Dr. Eric J. Ballbach

Institut für Koreastudien

Fachbereich Geschichts- und Kulturwissenschaften

Freie Universität Berlin

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter

“Producing Boundaries: Identity and North Korean Foreign Policy”

Current and Past Affiliations

Since 04/2015	Post-doctoral research fellow and lecturer, Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin
04/2009-03/2015	Research Fellow and Lecturer, Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin
2008	Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Contract for services (e.g. drafting of MA and PhD study and examination regulations, drafting of applications for two research projects, etc.)
2006-2007	Korea Communication for services (e.g. organization of three international conferences, organization of weekly guest lectures, etc.)

Doctorate

	Doctorate at the University of Trier; Doctoral Adviser: Prof. Dr. Hanns W. Maull; Dissertation: “Producing Boundaries: Identity and North Korean Foreign Policy”; Doctoral viva (Rigorosum) on the political systems of North and South Korea, the changing security architecture in East Asia and the concepts of power and regimen in the works of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler
05/2008– 09/2008	Research stay at the “Korea Institute for National Unification” (KINU) in Seoul, ROK

Acquired third party funds, scholarships & grants

Stipendium from the Korea Foundation, Korean language training program, Sogang University, Seoul, September 2015-March 2016

Travel grant from the “Center for International Cooperation,” Freie Universität Berlin, North Korea, May 2015

“Volkswagen Foundation grant” for the international conference “Moving Beyond Description: Identity, Power, and the Theory and Methodology of North Korean Studies”, July 3-4, 2014, Schloss Herrenhausen, Hannover, Germany

Travel grant from the “Center for International Cooperation,” Freie Universität Berlin, North Korea, September 2012

Assistance in preparing the successful application for the establishment of the “Graduate School of East Asian Studies” at Freie Universität Berlin, Excellence Initiative, German Research Council

Assistance in preparing the successful application for the Institution Grant of the "Academy of Korean Studies" for the joint research project "The Circulation of Knowledge and the Dynamics of Transformation" (in cooperation with Ruhr-Universität Bochum)

Assistance in preparing the successful application for the research project “Reunification Processes after formal Unification. The German Example and its relevance to Korea,” Remittance work on behalf of the Ministry for Unification, South Korea

Assistance in preparing the successful application for the Advanced Training Program for Social Science Teachers on Korea, Korea Foundation (held annually since 2012)

Main Research Interest

Foreign and Security Policies of North and South Korea
Inter-Korean Relations
Identity Politics on the Korean peninsula
Regionalization Processes and Multiliteralism in East Asia
Critical International Relations Theory

PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS & MEDIA CONTRIBUTIONS

Monographs

2014. Producing Boundaries: Identity and North Korean Foreign Policy, Ph.D.-Thesis

2005. The Political Dynamics of Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation. The Case of the Kaesŏng Industrial Complex, M.A.-Thesis (in German)

Articles

2016. North Korea´s Emerging Nuclear State Identity: Discursive Construction and Performative Enactment", in: The Korean Journal of International Studies, (accepted for publication)

2015. Constructions of Identity and Threat in North Korea’s “Diplomatic War” Discourse, in: Tiempo Devorado: Revista de Historia Actual [Consumed Time: Journal of Contemporary History], Vol. 2, No. 2 (2015): Corea del Norte, la transición invisible [North Korea, the invisible transition], pp. 27-49

____The History of the Present: Meta-Narratives in North Korean Political and Cultural Discourses, in: S/N Korean Humanities, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 78-100

2013. Beyond the Arcane Other? On the Current Status of Research on North Korea, Expert Paper written for the DFG-funded research project “Knowledge Transfer as Intercultural Translation” jointly conducted by the University of Halle and Freie Universität Berlin

____Perspektiven der innerkoreanischen Beziehungen nach den Machtwechseln in Nord- und Südkorea [Perspectives on inter-Korean Relations after the Transitions of Power in North and South Korea], in: Kultur Korea, 2-2013 (with Hannes B. Mosler), S. 53-55

2012. Der König ist tot, es lebe der König? Nordkorea nach Kim Jong Il [The king is dead, long live the king? North Korea after Kim Jong-Il], in: WeltTrends. Zeitschrift für Internationale Politik, Nr. 83 (März/April 2012), S. 17-21

____Same, same, but different? North Korea in the post-Kim Jong-Il era (mit Prof. Dr. Eun-Jeung Lee & Dr. Werner Pfennig), in: OAG-NOTIZEN, 02/2012, S. 10-16

