Dr. Nikolai Johnsen
Post-doc Fellow
Research Interests
- Heritage and Memory Studies
- Colonial Legacies in East Asia
- Dark Tourism and Difficult Heritage
- Transnational Memory Activism
- Korea-Japan Relations
About me
Nikolai Johnsen is an AKS Postdoctoral Fellow in Korean Studies at Goethe University Frankfurt, pausing his British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship at SOAS, University of London for the duration of his time in Germany. His research examines contested collective memories of colonialism and war in Korea and Japan, with particular focus on how marginalised narratives can be amplified through heritage sites and grassroots memory activism.
He earned his B.A. in Japan and M.A. in Korean Studies in South Korea before completing his Ph.D. in Korean and Japanese Studies at SOAS, University of London in 2024. His doctoral research explored the transformative potential of dark tourism to challenge dominant historical narratives and visualize marginalised experiences of colonialism in South Korea and Japan.
Dr. Johnsen’s ongoing research investigates how cross-border advocacy groups work to bring attention to marginalised victims of war and colonialism in East Asia, with a focus on forced labour memory and UNESCO World Heritage controversies. His work has been published in The Asia-Pacific Journal, including a two-part article examining Japan’s World Heritage sites and the contested memory of forced labour during the colonial period.
With proficiency in both Korean and Japanese alongside extensive fieldwork experience in East Asia, Dr. Johnsen brings a comparative perspective to understanding divergent historiographies across the region. He has taught courses on modern Korean history, North Korean history, and colonial memory in East Asian cultures. Beyond academia, he has experience leading educational tours to North Korea and Japan, combining scholarly expertise with public engagement.
Publications
- Nikolai Johnsen, “불편한 기억 속 가치를 찾는 다크 투어리즘” [“Finding Value in Difficult Memories through Dark Tourism”], In 화해와 치유의 유산 네거티브 문화유산 [The Legacy of Reconciliation and Healing: Negative Cultural Heritage], Seoul Institute, 2024.
- Nikolai Johnsen, “The Sado Gold Mine and Japan’s ‘History War’ Versus the Memory of Korean Forced Laborers,” The Asia Pacific Journal / Japan Focus, 20, issue 5, no. 1, 1 March 2022.
- Nikolai Johnsen, “Katō Kōko’s Meiji Industrial Revolution - Forgetting forced labor to celebrate Japan’s World Heritage Sites, Part 2”, The Asia Pacific Journal / Japan Focus, 19, issue 24, no. 5, 15 Dec. 2021.
- Nikolai Johnsen, “Katō Kōko’s Meiji Industrial Revolution - Forgetting forced labor to celebrate Japan’s World Heritage Sites, Part 1”, The Asia Pacific Journal / Japan Focus, vol. 19, issue 23, no. 1, 1 Dec. 2021.