• Ph.D., Sociology, University of Connecticut (2017)

• M.A., Sociology, National Taiwan University (2007)

• B.A., Sociology, National Taipei University (2005)

Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean of the Office of International Affairs at National Taipei University (NTPU). His research focuses on social stratification and inequality, digital (in)equality, the sociology of education, family sociology, comparative and global sociology, and adolescents’ use of social media.

    Dr. Ma’s earlier work examined how macro-structural forces—such as human capital investment and income inequality—shape the role of digital technology in adolescents’ life chances. He co-authored the book Adolescent Well-Being and ICT Use: Social and Policy Implications with Simon Cheng and has contributed three book chapters on the causes and consequences of the global digital divide and the digital learning gap among youth. His scholarly articles have appeared in Social Forces, Social Indicators Research, International Journal of Comparative Sociology, International Sociology, Sociological Forum, Journal of Family Issues, Survey Research-Method and Application, and Journal of Population Studies. His current research agenda is twofold:

1. Digital Technology and Adolescents in the Post-Pandemic Era: Dr. Ma investigates the deepening role of digital technology in adolescents’ lives at school and at home in the post-COVID-19 era. His ongoing projects explore how digital exclusion, online learning disparities, and problematic internet use—including cyberbullying and online dating—affect teenage mental health and well-being. He is also developing a comparative study to examine how adolescents’ online experiences in East Asian societies differ from those in other parts of the world, and how these experiences may influence their future opportunities.
2. Family Formation and Work-Family Dynamics in East Asia: Dr. Ma’s research explores evolving patterns of family formation—particularly marriage and the transition to parenthood—among young adults in East Asia. He is currently conducting a two-year project titled Work-Family Incompatibility, Gendered Division of Labor, and the Transition to Second Birth, funded by Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council.
   

     At NTPU, Dr. Ma primarily teaches undergraduate social statistics and its accompanying computer-based lab. He is a two-time recipient of Distinguished Teaching Awards. He also contributes to national survey research, participating in the design of several major panel and cross-national studies, including the Taiwan Youth Project, the Panel Study of Family Dynamics, the Taiwan Social Change Survey, and the Taiwan Communication Survey of Youth.

     Since 2021, Dr. Ma has served in the Office of International Affairs at NTPU. Prior to his current role, he was responsible for promoting and managing international student recruitment, advancing dual-degree programs, supporting inbound and outbound exchange students, and overseeing affairs related to international degree students. As Associate Dean, he now leads and supports the university’s International Student Employment Support Office.

• Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma, Wan-Chi Chen, and En-Tsai Liao. 2022. “Undergraduate students’ financial condition, mental health, remote class participation, and perceived school support during COVID–19 school closures.” Survey Research-Method and Application, 49: 187-264. (In Chinese) (Web) (Full Text)
  
• Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma. 2021. “The Digital Divide at School and at Home: A Comparison between Schools by Socioeconomic Level across 47 Countries.” International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 62(2): 115-140. (Web) (Full Text)
  
• Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma, Todd Vachon, and Simon Cheng. 2019. “National Income, Political Freedom, and Investments in R&D and Education: A Comparative Analysis of the Second Digital Divide among 15-Year-Old Students.” Social Indicators Research, 144(1): 133-166. (Web) (Full Text)
  
• Todd Vachon and Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma. 2015. “Bargaining for Success: Examining the Relationship between Teacher Unions and Student Achievement.” Sociological Forum 30(2): 391-414. (Web)  (Full Text)
• Simon Cheng, Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma, and Stacy Missari. 2014. “The Effects of Internet Use on Adolescents’ First Romantic and Sexual Relationships in Taiwan.” International Sociology 29(4): 324-347. (Web)  (Full Text)

• Hsi-Sheng Wei, Yi-Ping Hsieh, Yi-Fu Chen, Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma, Yu-Sheng Lin. 2024. “Prevalence and associated factors of sexting among Taiwanese adolescents.” Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 43: 43–60.
• Yi-Ping Hsieh, Hsi-Sheng Wei, Yu-Sheng Lin, and Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma. 2023. “Understanding the Dynamics of Unwanted Online Sexual Solicitation Among Youth in Taiwan: Vulnerability and Resilience Factors.” Archives of Sexual Behavior. (Web)

• Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma and Chin-Chun Yi. 2020. Intergenerational Influences, Educational Expectation, and Transition to Parenthood Among Young Taiwanese Adults. Journal of Population Studies 61: 51-96. 中文標題：晚生或不生？探討教育期望對生育年齡的影響。《人口學刊》61，51-96。 (Web)  (Full Text)
  
• Chin-Chun Yi, Wen-Hsu Lin, and Josef Kuo-hsun Ma. 2019. “Marital Satisfaction among Taiwanese Young Married Couples: The Importance of Cultural Norms.” Journal of Family Issues, 40(1): 2015–2043. (Web)
  
• Simon Cheng, Laura Hamilton, Stacy Missari, and Josef Kuo-Hsun Ma. 2014. “Sexual Subjectivity among Adolescent Girls: Social Disadvantage and Young Adult Outcomes.” Social Forces 93(2): 515-544. (Web)