Assistant Professor, Education Policy, Organization and Leadership
356 Education Building
356 Education Building (mail code 708)
Champaign (UIUC Campus Mail), IL 61820
Ph.D., Learning, Leadership & Organization Development, University of Georgia, 2019
M.A., Organizational Behavior & Evaluation, Claremont Graduate University, 2015
B.A., Education, Korea University, 2013
Richard A. Swanson Research Excellence Award, Academy of Human Resource Development, 2022
Cutting Edge Award, Academy of Human Resource Development, 2019
Professor Kwon’s research is largely informed by critical systems thinking and aims to theorize the role of learning in promoting diversity and whole-person inclusion. Specifically, he studies leadership and organizing principles that lead to the cultivation of safe to be vulnerable learning spaces in which people across power divides collaborate and develop as teams, organizations, and communities. He is concerned with the practicality of enacting critical ideas in practice and views emergent learning as a vehicle for inclusive and generative change. Professor Kwon also studies ableism and the inclusion of people with disabilities in education and the workplace.
Kwon, C. K. (2024). Why HRD needs to do more in relation to disability: recommendations and future directions. Human Resource Development International, 27(1), 152-159. link >
Kwon, C. K., & Kwon, K. (Accepted/In press). A conceptual framework for practicing inclusive dialogic organization development in times of uncertainty and complexity. European Journal of Training and Development. link >
Kwon, C. K., & Archer, M. (Accepted/In press). Does Critical HRD really exist outside academia? An interview study with nine Critical HRD scholars. European Journal of Training and Development. link >
Kwon, C. K. (Accepted/In press). Resistance from the margin: An autoethnographic account of academic ableism. Human Resource Development Quarterly. link >
Kwon, C. K., Guadalupe, S. S., Archer, M., & Groomes, D. A. (Accepted/In press). Understanding Career Development Pathways of College Students With Disabilities Using Crip Theory and the Theory of Whole Self. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. link >
Kwon, C. K. (2022). A Deliberately Developmental Organization: A New Organizational Space for Inclusion. In The Palgrave Handbook of Learning for Transformation (pp. 347-362). Springer. link >
Kwon, C. K., & Nicolaides, A. (2022). A new organizational space for inclusion through the evolutionary wholeness praxis. In The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Human Resource Development (pp. 149-165). Springer. link >
Kwon, C. K., & Archer, M. (2022). Conceptualizing the Marginalization Experiences of People with Disabilities in Organizations Using an Ableism Lens. Human Resource Development Review, 21(3), 324-351. link >
Kwon, C. K., & An, S. (2022). Roads to Success: The Career Attainment Experiences of Lawyers With Visual Impairments in South Korea. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 24(1), 6-25. link >
Kwon, C. K. (2021). Resisting ableism in deliberately developmental organizations: A discursive analysis of the identity work of employees with disabilities. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 32(2), 179-196. link >
Kwon, C. K., Han, S. H., & Nicolaides, A. (2021). The Transformative Learning Outcomes and Processes Survey: A Validation Study in the Workplace Context. Journal of Transformative Education, 19(4), 459-471. link >
Kwon, C. K., Han, S. H., & Nicolaides, A. (2020). The impact of psychological safety on transformative learning in the workplace: a quantitative study. Journal of Workplace Learning, 32(7), 533-547. link >
Kwon, C. K. (2019). Career Development of People With Disabilities: Self-Determination as a Skill Set or a Mind-Set? Adult Learning, 30(2), 78-83. link >
Kwon, C. K., & Nicolaides, A. (2019). Reconceptualizing Social Movement Learning in HRD: An Evolutionary Perspective. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 21(2), 267-279. link >
Kwon, C. (2018). Book review: Reinventing organizations: A guide to creating organizations inspired by the next stage of human consciousness. Management Learning, 49(5), 628-630. link >
Kwon, C. K., & Nicolaides, A. (2017). Managing Diversity Through Triple-Loop Learning: A Call for Paradigm Shift. Human Resource Development Review, 16(1), 85-99. link >
Kwon, C. K. (2017). Work Transitions Narrative. Work, 58(2), 95-97. link >
Professor Kwon teaches in the areas of diversity, adult learning, leadership, and organization development. He enjoys helping his students develop an adaptive learning mindset to strengthen relationships and lead inclusively at work with genuine humility and curiosity.
EPOL 470: Principles of Human Resource Education (EPOL 470) Study of the basic concepts and practices of education for and about work: its philosophical foundations and historical development, mission and goals, structure and function, curricular areas of emphasis, learner audiences served and settings in which programs are conducted, and issues and trends affecting program change.
EPOL 474: Diversity in the Workplace (EPOL 474) Examines the ways in which "diversity" is conceived, defined and enacted within a range of workplace environments. This course provides a foundation to help students understand and develop the cross-cultural competence necessary to work and lead effectively in today?s global workforce. This course is designed to provide evidence-based insights, as well as proven individual, interpersonal, organization-level strategies to harness the power of diversity and inclusion in teams, organizations, markets, and societies.
HRD 400: Principles of Human Resource Education (HRD 400) Study of the basic concepts and practices of education for and about work: its philosophical foundations and historical development, mission and goals, structure and function, curricular areas of emphasis, learner audiences served and settings in which programs are conducted, and issues and trends affecting program change. Same as EPOL 470. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.