2009. Südkorea in Nordostasien - Die Frage von Krieg und Frieden [South Korea in Northeast Asia – The Question of War and Peace] (mit Prof. Dr. Lee Eun-Jeung), in: JDZB-Echo, Mitteilungen des Japanisch-Deutschen Zentrums Berlin, Nr. 88, S. 1-2

____Währungsreform in Nordkorea [Currency Reform in North Korea], in: Korea Forum, Vol. 19, No. 1+2, 2009, pp. 85-86

____Kims Machtspiele [Kim’s Power Games], in: „Publik Forum“, Nr. 8 (2009), pp. 12-13 (German)

2006. Der „Kaesong Industrial Complex“, in: Korea Forum, Vol. 16, No. 1+2/2006, S. 60-65

Chapters in edited volumes

2017. Authoritarian Continuity or Democratic Change? Assessing the Democratic Quality of South Korea's North Korea Policy-Making Process, in: Eun-Jeung Lee, Hannes B. Mosler, Hak-Jae Kim (eds.): The Quality of Democracy in Korea. Three Decades after Democratization (forthcoming).

2016. Framing an Enemy? A Comparative Analysis of the Media Framing of North Korea, in: Marion Eggert and Eun-Jeung Lee (eds.): The Circulation of Knowledge and the Dynamics of Transformation, to be published by Peter Lang Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, pp. 79-109

2015. Identität/Macht/Politik: Die Nuklearkrise und Nordkoreas Außenpolitik [Identity/Power/Politics: The Nuclear Crisis and North Korea’s Foreign Policy], in: Eun-Jeung Lee, Hannes B. Mosler (eds.): Länderbericht Korea [Country Report Korea], Bonn: Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung, pp. 508-523

____Chuch'e: Nordkoreas Staatsideologie [Chuch’e: North Korea’s State Ideology], in: Eun-Jeung Lee, Hannes B. Mosler (eds.): Länderbericht Korea [Country Report Korea], Bonn: Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung, pp. 453-468

2013. Between Autonomy and Influence? Multilateralism and North Korean Foreign Policy vis-à-vis the Six-Party Talks, in: Patrick Köllner, Rüdiger Frank, James Hoare and Susan Pares (eds.): Korea Yearbook 2013. Politics, Economy, Society, Leiden & Boston: Brill, pp. 215-239

2010. Frightened of an Independent Stance? The Role of the European Union in the North Korea Question (Co-author: Eun-Jeung Lee), in: Peace and Democracy Institute (ed.): Can the Korean Peninsula be reunified to be a Reunified Germany? Lessons from the 20 Years’ Anniversary of the Collapse of the Berlin Wall for the Reunification of the Korean Peninsula, Seoul, Songjung (in Korean), pp. 367-400

Media contributions

2014. Alle für Einen [All for one], in: Focus, No. 20 (2014), pp. 12-13

2007. „Die großen politischen Figuren sind verschwunden…“ [“The Great Political Figures Disappeared…”], Interview mit Dr. Jong, Bum-goo, in: Korea Forum, Vol. 17, No. 1+2, 2007, pp. 7-10

2004. Ein Tag der die Nation schockierte. Die Amtsenthebung Roh Moo-hyuns [A Day that shocked the Nation. The Impeachment of Roh Moo-Hyun], in: Korea Forum, Vol. 14, No. 2/04, pp. 7-8

2003. Quo Vadis Nordkorea? [Quo Vadis North Korea?], in: Korea Forum, Vol. 13, No. 1/03, p. 58

Short Papers/Analysis

Fortschritt ohne Wandel? Ein Kommentar zu den jüngsten Entwicklungen in Nordkorea [Progress without Change? A Commentary on the latest Developments in North Korea], 15. Januar 2013, http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/publikationen/kommentare/2013/kommentarFortschrittOhneWandel.html

The Nuclear Rationale: A Commentary on North Korea’s Third Nuclear Test, 12. Februar 2013, http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/publikationen/kommentare/2013/kommentarNuclearRationale.html

North Korea after Kim Jong-Il...what we (don't) know. Commentary on the Death of Kim Jong Il, http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/files/North_Korea_after_Kim_Jong-Il___where_to_go_from_here.pdf

