Written by Jo-Tzu Huang. Emma Teng’s Taiwan’s Imagined Geography has inspired the author to rethink Taiwan through settler-colonial and imperial frameworks. Teng’s analysis of Qing travel writings reveals how geography and identity were constructed. It challenges Western-centric colonial theories and prompts reflection on Taiwan’s layered colonial histories within global human geography discourse.
Written by Amy Pei-jung Lee. This article traces the variety of writing systems employed in attempts to represent Indigenous languages, traditionally transmitted orally, in written form. In 2005, the Council of Indigenous Peoples, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, officially promulgated standardised Romanised orthographic systems for the 42 dialects representing the then-12 languages recognised by the government. The implementation of these writing systems has given rise to further discussions concerning orthographic conventions.
Written by Apay Ai-yu Tang. Taiwan is home to sixteen Indigenous languages, most of which are severely endangered. Despite school programs, teaching remains challenging due to historical Mandarin-only policies and low motivation. The article reviews pedagogical approaches and examines the Silent Way, finding it can foster confidence, engagement, and language revitalisation in multilingual contexts through learner-driven discovery.
Written by Cassandra Preece. This article focuses on identifying the actors and key institutions involved in the development and implementation of Indigenous language policy in Taiwan. The author’s findings suggest that substantive representation may be embedded within executive institutions, particularly when those institutions are designed to guarantee Indigenous leadership and policy authority.
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.
Written by Eric Scheihagen. The author illustrates the 1984 Singing for the Mountain Lands concert in Taipei, organised shortly after the Haishan Coal Mine Disaster, which killed mostly Amis miners. It details how Indigenous musicians and activists, led by Hu Defu, used the concert to raise funds and publicly address discrimination, harmful stereotypes, and political issues. The event became an important milestone in Taiwan’s growing Indigenous rights movement and helped catalyse later organising efforts, including the formation of the Taiwan Association for Promoting Indigenous Rights.
