Yunji Kim
Biographic Data
| ID | 3718940 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Yunji Kim |
| GIVEN NAMES | Yunji |
| FAMILY NAME | Kim |
| SIGNATURE | KIM Y |
| AFFILIATIONS | Seoul National University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6618-7168 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 268 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 10 |
Rules of Evidence, Efficiency Claims, and Local Government Amalgamation
Scholars have expressed frustration that public policy formulation sometimes proceeds with optimism that lies in stark contrast to the evaluation literature. We present theoretical insights from the rules of evidence that cast greater light on why this might be so. We also conduct novel sophisticated empirical analysis – based on a natural experiment in New South Wales, Australia – to better measure the efficiency outcomes at the heart of most am…
The role of local governments in South Korea's Covid‐19 response
Research on COVID‐19 responses has largely focused on national governments. Meanwhile, the crisis management literature has noted that such “transboundary crises” require collaborative responses. What role can local governments play? How do citizen perceptions matter? We look for answers in South Korea that has been considered a model case for managing COVID‐19. We use data from policy briefs, news reports, and local government websites to show t…
Privatization and intermunicipal cooperation in US local government services: Balancing fiscal stress, need and political interests
The 2007–2008 Global Financial Crisis renewed interest in New Public Management tools. Privatization and intermunicipal cooperation are the two most common forms of service delivery reforms among US local governments. Which is more responsive to fiscal stress, service needs and political interests? Our national survey of 2,109 US local governments in 2017 finds cooperation is more responsive to fiscal stress and community need, while privatizatio…
Blocking the progressive city: How state pre-emptions undermine labour rights in the USA
While some US cities and states have taken the lead in protecting labour rights, a counter-trend is found in state pre-emptions – state laws that prohibit cities from making any ordinances or laws related to certain policy areas. What drives these state-level actions that undermine progressive city leadership in the USA? We examine recent state legislations that pre-empt city authority to regulate labour conditions and protect labour rights in th…
Pragmatic Municipalism: U.S. Local Government Responses to Fiscal Stress
This article updates cutback management theory and challenges austerity urbanism theory by showing that local governments practice pragmatic municipalism—protecting services with a balanced response to fiscal stress. Using a 2017 national survey of 2,341 U.S. municipalities and counties, the authors identify four responses—no specific action, cuts, revenue supplements, and deferrals. Structural equation models show that cuts are higher in places …
Pragmatic municipalism or austerity urbanism? Understanding local government responses to fiscal stress
While national governments responded to the Great Recession with austerity, local government responses were varied. Two contrasting views are found in the literature: ‘austerity urbanism’ and ‘pragmatic municipalism’. We argue austerity urbanism best reflects local responses in contexts where local governments have limited autonomy and cuts in local government aid have been severe, such as Detroit in the US, England, and the southern states in th…
Austerity urbanism or pragmatic municipalism? Local government responses to fiscal stress in New York State
As local governments respond to fiscal stress after the global financial crisis, some scholars warn about an austerity urbanism response wherein local governments cut and privatize services, while others see a pragmatic municipalism response that seeks to protect public services by sharing services, applying for more grants, or charging user fees. Existing empirical works lack detail about the types of local government responses and their drivers…
Limits of Property Taxes and Charges: City Revenue Structures After the Great Recession
Public finance theories argue local governments should primarily use broad-based and stable property taxes. However, the housing bust after the Great Recession challenges this argument, and historical trends show cities have heavily relied on charges since the late 1970s. Using 2012 Census of Governments data for 2,396 cities, this article explores which cities rely more on charges and the links between property tax dependence and city stress. Re…
Leviathan or Public Steward? Evidence on Local Government Taxing Behavior from New York State
Fiscal federalism argues local governments compete to provide optimal tax-service bundles as responsible public stewards. In contrast, Leviathan theories argue tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) are necessary to make local governments fiscally responsible. We analyze local taxing behavior in New York State, which implemented a levy limit in 2012 that allows legislative overrides with 60 percent vote of the local governing board. Our 2017 surv…
Limits of fiscal federalism: How narratives of local government inefficiency facilitate scalar dumping in New York State
US local governments are responsible for a variety of services, based on the assumptions of fiscal federalism that local governments can deliver residents the services they want at the lowest cost. However, an austerity narrative that calls for shrinking public budgets emerged after the 2008 global financial crisis and higher levels of government are dumping fiscal stress down to the local level in a process of "scalar dumping." How do local gove…
