Valérie Gelézeau

My fellowship at IIAS dates back to 2015—exactly ten years ago—and its impact on my research has been tremendous! During my stay, I made numerous connections and met many colleagues, particularly in Asia. Some of them became close collaborators and friends, leading to joint publications, such as this article.

As a scholar in Korean Studies, I was already familiar with IIAS publications, events, and dynamic activities. My time at IIAS brought me into close interaction with two of its key thematic research networks. First, the well-established Urban Knowledge Network Asia (UKNA), which I had been following since its launch in 2012. Second, the Asian Borderlands Research Network (ABRN), which exposed me to ongoing research on border dynamics. This intellectual environment was crucial as I was working on my book Capital Cities in the Korean Peninsula (2018), where I analyze Korea as a border-country.

The IIAS Newsletter provided me with an opportunity to test an early version of my introductory chapter. As a fellow, I also had the privilege of presenting my research twice at the friendly Brown Bag Lunch Lecture series—one of these presentations eventually evolved into a publication on Smart City Songdo, while the other explored future directions in my research on North Korea.

In short, my time at IIAS was like a laboratory experiment—it inspired one full book, several papers, and the development of my City-NKor project on North Korean architecture and urban development, which became a milestone in my research journey.

Last but not least, I realize how profoundly my research has been shaped by IIAS’s scientific culture, nurtured within its beautiful building, nestled along a canal in one of the most charming old cities of the Netherlands. IIAS is not just a hub for European research in Asian Studies—it is a creative engine, driven by the generous energy of scientific networking. It transcends disciplinary and research borders by including the work of artists, practitioners, diplomats, and more. Above all, it is a place to critically engage with Asia, from an Asian perspective.

Valérie Gelézeau is a Professor at EHESS (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales) in Paris. Her research explores spatial issues in both Koreas, including housing, cities, and the inter-Korean border. From 2019 to 2024, she served as the director of the Centre for Studies of China, Korea, and Japan at EHESS.