School of Asian Studies

Publications

• Book

  Son Z.

  The Russian Koreans in the 1920s and 1930s. An Ethnic Community in the Face of Soviet Power

  This book offers the first comprehensive exploration of the history of Soviet Koreans (1920s-1930s), focusing into their experiences in the USSR. It examines the impact of Stalin's foreign and domestic policies on
  Soviet Koreans, their role in the socio-economic development of the Far East, and their contributions to the Red Army, as well as the cultural and educational aspects of their lives. Key themes include the political repression of Soviet Koreans during Stalin’s era and their subsequent rehabilitation in the Russian Federation.

  
  

  Brill, 2025.

• Article

  Grishina D.

  Reevaluating the Circumstances Surrounding the Conclusion of the 1876 Kanghwa Treaty between Korea and Japan

  The Treaty of Kanghwa, 1876, was the first in succession of what are known to historians as “unequal treaties” that integrated the state of Chosŏn (Korea) into the global diplomatic and economic processes in the late nineteenth century. Korean historiography has traditionally emphasized the involuntary nature of the treaty, stressing that the Chosŏn government was forced to sign it following the threat of Japanese retaliation. At the same time, the actions of the government in Tokyo are often assessed as pre-meditated, part of a wider plan, and, sometimes, aimed at the eventual annexation of the Korean Peninsula. In other words, so far as the events of 1876 are concerned, Japan is the aggressor, and Chosŏn the victim.
  The author of this paper aims to provide a more balanced and objective assessment of the series of historical events that led to the signing of the Korea-Japan Treaty in 1876, based on a comprehensive analysis of the domestic political circumstances in both countries and the geopolitical situation in the Northeast Asian region. The paper offers a critique of the analytical theory that the Treaty of Kanghwa was part of a plan to colonize Korea, and highlights the possibility that the government of Chosŏn made its own decision to sign the treaty.

  
  

  European Journal of Korean Studies. 2025. Vol. 25. No. 1. P. 97-114.

• Book chapter

  Kharina O.

  Post-Soviet Realignment: Key Milestones in Pakistan–Russia Bilateral Relations

  The post-Cold War international order has bes characterized by significant shifts in the foreign polic strategies of nations, as global geopolitical dynamics underwent profound transformation. For Pakistan and Russia, the end of the Soviet Union marked a pivotal turning point providing an opportunity to recalibrate their historically complicated relationship, The Cold War had positioned Pakistan and Russia on opposing sides of the ideological divide. 

  In bk.: Pakistan-Russia Relations. A Comprehensive Historical and Strategic Analysis. Islamabad: Centre for Strategic Perspectives. Institute of Strategic Studies, 2025. Ch. 2. P. 18-36.

• Working paper

  Ustyuzhanin V., Zinkina J. V., Korotayev A.

  Extended Family Structures Exert a Causal Influence on Fertility

  Research of the impact of kin alloparenting on reproduction mainly focuses on mother’s parents and parents-in-law. The impact on fertility of extended families and the alloparental help with childcare they can provide has received much less attention. Moreover, there is an important lacuna in the existing studies of this problem, as it is mostly approached through correlational studies, while the presence of a causal link remains unclear. Using an instrumental variables approach, we demonstrate that prevalence of extended family structures exert a causal influence on fertility. A one standard-deviation increase in prevalence of extended families is associated with approximately 1.07 additional children per woman. These results highlight that family structure is not only statistically significant but also demographically consequential in shaping fertility outcomes.

  SocArXiv. Soc. SocArXiv, 2025