Erneute militärische Konfrontation im Gelben Meer. Kommentar zu den jüngsten Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Nord- und Südkorea [Renewed military confrontations in the Yellow Sea: A Commentary on the most recent altercations between North and South Korea], verfügbar unter: http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/forschung/Kommentare/Kommentar_zu_den_j__ngsten_NK-SK-Konfrontationen.pdf

Zwischen internem Druck und externer Öffnung? Eine Analyse des gemeinsamen Neujahrseditorials der Rodong Sinmun, der Chosŏninmingun und der Ch’ŏngnyŏnchŏnwi [Between internal pressure and external opening? An analysis of the joint new year‘s editorial of the Rodong Sinmun, Chosŏninmingun and Ch’ŏngnyŏnchŏnwi, http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/forschung/Kommentare/Kommentar_Neujahrseditorial1.html

Kommentar zur Währungsreform in Nordkorea [Commentary on the currency reform in North Korea], 3.12.2009, http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/forschung/Kommentare/Kommentar_W__hrungsreform_Nordkorea.html

Provokation mit Kalkül - Kommentar zum jüngsten Raketentest Nordkoreas [Provocation with calculus – Commentary on North Korea’s latest missile tests], http://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/oas/korea-studien/institut/news/Kommentar_Raketentest.html

Ein Prozess der kleinen Schritte – Die „Sechs-Parteien-Gespräche“ stehen vor dem Eintritt in ihre schwierigste Phase [A Process of Little Steps – The Six-Party Talks are about to enter their most difficult phase], in: KOKOFO-Analysen, No.1-2008, http://koreaverband.ahkorea.com/_board8/bbs/board.php?bo_table=pro_komm&wr_id=10

Gipfelstimmung auf der koreanischen Halbinsel [Summit Spirit on the Korean Peninsula], http://www.koreaverband.de/news/artikel.php?index=68

Summit Spirit on the Korean Peninsula, http://www.nautilus.org/fora/security/07071Ballbach.html

Implikationen des nordkoreanischen Atomtests [Implications of North Korea’s Nuclear Test], http://www.koreaverband.de/news/artikel.php?index=65

Selected (Conference) Presentations and Lectures

2016. North Korea: Stability between Isolation and Opening? Theodor-Heuss Academy, Köln-Gummersbach, April 2, 2016

____. North Korea in international Organizations: Introducing the Role Concept of the Engaged Independent, Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association, Atlanta, Hilton Hotel, March 19, 2016

2015. Korea Studies in the Content of Divided Nation – A View from Germany, Presentations at the International Conference “Reconsidering Korean Studies,” Yonsei University, Seoul, December 3-4, 2015

____How Democratic is the Formulation of South Korea’s North Korea Policy?, Presentation at the International Graduate School of East Asian Studies Workshop “Korea in East Asia and the World,” Berlin, June 27, 2015

____From Nordpolitik to Trust Policy: How Democratic is the Formulation of South Korea’s North Korea Policy?, Presentation at the 2015 International Graduate School of East Asian Studies (GEAS) Workshop “Quality of Democracy in Korea - Three Decades after Democratization,” Berlin, May 22-23, 2015

2014. North Korea: Between Continuity and Change, Presentation at the fourth Workshop for Social Science Teachers in Germany, Berlin, November 21, 2014

____Staging a Purge: Textual Representations and Visual Imagery in the Purge of Jang Song Thaek, Presentation at the 7th World Congress of Korean Studies, Hawaii, November 5, 2014

____Constructing Threat, Performing Security – Danger and North Korean Foreign Policy, Presentation at the 1st World Congress of North Korean Studies, Seoul, October 29, 2014

____Diplomacy without Public(ity)? Approaching North Korea’s Public Diplomacy, Presentation at the 2nd FU-KoreaNet International Conference, Seoul, Ewha Womens University, July 8, 2014

____Producing Boundaries, Performing Difference: Identity and North Korean Foreign Policy, Presentation at the International Workshop „Moving Beyond Description – Identity, Power, and the Theory and Methodology of North Korean Studies, Hannover, Schloss Herrenhausen, July 4, 2014

____Framing an Enemy – The Media Representation of North Korea in Selected International Newspapers, Presentation at the International Conference “The Circulation of Knowledge and the Dynamics of Transformation”, Academy of Korean Studies Closing Conference, February 28, 2014

2013. Multilateralism and the Role of the EU in Facilitating Korean Unification, Presentation at the International Conference ‚Korean Unification and International Cooperation,‘ Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, July 8, 2013

