Research
Theme 1: Microfoundation of International Rivalry
Why do individuals resist peace with a foreign adversary? Despite repeated attempts at cooperation between rival states, many citizens continue to hold negative perceptions of adversaries and oppose conciliatory policies. My research under this theme examines the socio-psychological barriers that sustain such resistance to peace, which collectively forms the foundation of a broader book project on public opinion on reconciliation with international rivals.
Han, Jungmin (2025). “How Reciprocal Cooperation between International Rivals Shapes Threat Perceptions: Evidence from Inter-Korean Rapprochement in 2018.” Conflict Management and Peace Science, OnlineFirst. [Link]
Han, Jungmin, Xin Han, and Alexander Zhang (2026). “How China’s Multilateral Engagement Shapes Threat Perception Amid Rising Authoritarianism.” Journal of Contemporary China, 35 (159): 1582-99. [Link]
Han, Jungmin. “When the Olive Branch Emerges Elsewhere: Interconnected Rivalries, Extra-Dyadic Cooperation, and Public Support for Peace.” [Link]
Han, Jungmin. “When the Olive Branch Pays Off at Home: Polarization, Partisan Competence, and Public Support for Peace.” [Link]
Han, Jungmin and Thomas Chadefaux. “Patterns of Cooperation and Public Opinion on Rapprochement.”
Theme 2: Foreign Intervention in Civil War
My research interests in foreign policy and collaborative engagement with scholars of intrastate conflict have led me to study third-party interventions in civil wars. Under this research theme, I currently have three under-review papers that examine the causes of foreign intervention and its consequences for rebel governance and civil war duration.
Han, Jungmin and Merve Keskin. “The Dynamics of Competitive Intervention: Multiplicity, Rivalry, and Civil War Duration.” R&R at Security Studies. [Link]
Han, Jungmin and Hyunjung Park. “State Atrocities, Rebel Governance, and Public Opinion on Humanitarian Intervention.” Under Review. [Link]
Han, Jungmin and Hyunjung Park. “Democratic Imprints from Abroad: How External Support from Democracies Promotes Rebel Election in Civil Wars.” Under Review. [Link]
Theme 3: International Security and Democratic Backsliding
My future research will focus on the implications of international security in democratic erosion. Reflecting my broader interests in political behavior, democracy, and social media analysis, I have led two projects that analyze millions of social media posts to demonstrate how digital platforms reproduce enduring forms of political violence during electoral campaigns. Building on these works, I have developed a project, introduced through ISA and BISA conferences in 2025, arguing that the global rise of authoritarian states induces a perceptual shift in which democracy is understood not as a set of liberal principles, but as a collective identity defined through international rivalry. Under such identity-based framing, citizens prioritize symbolic alignment and foreign policy toughness toward authoritarian challengers than on adherence to democratic procedures at home, which legitimizes tolerance for illiberal practices and weakens democratic accountability.
Han, Jungmin, Müge Finkel, Steven Finkel, Fırat Duruşan, and Erdem Yörük. “Online Gendered Violence and Visibility in Electoral Autocracies: Evidence from Parliamentary and Local Elections in Türkiye.” R&R at European Journal of Political Research. [Link]
Han, Jungmin, Müge Finkel, Dhanaraj Thakur, Steven Finkel, Fırat Duruşan, and Erdem Yörük. “Asymmetries of Vulnerability: How Race and Party Shape Online Violence Targeting Women in the 2024 U.S. Election.” [Link]