Written by Aubrey Willis, EASC intern

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with Professor Yehji Jeong, a new addition to The Ohio State University’s History Department. From Williams College, she brings extensive experience in a teaching-focused environment and is excited to share her knowledge with prospective students. She said she was initially drawn to The Ohio State University for its diverse student community, well-established research infrastructure, and resources for East Asia as a field of focus. Despite her love for research, she is equally excited to work as an assistant professor and share her passion for history.

In the upcoming spring semester, she will be teaching two courses: History of Modern Japan (History 3426) and Introduction to the Discipline of History (History 2800). From our conversation about these courses, it was clear that she has a true love for the field of history and wants to help students understand it through an analytical lens. To Professor Jeong, it is important not only to be aware of history, but also to understand why we know the history we know. Through her courses, she plans to guide students on how to meaningfully engage with history. She also wants to bring more attention to East Asian history. In the United States, we often spend less time on East Asian history, which can make it seem isolated. This causes us to not realize how deep our ties go with East Asia, and how important a role they play in the modern world. 

When she is not teaching, Professor Jeong mentioned she has been working on a book about bandits in East Asia, specifically Japanese bandits in Manchuria. Previously, she has written about Japan’s involvement in Manchuria and its imperialization efforts and connected this to masculinity.