Sungmoon Kim’s new book, A Kingdom of Righteousness: Neo-Confucianism and Political Theory in Traditional Korea, has been published by Cambridge University Press. See here and below for more details.

As the first book-length study in English dedicated to both Korean political thought during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) and Neo-Confucian political theory, the monograph aims to bridge a critical gap in our field. The book examines the diverse dimensions of “political realism” as they manifested within the Neo-Confucian political context. Ultimately, it illuminates the continuities and discontinuities between classical Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, demonstrating how creative thinkers—operating as active political actors—dexterously negotiated the tensions between high political ideals and historical realities. In doing so, the book uncovers how these figures significantly expanded the scope of political imagination across the Confucian world.