the border to seek work. Most have no formal identification or legal status. In addition, Beijing works together with Pyongyang to capture defectors and send them back, making their lives as escapees completely untenable.
East Asian Mothers in Britain, 2018
As a social construct, ‘gender is a powerful ideological device, which produces, reproduces, and ... more As a social construct, ‘gender is a powerful ideological device, which produces, reproduces, and legitimates the choices and limits that are predicated on sex categories’ (West and Zimmerman 1987, p. 147).
East Asian Mothers in Britain, 2018
Intersectionality has undoubtedly become one of the most significant concepts since the coinage o... more Intersectionality has undoubtedly become one of the most significant concepts since the coinage of the term in the late 1980s by Kimberle Crenshaw.
This study explores some of the sources of stress faced by students in higher education. Research... more This study explores some of the sources of stress faced by students in higher education. Research identifies an association between stress levels and students' academic performance. This study aims to determine the sources, level and impact of perceived stresses among students in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, years of study and degree major. Participatory action research was explored as a means of developing strategies and solutions for students experiencing stress-related problems. Eleven undergraduate students were recruited initially as co-researchers with four academic staff and one research assistant. One student continued throughout the cycle with two others having to withdraw because of academic work pressures. A collaborative process took place using narrative storytelling and
Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is somethi... more Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is something that demands constant (re)working of individuals. However, I argue in this chapter that we should not overly exaggerate such fleeting characteristics since this depiction does not necessarily represent how identity is understood and experienced by social actors in their daily lives (Lawler in Identity: Sociological perspectives. Polity Press, Cambridge, 2014), particularly by many of the East Asian mothers in my work.
The remit of the Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life series is to publish majo... more The remit of the Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life series is to publish major texts, monographs and edited collections focusing broadly on the sociological exploration of intimate relationships and family organization. The series covers a wide range of topics such as partnership, marriage, parenting, domestic arrangements, kinship, demographic change, intergenerational ties, life course transitions, step-families, gay and lesbian relationships, lone-parent households, and also non-familial intimate relationships such as friendships and includes works by leading figures in the field, in the UK and internationally, and aims to contribute to continue publishing influential and prize-winning research.
In his discussion of policy response to teenage motherhood, Duncan (2007) argues that individual ... more In his discussion of policy response to teenage motherhood, Duncan (2007) argues that individual women make their decisions towards childcare and employment on the basis of different rationalities.
East Asian Mothers in Britain, 2018
Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is somethi... more Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is something that demands constant (re)working of individuals. However, I argue in this chapter that we should not overly exaggerate such fleeting characteristics since this depiction does not necessarily represent how identity is understood and experienced by social actors in their daily lives (Lawler in Identity: Sociological perspectives. Polity Press, Cambridge, 2014), particularly by many of the East Asian mothers in my work.
Motherhood in Contemporary International Perspective, 2019
Families, Relationships and Societies, 2012
This article focuses on the possible impacts of Confucianism on the experiences of middle-class E... more This article focuses on the possible impacts of Confucianism on the experiences of middle-class East Asian women with dependent children in Britain. By using the concept of ‘intersectionality’, it aims to understand the ways in which mothering identity intersects with class and East Asian cultural identity in the British context, and how identities emerge through this interaction. The study was based on in-depth interview data collected from 20 first-generation East Asian mothers living in Britain, and suggests that East Asian mothers in this study appear to share a discernible trace of Confucianism, including a strong emphasis on education, alongside a high value placed on seniority, and children as a mother’s possession. These Confucian values were portrayed by the interviewees as salient in constructing their mothering identities. Simultaneously, however, certain aspects of British culture were also perceived to be significant in their mothering, in that they appeared to provide ...
Families, Relationships and Societies, 2017
This article explores the lived experiences of first-generation Chinese and South Korean mothers ... more This article explores the lived experiences of first-generation Chinese and South Korean mothers living in England. The data are analysed using six intersecting categories: motherhood and gender ideology; educational level; reasons for migration; the length of stay in England; family economic circumstances; and the locality of settlement. The findings suggest that, while there appear to be stark differences in Chinese and South Korean mothers’ understanding of motherhood and employment, their accounts concurrently indicate commonalities in terms of persistent gender inequality at home, founded on patriarchal values. Out of the six interrelated categories, their motherhood and gender ideology obtained in their country of origin seems to have had a dominant influence in shaping these women’s experiences, along with their settlement into their respective ethnic communities.
