Introduction to “Indigenous Language Policies in Taiwan and Beyond”

Written by Elizabeth Zeitoun. Taiwan is rich in linguistic diversity. However, many languages, among which the Indigenous languages are now at risk of disappearing. This rapid decline is largely the result of a century of drastic language policies. This topical section presents four articles that offer various insights into the challenges faced by both researchers and Indigenous communities in relation to these policies. The authors address the complexities involved in the preservation and revitalisation of Indigenous languages, shedding light on the obstacles scholars and policymakers encounter while embarking on different measures.

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Taiwan’s Delicate Balance: Navigating Trump’s America, Europe’s Hesitations, and China’s Shadow

Written by Guido Gargiulo. This article describes how Taiwan, under President Lai Ching-te, navigates mounting geopolitical pressures from China while balancing relations with the United States under Donald Trump and the European Union. It explores Taipei’s strategy of bolstering defence, securing trade deals, and expanding diplomatic outreach to deter Beijing and strengthen global partnerships amid growing uncertainty in the Taiwan Strait.

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Heterogeneous Memories of the White Terror: Beyond Nationalist Narratives toward a Shared Moral Ground  

Written by Chuan-kai Lin. This article examines the diverse and often overlooked memories of Taiwan’s White Terror, arguing that postwar political violence cannot be fully understood through competing nationalist narratives. Highlighting neglected experiences reveals the heterogeneity among those affected by authoritarian repression. Recognising these fragmented histories, as the article suggests, can move Taiwan’s memory politics beyond identity-based divisions toward a more inclusive and shared moral understanding of the past.

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Representing the Unrepresentable: Cinema, Politics, and The Century Bloodshed Controversy

Written by Meng-Hao Li. The author describes the controversy surrounding the Taiwanese film The Century Bloodshed, inspired by the unresolved 1980 Lin family massacre. Responding to Wim Wenders’ claim that cinema should remain separate from politics, he argues that film inevitably engages with power and memory. Through debates over the film’s genre, his remarks, and the director’s background, the essay explores the ethical limits of representing historical trauma and Taiwan’s ongoing struggle to confront the legacy of the White Terror.

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Harmonies Against the Silence: The GongSheng Music Commemoration’s Quest for Justice

Written by Liao Pin-yen. The author, representing the Taiwan Youth Association for Transitional Justice and Kiong-Seng, illustrates how the GongSheng Music Commemoration, a youth-led initiative in Taiwan, reimagines remembrance of the 228 Incident and the White Terror. Through music, exhibitions, storytelling, and NGO participation, the festival bridges generational distance from authoritarian history, advocates for transitional justice, and demonstrates how cultural activism can sustain public memory and civic engagement in contemporary Taiwan.

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An Unresolved Political Murder in Taiwan — and Why the Silence Endures

Written by Wang Ting-Yu. The author examines Taiwan’s unresolved 1980 Lin family murders as a test case for transitional justice. He argues that decades of sealed political archives, shielded by expansive claims of “national security,” have obstructed accountability and deepened public distrust rooted in the February 28, 1947, massacre. While recent declassifications signal progress, key files remain inaccessible. He contends that democratic reckoning requires full archival disclosure and institutional transparency, warning that without truth, transitional justice risks becoming symbolic rather than substantive.

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Not All Stories Are Yours To Tell – A Reflection on The Century Bloodshed Part II

Written by Chee-Hann Wu. This article continues reflecting on the controversy surrounding The Century Bloodshed, focusing on the balance between artistic freedom and ethical responsibility. Through classroom discussions, she argues that creators must be accountable when portraying real trauma, especially unresolved historical tragedies like the Lin family murders. The piece emphasises consent, agency, and historical awareness, concluding that some stories, particularly those rooted in others’ suffering, may not belong to outsiders to tell.

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Not All Stories Are Yours To Tell – A Reflection on The Century Bloodshed Part I

Written by Chee-Hann Wu. This article reflects a personal memory and classroom discussion; she explores the ethical responsibilities of artists when representing traumatic historical events. Emphasising consent, historical accuracy, and self-awareness, the piece argues that storytellers and audiences alike must engage critically with how collective trauma is portrayed and remembered in art and media.

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The Hidden Prison: How Taiwanese Comics Expose the White Terror’s Quiet Scars

Written by Meng Kit Tang. The piece examines how two recent Taiwanese comics: White Prison Shadows 2 (2025), grounded in Ye Shitao’s White Terror experiences, and White Rebellion 1 (2024), a speculative thriller; reveal the White Terror’s most enduring legacy: not the prison cell itself, but a “prison outside the prison” sustained through surveillance, social stigma, and internalized self-censorship.

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From White Terror to Green Overreach: Taiwan’s Democracy Under Pressure

Written by Meng Kit Tang. This article examines how Taiwan, under mounting pressure from Beijing, risks drifting toward legal and administrative overreach at home. Drawing on recent high-profile detentions, national security legislation, and institutional gridlock, it argues that while today’s Taiwan bears no resemblance in scale to the White Terror, it increasingly echoes its methods: vague laws, procedural shortcuts, and media-driven stigma.

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Growing but Still Constrained

Written by Aleksandrs Gross. This final piece of the special issue reflects on the challenges and approaches to studying Taiwan for the scholars interviewed. Despite the lack of institutionalised academic pathways and fragmented funding compared to other regional studies, there are approaches that, while not guaranteeing academic success, do significantly increase one’s chances of making a passion for Taiwan academically viable.

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