Written by Wen-chi Li. This article advocates for the institutionalisation of “Taiwanology” and the identity of the “Taiwanist.” Moving beyond traditional European Sinology, Li draws on Deleuzian philosophy to frame this transition not as a rejection, but as a dynamic process of becoming, as an open, fluid space of intellectual resistance that embraces a complex, plural, and planetary dialogue.
Written by Raian Hossain & Ping-An Wei. This article offers a reflection on the motivations behind organising the first Early Career Scholars Workshop on Taiwan Studies, the key achievements of the event, and the broader vision of establishing an Early Career Scholars Network under the Taiwan Research Hub. The organisers highlight how the workshop created opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange, professional development, and long-term community building among emerging scholars in the field.
Written by Shawna Yang Ryan and Gerrit van der Wees. During the past weeks, a new documentary about Taiwan, Invisible Nation, has been making the rounds at various film festivals in the United States and Europe, including the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam on November 14-18, 2023. Invisible Nation is the work of Vanessa Hope, who built up the film around the everyday life of President Tsai Ing-wen, in the process creating a fascinating picture of how the low-key President is ably leading Taiwan towards a better future.
Written by Yi-Yang Cheng, Ssu-Chieh Jessica Fan and Susan Hou. Centring on Indigeneity in Taiwan, the interdisciplinary roundtable “Indigenous Taiwan through Critical Lenses: Comparative and Place-Based Perspectives” conceptualized Taiwan as a grounding point for multiple geographical perspectives. Instead of positioning Taiwan as a boundary object between the East and the West, it prompted a fresh envisioning and repositioning of Taiwan as a liminal space of unbounded and interconnected possibilities. Put differently, the roundtable discussions explored alternative ways of positioning Taiwan in/and the world, including perspectives which might have previously been marginalized or eluded consideration.
Written by Ssu-Chieh Jessica Fan and Cheng-Ting Wu. In recent years, Taiwan literature has experienced a surge in visibility and recognition within the global cultural community. To explore the border-crossing potential of Taiwanese stories, the planning team of the NATSA 2023 conference organized a special event, creating a lively platform for discussing the circulation and reception of Taiwanese fiction and non-fiction works in the international book market and academia.
Organized by I-Lin Liu. Taiwanese American is not a given status but a process of becoming. For first and second-generation Taiwanese Americans, the experience of living in a foreign land and becoming a member of an ethnic minority group often creates occasions for rethinking or reconceptualizing the meanings of being Taiwanese or Taiwanese American. This article focuses on the meaning(s) of Taiwanese American identity, community building, and the future of the Taiwanese American identity.
