Written by Brian Hioe. Siraya civil society groups oppose a KMT proposal to create a “Pingpu Indigenous” category, arguing it undermines their full legal recognition mandated by a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling. The debate reflects ongoing struggles over identity, resources, and recognition amid shifting political dynamics and the KMT’s efforts to defund Indigenous institutions.
Written by Dr Carla Figueira. This article reflects on the 2024 IJTS Open Access Award-winning paper, “Indigenous Peoples as Non-State Diplomatic Actors in the Public/Cultural Diplomacy of Taiwan: A Case Study of Dispossessions: Performative Encounter(s) of Taiwanese Indigenous Contemporary Art.” It highlights the value of engaging with the personal and social contexts shaping research outputs. It celebrates the growing academic focus on Indigenous Peoples and cultural diplomacy, foregrounding Taiwan’s unique position.
Written by Scott E. Simon. This article introduces and reflects on the author’s two IJTS Open Access Award-winning papers. Drawing on decades of fieldwork and writing, the author contributes to Taiwan Studies by addressing how indigeneity integrates Indigenous peoples into the state project of post-martial law in Taiwan while emphasizing the need to recognize both Taiwan and its Indigenous peoples as having distinct ontological existence of their own. He calls for an ontological commitment to self-determination amid growing geopolitical precarity.
Written by Tzu-Ming Liu. The article discusses how the Rukai tribe’s traditional millet intercropping system not only sustains their food security and cultural heritage but also serves as an effective adaptation strategy to climate change. It also critiques government policies and economic shifts that have neglected these Indigenous practices, leading to environmental injustice and increased vulnerability to extreme weather events.
Written by Tzu-Ming Liu. Based on the author’s experience participating in reconstruction after the 2009 Morakot Typhoon, this article focuses on the role of disaster companions (empowerment workers) who connect disaster victims with external resources, highlighting the need for their mental health support for companions and strengthened communication with the government.
Written by Paulina G. Karim and Kuang-Chung Lee. This article discusses how the Taiwan Ecological Network integrates conservation and adaptation strategies to build resilient landscapes and seascapes in the face of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The authors highlight community-based resilience assessments and adaptive co-management practices, demonstrating the role of Indigenous and local knowledge in safeguarding both ecological systems and community well-being in Taiwan’s socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes.
Written by Dafydd Fell. The article traces the establishment of the Taiwan Studies Programme at SOAS and explores how it integrates Taiwan Studies courses with an extensive event program, including lectures, film screenings, and alumni talks. The strategy enhances student engagement, sustains interest in Taiwan-related studies, and fosters academic-community interaction. By combining teaching with real-world experiences, the Taiwan Studies Programme at SOAS successfully maintains a long-term and sustainable environment for Taiwan studies.
Written by Indigenous Youth Front. This article examines the 2024 amendment to the Organization Act of the Council of Indigenous Peoples. It places this controversial amendment within the broader context of the long-term marginalisation of Indigenous peoples in political participation and advocates for actions that uphold genuine Indigenous self-determination.
Written by Aaron Su and Chao-Kai Huang. This article highlights the need to move beyond simply representing Indigenous voices and towards a transformative approach that centres Indigenous perspectives and experiences. It focuses on a roundtable discussion featuring three Taiwanese Indigenous scholars who share their experiences navigating Indigenous studies in both Taiwan and North America. The speakers emphasised the importance of building relationships and solidarity across disciplines and beyond institutions, advocating for a more equitable and comprehensive understanding of Indigenous peoples and histories.
Written by Hsin-Ju Li. This article reviews Taiwan’s legal frameworks for carbon emission reduction, including the carbon fee and carbon trading schemes. It also explores how Indigenous peoples have participated in these systems and the future path for developing Indigenous carbon rights.
Written by Ti-han Chang. This article explores a literary landscape where unique Austronesian cultural references blend with fantastical narratives of speculative realism which has given rise to a groundbreaking subgenre in eco-literature, Speculative Indigenous Fiction, in Taiwan. The author calls the new wave of fictional writing the new AI—‘Artificial Indigeneity’.
Written by the Taiwan Indigenous Youth Public Participation Association; translated by Yu-Chen Chuang. This article highlights the involvement of Indigenous rights advocacy groups in the Bluebird Movement. They call for Indigenous legislators to prioritise their communities’ rights, foster cross-party collaboration, and address the electoral system’s challenges that hinder effective Indigenous political participation.
Taiwan Insight 