Research Interests

Social Equity

My main  research interest lies with the issues associated with social equity. 

I am particularly focused on socioeconomic status (SES), or social class.

Related studies:

1. (Under review): "Service Equity and Citizen Satisfaction: Cross-National Evidence" with Dr. Miyeon Song and Dr. Seung Ho An

2. (Working paper): "Giving a Helpful Hand? Evaluating Immigration Policy, Immigrant Integration, and Social Equity Using Student Performance"

3. (Working paper; Dissertation Ch 1): "Representative Bureaucracy and Socioeconomic Representation: How Does Childhood Socioeconomic Background Influence Social Workers?"

4. (Working paper): "Economic Discrimination in Women’s Sports? Examination of Public Budgeting on Collegiate Athletics."

Representative Bureaucracy

Connecting to social equity, I am interested in finding out how bureaucrats' own socioeconomic background (both past and present) associates with the interactions they would have would their clients from the same or different SES. 

Would bureaucrats have a stronger willingness, level of empathy, and intensity of effort if their clients are from the same SES group?

Related studies:

1. (Working paper; Dissertation Ch 1): "Representative Bureaucracy and Socioeconomic Representation: How Does Childhood Socioeconomic Background Influence Social Workers?"

2. (Working paper; Dissertation Ch 2): "Making Strange Bedfellows? Representative Bureaucracy and Contagion Effect Among Social Workers"

Citizen Satisfaction

I am interested in how public services and policies are affecting citizens and whether these public goods are satisfactory to all SES.

Related works:

1. (Under review): "Service Equity and Citizen Satisfaction: Cross-National Evidence" with Dr. Miyeon Song and Dr. Seung Ho An

Child-related Policies

My heart places children and their well-being in a special place. I am especially intrigued in finding whether policies that are ought to protect children are actually efficient and whether those policies are working. 

Related works:

1. “Predictors of Child Well-Being Within Multicultural Families in Korea.” OMNES: The Journal of Multicultural Society with Dr. Robert Rudolf (2021)

2. "The Linkage Between Child Poverty and Family Poverty with the Paradox of Education and Remittance: A Case Study in Chiang Mai, Thailand.” International Journal of Economic Research with Dr. Komsan Suriya (2017)

3. (Working paper): "Giving a Helpful Hand? Evaluating Immigration Policy, Immigrant Integration, and Social Equity Using Student Performance"