• Editors: Beomshik Shin and Gi Yeon Koo
• Publication Date: Feb / 2026
• Publisher: Zininzin

This book is the culmination of years of rigorous scholarly dialogue and inquiry conducted by the HK+ Mega-Asia Research Project at SNUAC. In order to understand the enduring dynamism of states and regions even in the midst of globalization, we have undertaken a serious effort to move beyond the conventional boundaries of area studies and open a new horizon under the framework of comparative regional studies. Addressing a field that has long remained underdeveloped in both Korean and international scholarship, this book represents a bold first step toward presenting a systematic methodological alternative.

Introduction to Comparative Regional Studies is the result of the contributors’ dedicated efforts to engage with a wide range of domestic and international research, critically reconstruct it, and articulate methodological directions that aspire to global scholarly standards. Through this volume, we aim to demonstrate that area studies can move beyond the mere accumulation of information and become a refined intellectual endeavor that seeks “contextualized generalizations” capable of addressing challenges shared by humanity.

The sophisticated theoretical framework and the qualitative and quantitative analytical tools proposed in this book are intended to broaden perspectives that have often been confined to the particularities of individual regions. At the same time, they serve as a vital bridge that brings the “breath of the field” into the universal language of mainstream social science. For scholars and the next generation of researchers seeking to move beyond Asia toward a broader global understanding, this book will serve as a guide that opens new horizons of knowledge and inquiry.