Seung Deok Seo سونغ دوك سيو
I am a second-year PhD student in the Department of Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an Illinois Global Institute Language Fellow (Arabic) for the academic year 2024-25. My research focuses on the effectiveness and allocation of foreign aid, as well as inter-NGO cooperation, with a special regional emphasis on Middle Eastern countries, particularly those in the Levant. As part of my research, I conducted surveys and several interviews with representatives and senior staff of Palestinian NGOs.
Previously, I worked as a consultant with UN Women in Palestine and the Korea International Cooperation Agency in their Iraq office. My education has spanned several countries, including South Korea, Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, England, Israel, Palestine, and the United States.
Research Interests
📚 Comparative Politics (Civil Society; Grassroots Nongovernment Organizations)
🔬 Foreign Aid (Aid Allocation; Humanitarian Aid; Gulf Aid)
🤝 Inter-NGO cooperation
🌍 Middle East and North Africa
Education
🔹 PhD in Political Science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2028 (expected)
🔹 MSc in Development Studies, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2018
🔹 BA in Arabic Interpretation and Translation, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, 2016