Social Policy and Society, 2021
This case study examines the role of a university and academics in improving the learning experie... more This case study examines the role of a university and academics in improving the learning experiences of BAME students, drawing on student-led participatory action research with Social Sciences BAME students at Bournemouth University (BU henceforth) between 2018-2020. The paper seeks to illuminate the critical role of the university by focusing on three inter-related facets at macro, meso and micro levels (Bronfenbrenner, 1979): financial and temporal/spatial support for students; collaboration between academic staff at departmental and faculty levels to address any issues that arose from student meetings; and its consequential impact on student wellbeing, self-worth and their overall engagement in their learning. I argue that to achieve the utmost improvement in BAME students’ learning experiences, these different levels of the support system need to work together. I further argue that maximising the potentiality of ‘ethnic capital’ (Modood, 2004) could be a powerful resource that ...
This paper aims to highlight how the life history interview has opened up possibilities for effec... more This paper aims to highlight how the life history interview has opened up possibilities for effectively exploring interlaced and shifting identities of marginalised groups, such as ethnic minority women, by illustrating two life stories of first generation Korean mothers in Britain. Chamberlayne, Bornat and Wengraf (2000) maintained that in order to understand an individual more fully, we need to know her life history and the processes in which she becomes what she is. While certain elements of identity might be more stable than others, it is important to recognise that individual identity changes over time in line with the vicissitudes of individual life history. Also, the identity of the individual is a result of a complex, multifarious and dynamic interaction between different social organisations and relations at different times and spaces (Valentine, 2007). In this respect, the life history method provides ‘considerable background and social texture to research’ (Berg, 2007, p....
Journal of Human Rights and Social Work
Social work plays a crucial role in defending the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and re... more Social work plays a crucial role in defending the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from systems of oppression. This paper explores the meanings and challenges of human rights activism and its driving forces among North Korean refugees in the UK. The data are drawn from life history interviews with 10 participants, together with two activists’ public speeches. The findings suggest that gaining awareness of human rights after their escape had significant implications for the activists, giving meaning to their life and sparking on their activism. Simultaneously, they expressed misconceptions and criticisms from other fellow North Korean refugees as one of the greatest difficulties they encountered in their work. I argue that to overcome such challenges human rights activism requires altruism and a creative imagination that envisions better future lives for other North Korean people. Based on this, I propose altruistic political imagination (API) as a concept that c...
Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessibl... more Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Since China shares a border with North Korea, it has become the first destination for desperate N... more Since China shares a border with North Korea, it has become the first destination for desperate North Koreans who risk their lives to escape. An unofficial figure estimates that there are between 50,000 and 200,000 North Koreans living in China. The Chinese government denies most of them refugee status, instead treating them as economic migrants who have illegally crossed the border to seek work. Most have no formal identification or legal status. In addition, Beijing works together with Pyongyang to capture defectors and send them back, making their lives as escapees completely untenable.
East Asian Mothers in Britain, 2018
As a social construct, ‘gender is a powerful ideological device, which produces, reproduces, and ... more As a social construct, ‘gender is a powerful ideological device, which produces, reproduces, and legitimates the choices and limits that are predicated on sex categories’ (West and Zimmerman 1987, p. 147).
East Asian Mothers in Britain, 2018
Intersectionality has undoubtedly become one of the most significant concepts since the coinage o... more Intersectionality has undoubtedly become one of the most significant concepts since the coinage of the term in the late 1980s by Kimberle Crenshaw.
This study explores some of the sources of stress faced by students in higher education. Research... more This study explores some of the sources of stress faced by students in higher education. Research identifies an association between stress levels and students' academic performance. This study aims to determine the sources, level and impact of perceived stresses among students in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, years of study and degree major. Participatory action research was explored as a means of developing strategies and solutions for students experiencing stress-related problems. Eleven undergraduate students were recruited initially as co-researchers with four academic staff and one research assistant. One student continued throughout the cycle with two others having to withdraw because of academic work pressures. A collaborative process took place using narrative storytelling and
Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is somethi... more Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is something that demands constant (re)working of individuals. However, I argue in this chapter that we should not overly exaggerate such fleeting characteristics since this depiction does not necessarily represent how identity is understood and experienced by social actors in their daily lives (Lawler in Identity: Sociological perspectives. Polity Press, Cambridge, 2014), particularly by many of the East Asian mothers in my work.
The remit of the Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life series is to publish majo... more The remit of the Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life series is to publish major texts, monographs and edited collections focusing broadly on the sociological exploration of intimate relationships and family organization. The series covers a wide range of topics such as partnership, marriage, parenting, domestic arrangements, kinship, demographic change, intergenerational ties, life course transitions, step-families, gay and lesbian relationships, lone-parent households, and also non-familial intimate relationships such as friendships and includes works by leading figures in the field, in the UK and internationally, and aims to contribute to continue publishing influential and prize-winning research.