Shrinking local autonomy: Corporate coalitions and the subnational state
Using focus groups and government finance data, we explore three areas of US state rescaling at the subnational level: revenue tools, expenditure responsibilities and policy authority. Expenditure responsibilities, especially social welfare, have been devolved to the subnational level, while local revenue tools and policy authority are preempted. This decoupling of responsibility and power is cracking the foundations of fiscal federalism. At the …
Geographies of Local Government Stress after the Great Recession
Local governments in the USA are facing increased levels of fiscal stress after the Great Recession. We conducted a national survey in 2012 to assess differences in sources of stress and service delivery responses (privatization, inter‐municipal co‐operation, and public delivery) across places. Our discriminant analysis on 1,889 US cities and counties contributes to the literature on state rescaling. We differentiate three types of stress: fiscal…
Can alternative service delivery save cities after the Great Recession? Barriers to privatisation and cooperation
Cities continue to face fiscal challenges after the Great Recession and alternative service delivery is being emphasised as a solution. How promising is alternative service delivery as a solution and what are its barriers? Regression analyses using 2012 survey data of US local governments show that local governments manage procedural barriers, but structural barriers of economy and demography hinder privatisation and cooperation. Places with a ho…
Pragmatic Municipalism: Local Government Service Delivery After the Great Recession
Since the Great Recession, some have argued that local governments have become ‘austerity machines’ that cut and privatize services and undermine unions. We conducted a national survey of US municipalities in 2012 to examine how service provision level and delivery methods are related to local stress and capacity, controlling for community need and place characteristics. We find that local governments are balancing the pressures of stress with co…
An Analysis of the Relative Importance of Components in Measuring Community Wellbeing: Perspectives of Citizens, Public Officials, and Experts
Sing, Dance, and Be Merry: The Key to Successful Urban Development?
This study examines a unique case of urban redevelopment conflict in Seoul, South Korea. The Duriban case is one of the few urban redevelopment cases in South Korea that was peacefully resolved with protection of tenants' rights. The research aimed to answer why this case was peacefully resolved while other redevelopment cases have been contentious and even violent. Through documentary analysis and in-depth interviews with key actors, we identifi…
The Development and Application of a Community Wellbeing Index in Korean Metropolitan Cities
Pragmatic Municipalism: Local Government Service Delivery After the Great Recession
Since the Great Recession, some have argued that local governments have become ‘austerity machines’ that cut and privatize services and undermine unions. We conducted a national survey of US municipalities in 2012 to examine how service provision level and delivery methods are related to local stress and capacity, controlling for community need and place characteristics. We find that local governments are balancing the pressures of stress with co…
Pragmatic municipalism or austerity urbanism? Understanding local government responses to fiscal stress
While national governments responded to the Great Recession with austerity, local government responses were varied. Two contrasting views are found in the literature: ‘austerity urbanism’ and ‘pragmatic municipalism’. We argue austerity urbanism best reflects local responses in contexts where local governments have limited autonomy and cuts in local government aid have been severe, such as Detroit in the US, England, and the southern states in th…
Austerity urbanism or pragmatic municipalism? Local government responses to fiscal stress in New York State
As local governments respond to fiscal stress after the global financial crisis, some scholars warn about an austerity urbanism response wherein local governments cut and privatize services, while others see a pragmatic municipalism response that seeks to protect public services by sharing services, applying for more grants, or charging user fees. Existing empirical works lack detail about the types of local government responses and their drivers…
Limits of Property Taxes and Charges: City Revenue Structures After the Great Recession
Public finance theories argue local governments should primarily use broad-based and stable property taxes. However, the housing bust after the Great Recession challenges this argument, and historical trends show cities have heavily relied on charges since the late 1970s. Using 2012 Census of Governments data for 2,396 cities, this article explores which cities rely more on charges and the links between property tax dependence and city stress. Re…
Shrinking local autonomy: Corporate coalitions and the subnational state
Using focus groups and government finance data, we explore three areas of US state rescaling at the subnational level: revenue tools, expenditure responsibilities and policy authority. Expenditure responsibilities, especially social welfare, have been devolved to the subnational level, while local revenue tools and policy authority are preempted. This decoupling of responsibility and power is cracking the foundations of fiscal federalism. At the …
Leviathan or Public Steward? Evidence on Local Government Taxing Behavior from New York State
