University ranking systems have given birth to so many perverse schemes in Korea and elsewhere that I cannot believe anyone takes them seriously anymore. Its a measurement of your ability to game the system, not any actual credentials. 1/
www.koreaherald.com/article/1070...
That was more about the economic benefits Korea gained from participating in the Vietnam War and I suspect that economic concerns (tariffs, oil prices, etc.) will be the main motivation if Korea does send ships to the Middle East
"One such scholar was Zahoor Ahmed, a Pakistani associate professor at Bahcesehir Cyprus University, who is known for publishing on average one academic paper every two weeks. As of March 2026, he has never worked on campus at Korea University." Like what are we doing here? 2/
Benjamin A. Engel
Benjamin A. Engel
Benjamin A. Engel
Points to another problem: academic journal publishing needs to die. Academic disciplines are of course different but as a historian, if I'm publishing a paper every two weeks, or even every two months, you know I'm not taking the research seriously. end
And it isn't a street off in the middle of nowhere. Its the main boulevard that's ten lanes wide cutting through Gangnam and home to some big Korea's companies like POSCO. Honestly a bit surprised they never tried to rename it.
I didn’t think they had it in them. But I wonder if anyone actually believes the PPP hardliners who rallied for Yoon for months have really turned over a new leaf.
m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2026...
Benjamin A. Engel
Benjamin A. Engel
@ragingmoderates.bsky.social just did an entire episode basically giddy about regime change in Iran without talking about the series of failed regime change catastrophes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Wtf…