In his discussion of policy response to teenage motherhood, Duncan (2007) argues that individual ... more In his discussion of policy response to teenage motherhood, Duncan (2007) argues that individual women make their decisions towards childcare and employment on the basis of different rationalities.
East Asian Mothers in Britain, 2018
Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is somethi... more Identity in the postmodern context is largely described as fragmented and shifting. It is something that demands constant (re)working of individuals. However, I argue in this chapter that we should not overly exaggerate such fleeting characteristics since this depiction does not necessarily represent how identity is understood and experienced by social actors in their daily lives (Lawler in Identity: Sociological perspectives. Polity Press, Cambridge, 2014), particularly by many of the East Asian mothers in my work.
Motherhood in Contemporary International Perspective, 2019
Families, Relationships and Societies, 2012
This article focuses on the possible impacts of Confucianism on the experiences of middle-class E... more This article focuses on the possible impacts of Confucianism on the experiences of middle-class East Asian women with dependent children in Britain. By using the concept of ‘intersectionality’, it aims to understand the ways in which mothering identity intersects with class and East Asian cultural identity in the British context, and how identities emerge through this interaction. The study was based on in-depth interview data collected from 20 first-generation East Asian mothers living in Britain, and suggests that East Asian mothers in this study appear to share a discernible trace of Confucianism, including a strong emphasis on education, alongside a high value placed on seniority, and children as a mother’s possession. These Confucian values were portrayed by the interviewees as salient in constructing their mothering identities. Simultaneously, however, certain aspects of British culture were also perceived to be significant in their mothering, in that they appeared to provide ...
Families, Relationships and Societies, 2017
This article explores the lived experiences of first-generation Chinese and South Korean mothers ... more This article explores the lived experiences of first-generation Chinese and South Korean mothers living in England. The data are analysed using six intersecting categories: motherhood and gender ideology; educational level; reasons for migration; the length of stay in England; family economic circumstances; and the locality of settlement. The findings suggest that, while there appear to be stark differences in Chinese and South Korean mothers’ understanding of motherhood and employment, their accounts concurrently indicate commonalities in terms of persistent gender inequality at home, founded on patriarchal values. Out of the six interrelated categories, their motherhood and gender ideology obtained in their country of origin seems to have had a dominant influence in shaping these women’s experiences, along with their settlement into their respective ethnic communities.
Social Policy and Society, 2021
This case study examines the role of a university and academics in improving the learning experie... more This case study examines the role of a university and academics in improving the learning experiences of BAME students, drawing on student-led participatory action research with Social Sciences BAME students at Bournemouth University (BU henceforth) between 2018-2020. The paper seeks to illuminate the critical role of the university by focusing on three inter-related facets at macro, meso and micro levels (Bronfenbrenner, 1979): financial and temporal/spatial support for students; collaboration between academic staff at departmental and faculty levels to address any issues that arose from student meetings; and its consequential impact on student wellbeing, self-worth and their overall engagement in their learning. I argue that to achieve the utmost improvement in BAME students’ learning experiences, these different levels of the support system need to work together. I further argue that maximising the potentiality of ‘ethnic capital’ (Modood, 2004) could be a powerful resource that ...
This paper aims to highlight how the life history interview has opened up possibilities for effec... more This paper aims to highlight how the life history interview has opened up possibilities for effectively exploring interlaced and shifting identities of marginalised groups, such as ethnic minority women, by illustrating two life stories of first generation Korean mothers in Britain. Chamberlayne, Bornat and Wengraf (2000) maintained that in order to understand an individual more fully, we need to know her life history and the processes in which she becomes what she is. While certain elements of identity might be more stable than others, it is important to recognise that individual identity changes over time in line with the vicissitudes of individual life history. Also, the identity of the individual is a result of a complex, multifarious and dynamic interaction between different social organisations and relations at different times and spaces (Valentine, 2007). In this respect, the life history method provides ‘considerable background and social texture to research’ (Berg, 2007, p....
Journal of Human Rights and Social Work
Social work plays a crucial role in defending the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and re... more Social work plays a crucial role in defending the human rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from systems of oppression. This paper explores the meanings and challenges of human rights activism and its driving forces among North Korean refugees in the UK. The data are drawn from life history interviews with 10 participants, together with two activists’ public speeches. The findings suggest that gaining awareness of human rights after their escape had significant implications for the activists, giving meaning to their life and sparking on their activism. Simultaneously, they expressed misconceptions and criticisms from other fellow North Korean refugees as one of the greatest difficulties they encountered in their work. I argue that to overcome such challenges human rights activism requires altruism and a creative imagination that envisions better future lives for other North Korean people. Based on this, I propose altruistic political imagination (API) as a concept that c...