Fiscal federalism argues local governments compete to provide optimal tax-service bundles as responsible public stewards. In contrast, Leviathan theories argue tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) are necessary to make local governments fiscally responsible. We analyze local taxing behavior in New York State, which implemented a levy limit in 2012 that allows legislative overrides with 60 percent vote of the local governing board. Our 2017 surv…
Can alternative service delivery save cities after the Great Recession? Barriers to privatisation and cooperation
Cities continue to face fiscal challenges after the Great Recession and alternative service delivery is being emphasised as a solution. How promising is alternative service delivery as a solution and what are its barriers? Regression analyses using 2012 survey data of US local governments show that local governments manage procedural barriers, but structural barriers of economy and demography hinder privatisation and cooperation. Places with a ho…
Geographies of Local Government Stress after the Great Recession
Local governments in the USA are facing increased levels of fiscal stress after the Great Recession. We conducted a national survey in 2012 to assess differences in sources of stress and service delivery responses (privatization, inter‐municipal co‐operation, and public delivery) across places. Our discriminant analysis on 1,889 US cities and counties contributes to the literature on state rescaling. We differentiate three types of stress: fiscal…
Blocking the progressive city: How state pre-emptions undermine labour rights in the USA
While some US cities and states have taken the lead in protecting labour rights, a counter-trend is found in state pre-emptions – state laws that prohibit cities from making any ordinances or laws related to certain policy areas. What drives these state-level actions that undermine progressive city leadership in the USA? We examine recent state legislations that pre-empt city authority to regulate labour conditions and protect labour rights in th…
Limits of fiscal federalism: How narratives of local government inefficiency facilitate scalar dumping in New York State
US local governments are responsible for a variety of services, based on the assumptions of fiscal federalism that local governments can deliver residents the services they want at the lowest cost. However, an austerity narrative that calls for shrinking public budgets emerged after the 2008 global financial crisis and higher levels of government are dumping fiscal stress down to the local level in a process of "scalar dumping." How do local gove…
An Analysis of the Relative Importance of Components in Measuring Community Wellbeing: Perspectives of Citizens, Public Officials, and Experts
The Development and Application of a Community Wellbeing Index in Korean Metropolitan Cities
The Development and Application of a Community Wellbeing Index in Korean Metropolitan Cities
Sing, Dance, and Be Merry: The Key to Successful Urban Development?
This study examines a unique case of urban redevelopment conflict in Seoul, South Korea. The Duriban case is one of the few urban redevelopment cases in South Korea that was peacefully resolved with protection of tenants' rights. The research aimed to answer why this case was peacefully resolved while other redevelopment cases have been contentious and even violent. Through documentary analysis and in-depth interviews with key actors, we identifi…
An Analysis of the Relative Importance of Components in Measuring Community Wellbeing: Perspectives of Citizens, Public Officials, and Experts
Pragmatic Municipalism: Local Government Service Delivery After the Great Recession
Since the Great Recession, some have argued that local governments have become ‘austerity machines’ that cut and privatize services and undermine unions. We conducted a national survey of US municipalities in 2012 to examine how service provision level and delivery methods are related to local stress and capacity, controlling for community need and place characteristics. We find that local governments are balancing the pressures of stress with co…
Shrinking local autonomy: Corporate coalitions and the subnational state
Using focus groups and government finance data, we explore three areas of US state rescaling at the subnational level: revenue tools, expenditure responsibilities and policy authority. Expenditure responsibilities, especially social welfare, have been devolved to the subnational level, while local revenue tools and policy authority are preempted. This decoupling of responsibility and power is cracking the foundations of fiscal federalism. At the …
Geographies of Local Government Stress after the Great Recession
Local governments in the USA are facing increased levels of fiscal stress after the Great Recession. We conducted a national survey in 2012 to assess differences in sources of stress and service delivery responses (privatization, inter‐municipal co‐operation, and public delivery) across places. Our discriminant analysis on 1,889 US cities and counties contributes to the literature on state rescaling. We differentiate three types of stress: fiscal…
Can alternative service delivery save cities after the Great Recession? Barriers to privatisation and cooperation
Cities continue to face fiscal challenges after the Great Recession and alternative service delivery is being emphasised as a solution. How promising is alternative service delivery as a solution and what are its barriers? Regression analyses using 2012 survey data of US local governments show that local governments manage procedural barriers, but structural barriers of economy and demography hinder privatisation and cooperation. Places with a ho…
