Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Jaemin Shim In brief Date - 12 June 2026Venue - Lecture Theatre C, 40 George SquareSpeaker - Dr Jaemin Shim (Hong Kong Baptist University)Title - When Representing Women Becomes a Liability: Gendered Policy Agendas and Political Survival in South Korea and Taiwan About the eventCan advocating for issues prioritized by women cost politicians their careers? In South Korea and Taiwan-two of Asia's most vibrant consolidated democracies — women's presence in politics has increased in the past decades. Yet a puzzling paradox emerges: the more legislators focus on women-centred policy agendas (childcare, gender-based violence, workplace equality), the weaker their reelection performance tends to be. By contrast, legislators who prioritize traditionally male-coded policy areas-such as national security, fiscal policy, and infrastructure-often experience stronger electoral returns and more stable career trajectories.Based on a mixed-method study combining large-scale electoral,legislative and media data with in-depth elite interviews with 30 Korean and Taiwanese lawmakers, this talk uncovers when, why, and to what extent these policy-vote trade-offs occur. The talk challenges optimistic narratives about representation of women and highlights the hidden career costs of policy issue specialization.About the speakerJaemin Shim holds a PhD in politics from the University of Oxford and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. His primary research interests are democratic representation, comparative welfare states, gender and legislative politics, and East Asian politics.About the Distinguished Lecture seriesEach year, the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies welcomes a fantastic range of guest speakers to give a free public lecture. They cover a range of topics, from literature and poetry to international relations.Often, speakers will present on recent publications, and audiences have the opportunity to participate in question and answer sessions after presentations.Selected lectures have been recorded and uploaded to the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies’ YouTube channel and Facebook page.How to attendThis event is free to attend and open to all. Registration is not required.Are you interested in studying with us?Study Korean Studies with us and explore one of the most dynamic countries in East Asia, gaining a unique vantage point on crucial topics of relevance across the Northeast Asian region and the globe. We offer a taught MSc in East Asian Studies with a Korean pathway as well as an MSc by Research and a PhD in Korean Studies. Find out more about Asian Studies at Edinburgh Tags Asian Studies Jun 12 2026 14.00 - 16.30 Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Jaemin Shim Join the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies for an in-person lecture by Dr Jaemin Shim (Hong Kong Baptist University), entitled 'When Representing Women Becomes a Liability: Gendered Policy Agendas and Political Survival in South Korea and Taiwan'. Lecture Theatre C 40 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9LX Find the venue: 40 George Square This article was published on Tuesday 2 June 2026
Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Jaemin Shim In brief Date - 12 June 2026Venue - Lecture Theatre C, 40 George SquareSpeaker - Dr Jaemin Shim (Hong Kong Baptist University)Title - When Representing Women Becomes a Liability: Gendered Policy Agendas and Political Survival in South Korea and Taiwan About the eventCan advocating for issues prioritized by women cost politicians their careers? In South Korea and Taiwan-two of Asia's most vibrant consolidated democracies — women's presence in politics has increased in the past decades. Yet a puzzling paradox emerges: the more legislators focus on women-centred policy agendas (childcare, gender-based violence, workplace equality), the weaker their reelection performance tends to be. By contrast, legislators who prioritize traditionally male-coded policy areas-such as national security, fiscal policy, and infrastructure-often experience stronger electoral returns and more stable career trajectories.Based on a mixed-method study combining large-scale electoral,legislative and media data with in-depth elite interviews with 30 Korean and Taiwanese lawmakers, this talk uncovers when, why, and to what extent these policy-vote trade-offs occur. The talk challenges optimistic narratives about representation of women and highlights the hidden career costs of policy issue specialization.About the speakerJaemin Shim holds a PhD in politics from the University of Oxford and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. His primary research interests are democratic representation, comparative welfare states, gender and legislative politics, and East Asian politics.About the Distinguished Lecture seriesEach year, the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies welcomes a fantastic range of guest speakers to give a free public lecture. They cover a range of topics, from literature and poetry to international relations.Often, speakers will present on recent publications, and audiences have the opportunity to participate in question and answer sessions after presentations.Selected lectures have been recorded and uploaded to the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies’ YouTube channel and Facebook page.How to attendThis event is free to attend and open to all. Registration is not required.Are you interested in studying with us?Study Korean Studies with us and explore one of the most dynamic countries in East Asia, gaining a unique vantage point on crucial topics of relevance across the Northeast Asian region and the globe. We offer a taught MSc in East Asian Studies with a Korean pathway as well as an MSc by Research and a PhD in Korean Studies. Find out more about Asian Studies at Edinburgh Tags Asian Studies Jun 12 2026 14.00 - 16.30 Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Jaemin Shim Join the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies for an in-person lecture by Dr Jaemin Shim (Hong Kong Baptist University), entitled 'When Representing Women Becomes a Liability: Gendered Policy Agendas and Political Survival in South Korea and Taiwan'. Lecture Theatre C 40 George Square University of Edinburgh EH8 9LX Find the venue: 40 George Square This article was published on Tuesday 2 June 2026
Jun 12 2026 14.00 - 16.30 Scottish Centre for Korean Studies Distinguished Lecture Series: Jaemin Shim Join the Scottish Centre for Korean Studies for an in-person lecture by Dr Jaemin Shim (Hong Kong Baptist University), entitled 'When Representing Women Becomes a Liability: Gendered Policy Agendas and Political Survival in South Korea and Taiwan'.
