[KS] Professor JaHyun Kim Haboush remembered by a former student

[Frank Joseph Shulman]

Posted on H-Asia February 13, 2011

Frank Joseph Shulman
Bibliographer, Editor and Consultant for Reference Publications in Asian Studies
fshulman at umd.edu


From: H-Net list for Asian History and Culture [H-ASIA at H-NET.MSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Frank Conlon [conlon at U.WASHINGTON.EDU]
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 2:02 AM
To: H-ASIA at H-NET.MSU.EDU
Subject: H-ASIA: Professor JaHyun Kim Haboush remembered by a former student

H-ASIA
February 13, 2011

Professor JaHyun Kim Haboush remembered by a former student
*****************************************************************
From: Li Chen <lchen at utsc.utoronto.ca>

Dear Professor Conlon,

Thanks for helping inform us of the passing of Professor Haboush.

As a former student who benefited from Professor Haboush?s erudition and
generosity probably much more than she realized, I am extremely saddened
to hear the news of her passing away. I am sure that many colleagues in
Korean studies will have more to say about her lasting contributions to
that field. If I may, I would like to share my own recollections as
someone from a related but different field. While studying for my Ph.D. in
Chinese history at Columbia in 2005, I approached Professor Haboush for
the possibility of completing a field on Choson Korea for my comprehensive
examination even though what I could offer as my preparation then was only
my interest in Korean history. Professor Haboush did not turn me down due
to her extremely busy schedule but suggested that I take one of her
advanced undergraduate seminar as part of the preparation. Afterward, she
patiently worked with me to get through the readings on Choson Korea and
then the exams.  Years later, the way she elegantly handled the class
discussion and some of the topics we discussed are still fresh in my
memory.

When we came across each other at the AAS in 2009, she was really
happy to hear that I had graduated and found a job and she also expressed
a strong interest in my dissertation project, asking for a copy since it
is somewhat related to her new book project. Somehow, I forgot to do that
and now can only recall this undelivered promise to my own regret, even
though her generously encouraging words will stay to help see my book
project through. I have no doubt that her many other students will also
feel this sense of loss while remembering her as an enduring model of
intellectual and personal inspiration. My heart goes to her family,
friends, colleagues, and other students.

Li
--

Li CHEN
J.D.(Illinois)/Ph.D.(Columbia)
Assistant Professor of Chinese History
Program Director of Global Asia Studies
University of Toronto
Department of Humanities (Scarborough)
Department of History (St. George)