Research

Working Papers Under Review

Denney, S., Fraser, N., & Steinhardt, H. C. (2026). Cues of commitment: Integration and naturalization support in Taiwan and South Korea. Working paper

Denney, S., & Steinhardt, H. C. (2026). Measuring national identity with conjoint experiments using the case of Taiwan. Working paper

Denney, S. (2026). "What Were They Thinking?" Using Open-Text Responses to Validate Constructs in Conjoint Survey Experiments. Working paper

Denney, S., van Dam, I., & Green, C. (2026). Persuasion and prejudice: Are South Korean attitudes toward immigration open to change? Working paper

Denney, S., Kelly, R., & Wolfe, D. (2025). Innovation policy in practice: Assessing Canada's Business Innovation and Growth Support framework. Working paper

Papers in Progress

Denney, S., & van de Pol, A. (2026). Constructing the Nation: Identity and Historical Narratives in South Korean History Textbooks. Working paper

Denney, S., & Steinhardt, H. C. (n.d.). Political Regimes and the Shape of Nationalism: A Conjoint Approach to the Content of National Identity in Mainland China and Taiwan.

Denney, S. (n.d.). Fairness, threat, and the norms-based model of immigration legitimacy.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

Denney, S., Steinhardt, H. C., & Bhowmick, L. (2026). Identity conformity in Taiwan and South Korea: Why citizens in divided societies are pressured to overstate national pride. Nationalism and Ethnic Politics. Advance online publication. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., Zhou, T., & Brehm, R. (2025). From division to democracy: Integration of post-communist citizens in Germany and South Korea. Communist and Post-Communist Studies. Advance online publication. DOI Replication materials

Ward, P., & Denney, S. (2025). Welfare chauvinism in divided societies: The role of national identity in social policy preferences. Policy and Society. Advance online publication. DOI Replication materials

Ward, P., & Denney, S. (2025). Partisan voters in party systems with ephemeral parties: Evidence from South Korea. Party Politics. Advance online publication. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., Ward, P., & Green, C. (2024). 한국인의 남북통일방식에 대한 의식 결정요인 분석: 컨조인트 분석 조사를 중심으로 [Analyzing the determinants of South Korean attitudes toward Korean unification: A conjoint analysis]. 국가전략 [National Strategy], 30(1), 137–163. DOI

Green, C., & Denney, S. (2024). Why do democratic societies tolerate undemocratic laws? Sorting public support for the National Security Act in South Korea. Democratization, 31(1), 113–131. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2024). Public attitudes towards co-ethnic migrant integration: Evidence from South Korea. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 50(8), 1998–2022. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., Ward, P., & Green, C. (2024). Public support for migrant entrepreneurship: The case of North Koreans in the Republic of Korea. International Migration Review, 58(2), 781–805. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., & Ward, P. (2023). How autocracies disrupt unsanctioned information flows: The role of state power and social capital in North Korea. Problems of Post-Communism, 71(2), 177–191. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., Breznitz, S., & Zhang, Q. (2023). Too much support? Entrepreneurial ecosystems and firm growth. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 49(3), 996–1015. DOI

Denney, S., Wolfe, D., & Southin, T. (2023). Do winners pick government? How scale-up experience shapes entrepreneurs' assessments of innovation policy mixes. Science and Public Policy, 50(5), 858–870. DOI

Ward, P., & Denney, S. (2022). Welfare chauvinism among co-ethnics: Evidence from a conjoint experiment in South Korea. International Migration, 60(5), 74–90. DOI Replication materials

Wolfe, D. A., DiFrancesco, R. J., & Denney, S. (2022). Localization of global networks: New mandates for MNEs in regional economies. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 15(2), 323–342. DOI

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2021). Who should be admitted? Conjoint analysis of attitudes toward immigrants in South Korea. Ethnicities, 21(1), 120–145. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2021). North Korean patriotism: Assessing the success and failures of a nation. Korea Journal, 61(1), 154–185. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., Ward, P., & Green, C. (2020). The limits of ethnic capital: Impacts of social desirability on Korean views of co-ethnic immigration. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 48(7), 1669–1689. DOI Replication materials

