Democracy – Page 8 – Taiwan Insight

Invisible Nation Documentary is Making Taiwan More Visible

17 November 2023 Adrian Chiu

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.

Cultural Technology and Cultural Communication Sustainability: What Is the Next Step for the “Cultural Technology Agenda”?

6 November 2023 Chee-Hann Wu

The rapid advancement of digital technology has brought immense convenience to human society, transcending geographical boundaries that national and geographical divisions once imposed. Information, communication, and cultural content, as well as film, television, and audio products, can now circulate across vast distances, expanding the reach and influence of transnational culture. Nations that are actively developing cultural technology and communication systems are faced with multifaceted concerns, including issues related to information security, the preservation of national identity and voice, the cultural rights of their citizens, democratic participation, collective memory, artistic creation, labour security, as well as economic and industrial considerations.

Cultural Assets and Spatial Redevelopment for Sustainability

3 November 2023 Chee-Hann Wu

Since the Ministry of Culture introduced the “Regeneration of Historic Sites” policy in 2017 to harmonise cultural and spatial governance, counties and cities have been grappling with a range of challenges involving restoration, repurposing, operational management, and interdepartmental coordination. While these issues are not new, the substantial investment in the “Regeneration of Historic Sites” policy has shed light on the ongoing struggles in cultural asset management. Today, cultural heritage is no longer solely a cultural concept; it has evolved into a medium and a realm for reflecting and reconstructing urban and rural environments. Whether we refer to it as “cultural heritage” or “cultural inheritance,” the emphasis remains on preserving cultural value. Consequently, alongside the growth of developmentalism, the spirit and techniques of preservation, maintenance, and reuse have become pivotal benchmarks for reshaping urban and rural environments.

Cultural Sustainability as A Practice of Democracy

1 November 2023 Chee-Hann Wu

In the context of sustainable development, culture is seen as an important component of development, along with the economy, society and the environment, which are all interrelated. For the development of a country, it is necessary to go beyond the economic perspective and adopt a cultural approach, incorporating cultural policies as a key element of the development strategy. This also implies the re-democratisation of culture in all policies and actions. To actively participate in cultural activities and give their voices in determining development goals and means of development. The bottom-up approach, with the idea of people as the subject, will promote the shaping of public culture on the one hand and the practice of cultural democracy on the other.

Has Taiwan Escaped Nostalgia for Authoritarian Times? Taiwan and Regional Comparisons

14 July 2023 Adrian Chiu

Written by Brian Hioe. Contemporary Taiwan is often hailed as a beacon of democracy in the region. Namely, Taiwan today holds free and fair elections after transitioning from its authoritarian past, which saw a history of one-party rule by the KMT. In various indexes of democracy, Taiwan usually scores highly regarding freedom of the press, speech, and expression. Part of the reason why Taiwan scores highly in contemporary indexes of democracy may be to differentiate Taiwan from China at a time of rising tensions between Western powers and China, raising questions about whether this proves a way that the Cold War framing of “free China” has subtly made a comeback. The underlying pressure to differentiate Taiwan from China has always been a substrate of Taiwan’s modern politics, whether in the present or in authoritarian times.

From Kuomintang to Democracy: The Evolution of Clientelism and Its Legacy

18 April 2023 Adrian Chiu

Written by Matthew Yi-Hsiu Lee. The democratic performance in Taiwan today is evident, but this does not mean that it does not have a dark side. Recently, during the by-election of a legislator in Nantou, some people held cameras to supervise whether others voted, which violated the privacy and rights of the general public. These people are brokers and part of a more extensive authoritarian legacy. They monitor whether voters go to vote, which may also involve vote-buying fraud and serving so-called “local factions.” However, what are the mysterious “local factions”? Why do they appear? And what impact do they have on democracy?

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