____The Logic of Continuity: Escalation and Deescalation of the Conflict between North and South Korea, Bundeswehruniversität Hamburg, Organized by Prof. Dr. August Pradetto, Fakultät für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Institut für Politikwissenschaft, May 3, 2013

____Participant at the Podium Discussion ‚Just Another Crisis?‘, organized by the Institute of Korean Studies, Weiterbildungszentrum, Freie Universität Berlin, April 17, 2013

____Teaching Introductory Courses on Korean Politics, Annual Joint Workshop of the Institute of Korean Studies, Yonsei University, and the Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, July 12, 2013

____North Korea – Between Continuity and Change, presentation at the third Workshop for Social Science Teachers in Germany, Berlin, November 12, 2013

2012. Performativity and North Korean Foreign Policy, presentation accepted at the 5th Korea Foundation Workshop „Koreastudien im deutschsprachigen Raum“, Berlin, November 2012

____A Rogue is a Rogue? North Korea in international Politics, presentation at the Korea Foundation Workshop for German Social Science Teachers, Seminaris Hotel Dahlem, Berlin, November 24, 2012

____North Korea’s National Role Conception and P’yŏngyang’s U.S. Policy in the First and Second Nuclear Crisis, accepted at the 22nd World Congress of Political Science of the International Political Science Association (IPSA), Madrid, July 8 - 12, 2012

____Analyzing North Korea - New Approaches and Perspectives, presentation at the EPEL Workshop 2012, Ruhr Universiy Bochum, June 2012

2011. On the Chances and Limits of a Lasting Regional Security Mechanism in Northeast Asia - A Realist and Constructivist Perspective, presentation at the First International Symposium of the Kim Il-Sung University, P'yŏngyang, September 2011

____Explaining the Kaesŏng Paradox, presentation will be given at the 4th Korea Foundation Workshop „Koreastudien im deutschsprachigen Raum“, November 2011

____Die mediale Konstruktion eines Feindbildes, presentation at the "Special Lectures Series North Korea", Freie Universität Berlin, June 2011

____Framing an Enemy - A comparative analysis of the representation of North Korea in the international media, presentation at the international conference "Social Networks and Location in the Circulation of Knowledge", Ruhr-University Bochum, May 2011

2010. Zwischen Autonomie und Einfluss? Nordkoreas außenpolitisches Verhalten in den "Six-Party Talks" und die neorealistische Außenpolitiktheorie, presentation at the 3rd Korea Foundation Workshop „Koreastudien im deutschsprachigen Raum“, November 2010

____Between Autonomy and Influence? North Korea's Foreign Policy Behavior vis-à-vis the "Six-Party Talks" and the Neorealist Foreign Policy Theory, presentation at the 5th World Congress of Korean Studies, Taipei, Taiwan, October 2010

____Discutant at the podium discussion "Afrikas Adler vs. Asiens Tiger - Fußball und Entwicklung in Nigeria und Südkorea", Diskussionsreihe „Eine Welt – Eine Zukunft“, Berlin, June 2010

2009. Was können Deutschland und die EU für Frieden und Wiedervereinigung in Korea tun?, joint presentation with Prof. Dr. Lee Eun-Jeung at the international conference "20 Jahre Mauerfall in Berlin und die Lehren für die Wiedervereinigung in Korea", Seoul, ROK, September 2009

____Die politische Dynamik der innerkoreanischen Wirtschaftskooperation [The Political Dynamics of inter-Korean Economic Cooperation], presentation at the research colloquium of the Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, December 2009

____Multilateralismus in der Außenpolitik Nordkoreas [Multilateralism in North Korea’s Foreign Policy], presentation at the second doctoral candidates‘ colloquium of the Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, July 2009

____Wirtschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Umbrüche in Nordkorea [Economic and Societal Changes in North Korea], presentation at the conference, 20 Jahre Massaker auf dem Platz des Himmlischen Friedens – Kommunismus in Asien“, Stiftung Gedenkstätten Sachsen-Anhalt, Magdeburg, May 2009

____Multilateralismus in der Außenpolitik Nordkoreas [Multilateralism in North Korea’s Foreign Policy], presentation at the first doctoral candidates’ colloquium of the Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, February 2009

2008. Neue Entwicklungen in der innerkoreanischen Wirtschaftskooperation [New Developments in inter-Korean Economic Cooperation], presentation at the international symposium „Korea – Friede, Wiedervereinigung, soziale Entwicklung“, Arnoldshein, February 2008

Media appearances

More than 80 interviews in newspapers, radio and TV since 2009,