Denney, S., Southin, T., & Wolfe, D. A. (2020). Entrepreneurs and cluster evolution: The transformation of Toronto's ICT cluster. Regional Studies, 55(2), 196–207. DOI

Song, J., & Denney, S. (2019). Studying North Korea through North Korean migrants: Lessons from the field. Critical Asian Studies, 51(3), 451–466. DOI

Cathcart, A., Green, C., & Denney, S. (2014). How authoritarian regimes maintain domain consensus: North Korea's information strategies in the Kim Jong-un era. Review of Korean Studies, 17(2), 145–178. DOI

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2013). Towards a developmental understanding of North Korea: An institutional approach to economic reform and development. European Journal of Korean Studies, 15, 92–111. Article

Cathcart, A., & Denney, S. (2013). North Korea's cultural diplomacy in the early Kim Jong-un era. North Korean Review, 9(2), 29–42. DOI

Books

Denney, S. (n.d.). Nationalism under democracy: Why institutions matter for national identity and belonging. [Manuscript under review].

Denney, S., & Lee, M. (n.d.). Democracy at school: Authoritarian education and post-democratization citizens in South Korea and Poland. [Manuscript in preparation].

Cathcart, A., Denney, S., & Green, C. (Eds.). (2020). Decoding the Sino-North Korean borderlands. Amsterdam University Press. Publisher

Research Monographs

Denney, S., Frank, R., Brehm, R., Zhou, T., & Ward, P. (2023). Integration challenges and opportunities in divided countries: A comparative analysis of Germany and South Korea. European Centre for North Korean Studies, University of Vienna. PDF

Denney, S., Vu, V., & Kelly, R. (2021). Into the scale-up-verse: Exploring the landscape of Canada's high performing firms. Innovation Policy Lab and Brookfield Institute. Project page

Book Chapters

Denney, S. (2024). Plus ça change? South Korean public opinion of the United States during the Trump administration. In M. Lerner & D. Fields (Eds.), Divided America, divided Korea. Cambridge University Press.

Denney, S. (2019). Democratic support and generational change in South Korea. In G. A. Brazinsky (Ed.), Korea and the world: New frontiers in Korean studies. Rowman & Littlefield.

Denney, S., Green, C., & Cathcart, A. (2016). Kim Jong-un and the practice of Songun politics. In A. Cathcart, R. Winstanley-Chesters, & C. Green (Eds.), Change and continuity in North Korean politics. Routledge.

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2016). Pockets of efficiency: An institutional approach to economic reform and development. In A. Cathcart, R. Winstanley-Chesters, & C. Green (Eds.), Change and continuity in North Korean politics. Routledge.

Hayes, P., Denney, S., et al. (2015). The implications of civic diplomacy for ROK foreign policy. In P. Hayes & K. Yi (Eds.), Complexity, security and civil society in East Asia. Open Book Publishers.

Book Reviews

Denney, S. (2026). [Review of the book Welfare nationalism in Europe and Russia: The politics of 21st century exclusionary and inclusionary migrations, by L. J. Cook]. Perspectives on Politics. Review

Denney, S. (2026). [Review of the book Narratives of civic duty: How national stories shape democracy in Asia, by A. Hur]. Korean Histories, 5(1), 86–87. Review

Denney, S. (2026). [Review of the book North Korea's mundane revolution: Socialist living and the rise of Kim Il-sung, 1953-1965, by A. Schmid]. Korean Histories, 5(1), 83–84. Review

Denney, S. (2024). [Review of the book From development to democracy: The transformations of modern Asia, by D. Slater & J. Wong]. Pacific Affairs, 97(4). Review

Denney, S. (2022). [Review of the book After the Korean War: An intimate history, by H. Kwon]. Pacific Affairs, 95(1). Review

Denney, S. (2018). [Review of the book Park Chung Hee and modern Korea: The roots of militarism, 1866-1945, by C. Eckert]. Korea Journal, 58(3), 184–190.

