Written by Alex Hsu-Chun Liu. This article reviews the cultural inquiries of Taiwanese psychiatrists in the postwar years, a period that saw the birth of transcultural psychiatry. The stories of Hsien Rin and Tsung-Yi Lin revealed the shift from eugenics to socio-cultural psychiatry and contributed to the decolonialisation of psychiatry in a postcolonial society.
Written by Kate Allanson Conlon. This article traces the early development of women’s footbinding in the 18th century and subsequent ban during Japanese colonial period. As a tradition, footbinding has historical significance, demonstrating how distinct temporalities that viewed and treated women and their bodily freedom.
Written by Alex Yong Kang Chow. This article offers insights into the anti-imperial struggles of the Taiwanese and Hong Kong diasporas through the book Island X. This article contextualises the diaspora experiences historically through Cold War geopolitics and left-leaning activism since the 1970s.
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.