Austerity urbanism or pragmatic municipalism? Local government responses to fiscal stress in New York State
As local governments respond to fiscal stress after the global financial crisis, some scholars warn about an austerity urbanism response wherein local governments cut and privatize services, while others see a pragmatic municipalism response that seeks to protect public services by sharing services, applying for more grants, or charging user fees. Existing empirical works lack detail about the types of local government responses and their drivers…
Limits of Property Taxes and Charges: City Revenue Structures After the Great Recession
Public finance theories argue local governments should primarily use broad-based and stable property taxes. However, the housing bust after the Great Recession challenges this argument, and historical trends show cities have heavily relied on charges since the late 1970s. Using 2012 Census of Governments data for 2,396 cities, this article explores which cities rely more on charges and the links between property tax dependence and city stress. Re…
Leviathan or Public Steward? Evidence on Local Government Taxing Behavior from New York State
Fiscal federalism argues local governments compete to provide optimal tax-service bundles as responsible public stewards. In contrast, Leviathan theories argue tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) are necessary to make local governments fiscally responsible. We analyze local taxing behavior in New York State, which implemented a levy limit in 2012 that allows legislative overrides with 60 percent vote of the local governing board. Our 2017 surv…
Limits of fiscal federalism: How narratives of local government inefficiency facilitate scalar dumping in New York State
US local governments are responsible for a variety of services, based on the assumptions of fiscal federalism that local governments can deliver residents the services they want at the lowest cost. However, an austerity narrative that calls for shrinking public budgets emerged after the 2008 global financial crisis and higher levels of government are dumping fiscal stress down to the local level in a process of "scalar dumping." How do local gove…
Pragmatic Municipalism: U.S. Local Government Responses to Fiscal Stress
This article updates cutback management theory and challenges austerity urbanism theory by showing that local governments practice pragmatic municipalism—protecting services with a balanced response to fiscal stress. Using a 2017 national survey of 2,341 U.S. municipalities and counties, the authors identify four responses—no specific action, cuts, revenue supplements, and deferrals. Structural equation models show that cuts are higher in places …
Pragmatic municipalism or austerity urbanism? Understanding local government responses to fiscal stress
While national governments responded to the Great Recession with austerity, local government responses were varied. Two contrasting views are found in the literature: ‘austerity urbanism’ and ‘pragmatic municipalism’. We argue austerity urbanism best reflects local responses in contexts where local governments have limited autonomy and cuts in local government aid have been severe, such as Detroit in the US, England, and the southern states in th…
Privatization and intermunicipal cooperation in US local government services: Balancing fiscal stress, need and political interests
The 2007–2008 Global Financial Crisis renewed interest in New Public Management tools. Privatization and intermunicipal cooperation are the two most common forms of service delivery reforms among US local governments. Which is more responsive to fiscal stress, service needs and political interests? Our national survey of 2,109 US local governments in 2017 finds cooperation is more responsive to fiscal stress and community need, while privatizatio…
Blocking the progressive city: How state pre-emptions undermine labour rights in the USA
While some US cities and states have taken the lead in protecting labour rights, a counter-trend is found in state pre-emptions – state laws that prohibit cities from making any ordinances or laws related to certain policy areas. What drives these state-level actions that undermine progressive city leadership in the USA? We examine recent state legislations that pre-empt city authority to regulate labour conditions and protect labour rights in th…
The role of local governments in South Korea's Covid‐19 response
Research on COVID‐19 responses has largely focused on national governments. Meanwhile, the crisis management literature has noted that such “transboundary crises” require collaborative responses. What role can local governments play? How do citizen perceptions matter? We look for answers in South Korea that has been considered a model case for managing COVID‐19. We use data from policy briefs, news reports, and local government websites to show t…
Rules of Evidence, Efficiency Claims, and Local Government Amalgamation
Scholars have expressed frustration that public policy formulation sometimes proceeds with optimism that lies in stark contrast to the evaluation literature. We present theoretical insights from the rules of evidence that cast greater light on why this might be so. We also conduct novel sophisticated empirical analysis – based on a natural experiment in New South Wales, Australia – to better measure the efficiency outcomes at the heart of most am…
Economics (13 works) · Political science (13 works) · Local government (12 works) · Public Administration (10 works) · Business (8 works) · Public economics (8 works) · Geography (7 works) · Politics (7 works) · Public Administration (7 works) · Economic policy (6 works)