Denney, S. (2018). [Review of the book North Korea's hidden revolution: How the information underground is transforming a closed society, by J. Baek]. Pacific Affairs, 91(1), 176–178. Review

Denney, S. (2015). [Review of the book Assimilating Seoul: Japanese rule and the politics of public space in colonial Korea, 1910–1945, by T. A. Henry]. British Academy of Korean Studies Journal. Review

Denney, S. (2015). [Review of the book The Korean War: An international history, by H. Wada]. European Journal of Korean Studies. Review

Denney, S. (2014). [Review of the book The Oxford handbook of the international relations of Asia]. Asan Forum, 2(6). Review

Dissertations and Theses

Denney, S. (2019). Does democracy matter? Political change and national identification in South Korea and beyond [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto]. TSpace. Repository record

Denney, S. (2013). Nation, state, and national economy: The early 19th century American developmental state [Master's thesis, Yonsei University].

Reports and Policy Papers

Denney, S., & Ward, P. (2022). Information dissemination in North Korea: A report for NGOs. National Endowment for Democracy. Report

Denney, S., & Vu, V. (2021). Just out of reach: The elusive quest to measure the digital economy. Brookfield Institute. Report

Denney, S., & Vu, V. (2021). Scale the gap: The impact of growth barriers on women entrepreneurs in Canadian high-growth firms. Brookfield Institute. Report

Denney, S., Ward, P., & Abrahamian, A. (2020). North Korean refugee entrepreneurs in South Korea: Unveiling Korea's hidden potential. The Asia Foundation. Report

Denney, S. (2020). Political order and civic space in the Asia Pacific: A multilevel analysis of trends, 1989-2020. UNICEF Office of Global Insight and Policy. Report Replication materials

Denney, S., Green, C., & Ward, P. (2019). New values & old orders: Where do North Koreans fit in the new South Korea? Leiden Asia Centre. Report

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2018). Unification in action? The national identity of North Korean defector-migrants: Insights and implications. Korean Economic Institute of America: Academic Paper Series. Report

Denney, S., Green, C., & Gleason, B. (2015). The whisper in the ear: Re-defector press conference as information management tool. Korean Economic Institute of America: Academic Paper Series. Report

Selected Commentary

Denney, S. (2025, March). Will Lee Jae-myung rise from South Korea's political chaos? The Diplomat. Article

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2023, January). Because it is good for South Korea: Public support for defector entrepreneurship. 38 North. Article

Denney, S. (2022). Human rights and the future of the international order: Where does Seoul stand? Korea On Point. Article

Denney, S., & Green, C. (2022, May). Improving North Korean defector integration in South Korea: Survey findings and recommendations. 38 North. Article

Denney, S. (2022). South Koreans support immigration, but conditions apply. Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI). Article

Selected Talks

Denney, S. (2026). Identity conformity in Taiwan and South Korea: Why citizens in divided societies are pressured to overstate national pride. Korea University, May 13. Slides

Denney, S., & van de Pol, A. (2026). Constructing the nation: Identity and historical narratives in South Korean history textbooks. Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Conference, April 2026. Slides

Denney, S. (2026). Fairness, threat, and the norms-based model of immigration legitimacy. Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Conference, April 2026. Slides

Denney, S. (2026). "What Were They Thinking?" Using Open-Text Responses to Validate Constructs in Conjoint Survey Experiments. Leiden University Centre for Digital Humanities (LUCDH) Lunch Lecture Series, Leiden University, March 24. Slides

Denney, S. (2025). Guardianship democracy: Mapping elite rule preferences in East and Southeast Asia. 8th Annual Meeting of the Social Science Korean Studies Network in Europe (SoKEN), University of Duisburg–Essen, May 23–24.

Denney, S. (2025). Persuasion and prejudice: Are South Korean attitudes toward immigration open to change? Recalibrating 'Skill' in Changing Immigration Regimes, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, January 16–17.

Denney, S. (2024). Democracy and nationalism: The case of Taiwan. American Political Science Association (APSA) Conference, September 4–8.

Denney, S. (2024). Determinants of foreign information use in North Korea: Research findings and implications. International North Korean Studies Networking Forum, Yonsei University, August 5.

Denney, S. (2024). Who are 'we' and how do we know it? New experimental designs for measuring national identity. Consequences of Identity Politics Workshop, University of Southampton, July 24–25.

Denney, S. (2024). How inclusive are national identities in East Asian democracies? Exploring a new conjoint approach. East Asia Institute, National University of Singapore, July 19.

Denney, S. (2024). Public attitudes towards immigrant incorporation in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. European Political Science Association (EPSA) Conference, July 4–6.

