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David Kang

Maria Crutcher Professor in International Relations and Professor of International Relations and Business
David Kang
Email kangdc@usc.edu Office DMC 330B Office Phone (213) 821-4319

Center, Institute & Lab Affiliations

  • Center for International Studies, Director
  • Korean Studies Institute, Director

Biography

David C. Kang is Maria Crutcher Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California, with appointments in both the School of International Relations and the Marshall School of Business. At USC he is also director of the Korean Studies Institute. Kang’s latest book is “American Grand Strategy and East Asian Security in the 21st Century,” which was published in autumn 2017 by Cambridge University Press. He is also author of “East Asia Before the West: Five Centuries of Trade and Tribute”; “China Rising: Peace, Power, and Order in East Asia”; “Crony Capitalism: Corruption and Development in South Korea and the Philippines”; and “Nuclear North Korea: A Debate on Engagement Strategies” (co-authored with Victor Cha). Kang has published numerous scholarly articles in journals such as International Organization and International Security, and his co-authored article “Testing Balance of Power Theory in World History” was awarded “Best article, 2007-2009,” by the European Journal of International Relations. Kang has also written opinion pieces in the New York Times, the Financial Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as writing a monthly column for the Joongang Ilbo in Korean. A former Fullbright Scholar, Kang received an A.B. with honors from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from Berkeley.

Education

  • Ph.D. Political Science, Berkeley, 1995
  • A.B. International Relations and Anthropology, Stanford, 1988

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    I am broadly interested in the international relations of Asia. My specific research has covered questions of economic development, security relations in the region, and the historical basis of contemporary relations.

  • Administrative Appointments

    • Director, Center for International Studies, 08/15/2015 – 08/14/2018
    • Director, Korean Studies Institute, 01/01/2009 – 08/14/2018
    • Director, East Asian Studies Center, 08/15/2012 – 08/14/2015
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