Taiwan Insight

Taiwan’s Austronesian Diplomacy: The Taitung National Museum of Prehistory as an Actor of Museum-Indigenous Diplomacy

Written by Simon Delpeuch. This article examines Taiwan’s Austronesian diplomacy, highlighting the deep tension between the state’s political exploitation of indigenous heritage to counter diplomatic isolation and a more authentic, community-driven approach. It focuses on the National Museum of Prehistory (NMP) as a vital model of informal, reciprocal museum-indigenous diplomacy. By explicitly abandoning Taiwan-centric “origin” narratives, the NMP fosters genuine regional partnerships, despite facing ongoing constraints from broader state agendas and complex geopolitical pressures.

Becoming “Taiwanist”

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.

Are Taiwanese Technologies Eco-friendly?

Written by Maytapat Pararaman. This article examines the environmental sustainability of Taiwan’s technology sector by exploring the interplay between semiconductor development, environmental governance, and international climate commitments. It argues that while legislation, the RE100 initiative, and COP26 participation have strengthened Taiwan’s green transition, tensions remain between economic competitiveness, democratic geopolitics, and ecological responsibility. Ultimately, the article suggests that eco-friendly technological innovation could become a defining pillar of Taiwan’s future international identity and global credibility.

Destroyed Houses, Unfinished Justice: The Historical Trauma of Housing Modernisation of Tao Indigenous People

31 August 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Yu-Yueh Tsai. This article examines how government housing policies in Lanyu during the martial law era replaced traditional Tao homes with flawed concrete structures. This modernisation project caused displacement, social upheaval, and long-term trauma. Inadequate reconstruction assistance forced families into debt and incomplete housing, widening inequality and weakening traditional kinship support systems while exacerbating mental health struggles.

From Hong Kong to Taiwan: Emotions, Identity, and Community in the Diaspora

28 August 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Judy Lee. This article examines how emotions drive community formation among Hongkongers who migrated to Taiwan after 2019. Lee argues that these migrants channel feelings of grief and love for their home city into positive community engagement, cultural production, and education, illustrating how emotion fuels the diaspora.

Even the Han People Feel Taiwan’s Han Settler Colonialism

27 August 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Yang-Hsun Hou. Through this article, the author examines their position as a Han person in Taiwan, reflecting on how Han settler colonialism is felt, normalised, and tied to systemic racism. The author advocates for recognising colonial structures and listening to Indigenous perspectives to foster accountability and relational healing.

Towards hope – the transformative power of affects in academia: On alternative ways of perceiving and narrating bipartisan politics in Taiwan

26 August 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Hsiao-Man Cavalli and Lily Y.H. Lin. This article explores how emotions shape the study of Taiwan’s party politics, examining how researchers’ embodied experiences can deepen understanding of political differences. Through reflections on collaborative research, it highlights how acknowledging emotions fosters more nuanced, inclusive, and relational approaches to conducting and interpreting Taiwan Studies.

Expressing Emotions in a Colonial Text: Huang Fengzi’s Taiwan no shōjo (A Young Girl of Taiwan)

25 August 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Anne Sokolsky. This article examines Taiwan no shōjo (1944), a collection of essays by Taiwanese writer Huang Fengzi, arguing that its emotional language reveals the complexities of colonial identity under Japanese rule. Through an analysis of competing voices and affective expressions, it explores how emotions, power, and cultural belonging shaped both the text and its colonial context.

Feeling Taiwan: Emotions, Knowledge, and the Politics of Everyday Life

24 August 2026 Chee-Hann Wu

Written by Po-Han Lee, Alvaro Martinez-Lacabe, and Yu-chin Tseng. This special issue, featuring the co-editors and authors of the recently published edited volume, Feeling Taiwan, explores how emotions shape Taiwan’s politics, history, and everyday life. Drawing on six case studies, it examines how feelings are not separate from knowledge but fundamental to understanding identity, social change, and lived experience, while inviting broader audiences to engage with Taiwan through emotion.

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