Denney, S. (2024). Plus ça change? South Korean public opinion of the United States during the Trump administration. International Korean Studies Institute (IKSU) Summer School, June 19.

Denney, S. (2024). Public support for citizenship expansion in East Asian democracies. LIAS Talk Series, Leiden Institute for Asian Studies (LIAS), May 15.

Denney, S. (2024). The enduring legacy of forced division: Welfare nationalism in Germany and South Korea. Korean Studies Research Seminar, Leiden Institute for Asian Studies (LIAS), Leiden University, April 17.

Denney, S. (2023). Size or speed? Public attitudes toward rising immigration levels in historically homogeneous nations. American Political Science Association (APSA) Conference, August 31–September 3.

Denney, S. (2023). Nationalism under democracy: Why institutions matter for national identity and belonging. Ostasienforum, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna, May 24.

Denney, S. (2023). Measuring national identity: A choice-based conjoint approach. Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Conference, April 13–16.

Denney, S. (2023). Why do democratic societies tolerate undemocratic laws? Sorting public support for the National Security Act in South Korea. International Studies Association (ISA) Conference, March 15–18.

Denney, S. (2022). 한국인의 남북통일방식에 대한 의식 결정요인 분석: 컨조인트 분석 조사를 중심으로 [Analysis of South Korean attitudes towards unification: A conjoint experiment]. 북한연구학회 [North Korean Research Institute], Seoul, South Korea, December 12.

Denney, S. (2022). National security conservatism: Enduring support for the National Security Act in South Korea. Generation Asia – 2022 Nordic NIAS Council Conference, August 22–26.

Denney, S. (2022). Determinants of co-ethnic integration in South Korea: A conjoint experiment. East Asian Network (EAN), Institute for Asian Studies, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic, February 8.

Denney, S. (2021). National security conservatism and enduring support for the National Security Act in South Korea. Ostasienforum, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna, December 15.

Denney, S., Fraser, N., & Crabtree, C. (2021). Who stays and who leaves? Determinants of public support for permanent residency and citizenship in South Korea and Japan. American Political Science Association Conference, September 30–October 3.

Denney, S. (2020). Scale the gap: Impact of growth barriers on women entrepreneurs in Canadian high-growth firms. Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (CCSBE) Annual Conference, October 16–17.

Denney, S. (2019). Juche and the everyday: Does ideology matter for people from North Korea? Association of Asian Studies (AAS), March 21–24.

Denney, S. (2019). Entrepreneurs and the evolution of Toronto's ICT cluster: Insights and lessons learned. Creating Digital Opportunity, 6th Annual CDO Partnership Network Conference, Toronto, Ontario, April 29–May 1.

Denney, S. (2019). A conjoint analysis of South Korean attitudes toward immigrants. Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 4–7.

Denney, S. (2018). Transforming a cluster while building a firm: Entrepreneurs and the evolution of Toronto's ICT cluster. 5th Annual Creating Digital Opportunity Partnership Meeting, Vancouver, BC, April 25–27.

Denney, S. (2018). Does democracy matter? What the re-socialization of North Korean migrants in South Korea tells us about the relationship between institutions and national identity. Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 5–8.

Denney, S. (2018). After defection: The identity politics of integrating North Korean refugees. Association of Asian Studies Annual Conference, Washington, DC, April 18–21.

Denney, S. (2017). Korea and the world: New frontiers in Korean studies. Conference/Workshop at the George Washington University, Washington, D.C., May 23–24.

Denney, S. (2016). Assessing ethnic national identity among North Korean migrants in the ROK. Brookings Institution Second Annual Young and Brave Conference, Washington, D.C., September 30.

Denney, S. (2016). What the re-socialization of North Korean immigrants tells us about changes in contemporary South Korean national identity. Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) 127th Overseas Korean Studies Colloquium, Bundang, South Korea, August 18.

Denney, S. (2016). Transformation of Korean national identity: What can different developmental experiences tell us about national identity formation? Association of Asian Studies Annual Conference, Seattle, Washington, March 31–April 3.

Denney, S. (2015). Telling tales: North Korea's use of re-defectors. Korean Economic Institute's Academic Paper Series, March 12.