Written by Ling-Ming Huang. Taiwan’s semiconductor industry grew significantly in the 1970s and 1980s, driven by important government-led strategies aimed at developing manufacturing capabilities for integrated circuit (IC) products in Taiwan. These initiatives laid the foundation for Taiwan’s global dominance in the semiconductor sector and facilitated the establishment of key corporations like TSMC.
Written by Ai-Ting Chung. This article examines the changing discourse around the Taoyuan Martyrs’ Shrine since it was built in 1938. The author argues that it demonstrates the transformation of Taiwan’s national identity shaped by coloniality and the impact of neoliberalism in turning identity as consumable products.
Written by Yang-Hsun Hou, Nikal Kabala’an (a.k.a. Margaret Yun-Pu Tu), and Huiyu Lin. As the Taiwan government has been pushing efforts for Indigenous Language Revitalization and Reclamation, this article highlights the importance of transitioning from government-led preservation to community-based, Indigenous-led education approaches, ensuring that culturally sustaining practices are truly integrated into Indigenous language teaching and learning.
Written by Wasiq Silan. This article critiques the superficial integration of Indigenous perspectives within Taiwan’s multiculturalist policy framework, arguing for a transformative approach that prioritises Indigenous knowledge systems in long-term care policies. Highlighting the idea of “weaving knowledge,” it seeks to recentre Indigenous onto epistemologies and challenge the deep-rooted colonial present.
Written by Yulia Nesterova. Although Taiwan has made remarkable progress in transforming into a flourishing multicultural democracy over the past three decades, it still faces challenges in fully decolonising its multicultural vision. Focusing on education policies, this article highlights the need for further actions to address historical injustices and reconciliation.
Written by Yu-Chen Chuang. In 2023, Taiwanese society faced numerous instances of discrimination against Indigenous peoples. This article points out the critical need to envision an education system that not only acknowledges but actively commits to healing the wounds of settler colonialism.
Written by Zuzule Demalalade & Tien-Li Schneider. When we believe that there is power behind every object, it signifies our departure from mundane perspectives and a return to the cosmic space we share with our ancestors. As Indigenous cultural curators based in Taiwan, our involvement with the Kuroshio Odyssey: Maritime Memories, Culture, and Landscapes (hereafter KO) exhibition project began on an ordinary workday when KO’s curator, Jiun-Yu, returned from the United States to Taiwan and visited our office one afternoon. He mentioned that the Burke Museum had some collections from Taiwan’s Indigenous tribes. Together with Nikal (Margaret), a law doctoral student at the University of Washington with Amis Indigenous roots in Taiwan, they were planning an exhibition on Taiwanese Indigenous artefacts. This sparks the idea of collaboratively establishing an online platform, a digital bridge across the 14-hour time difference between Taiwan’s Indigenous artefacts and the Burke Museum’s exhibits.
Written by Sra Kacaw (Bo-Jun Chen). While planning the Kuroshio Odyssey exhibition, I had a discussion with Margaret Yun-Pu and Jiun-Yu Liu. Margaret invited Indigenous communities in Taiwan to collaborate, prompting me to search for colleagues who might accompany me. I started by pinpointing the topics we aimed to share through the exhibition. As the Kuroshio Current flows through Eastern Taiwan, what are the ethnic groups living in that area? How can we introduce the marine and material culture to the people in Seattle?
Written by Jiun-Yu Liu. Kuroshio Odyssey: Maritime Memories, Culture, and Landscapes (follows as KO) is a mini exhibition held at the Burke Museum in Washington State, USA (Oct 14 – Nov 28). KO focuses on two key themes: the diverse Indigenous cultures and the stunning natural landscapes in eastern Taiwan. As a multi-media exhibition, KO showcases material collections from multiple Indigenous communities in eastern Taiwan and includes an immersive element as visitors can access QR codes that provide images and detailed information about the selected pieces. In addition to the onsite exhibition, two Indigenous Taiwanese guest curators working in Taiwan and New Zealand have chosen wonderful artefacts from the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center collection and converted them into an online exhibition to echo and enrich the KO exhibition content.
Written by Nikal Kabala’an (Margaret Yun-Pu Tu). This article presents a reflective account from my perspective as one of the curators. It primarily focuses on the “behind the scenes” aspects, adopting an “inside out” approach to share my personal life experiences and the journey of research and curation as a mixed-background Taiwan Indigenous person from the Pangcah/’Amis community and a Ph.D. Candidate studying abroad in the fields of Indigenous Studies, Taiwan Studies, and Law. Supported by the main organisers—the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles, the Burke Museum, and the Tateuchi East Asia Library (TEAL)—along with the co-organizers and their collaborative and generous sponsorships, I hope to unfold the narratives and open the dialogues driven by a passion for interdisciplinary pursuits.
Written by Ellen Y. Chang. The Taiwan Studies Arts & Culture Program at the University of Washington (UW) proudly presents Kuroshio Odyssey: Maritime Memories, Culture, and Landscapes. This initiative celebrates the rich Indigenous cultures of Taiwan and underscores their profound ties to the Pacific Northwest. It features a multi-sited exhibition at the Burke Museum and the UW Tateuchi East Asia Library, an online display hosted by Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Centre, and a series of family-friendly events. With four curators—Zuzule Demalalade, Nikal Kabala’an (Margaret Yun-Pu Tu), Jiun-Yu Liu, and Tien-Li Schneider—representing diverse ethnic backgrounds and possessing unique socio-cultural and institutional expertise, the program embraces a multitude of perspectives. Their partnership extends beyond borders, connecting Taiwan to the Pacific Northwest.
It is a privilege to present this insightful piece ‘For Molecular Archipelagic Thinking’ from Professor Chun-Mei Chuang, a respected figure in the field of Sociology from Soochow University, Taipei. Professor Chuang’s work is marked by her interests in feminist theories, postcolonial discourse, ecology, and animal studies. In this contribution, she graciously shares her experiences and reflections on teaching sociology in Taiwan, providing a rare glimpse into her unique approach and the broader sociological landscape in Taiwan.Chun-Mei Chuang is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at Soochow University in Taipei, Taiwan. Her research interests include feminist theories, postcolonial discourse, ecology and animal studies.
Taiwan Insight 