Written by Tun-Jung Kuo and Li-Ting Chang. This article reflects on a book talk discussing Taiwan Travelogue, highlighting how the novel uses food to narrate Taiwan’s colonial history, cultural hybridity and female perspectives. Through detailed depictions of cuisine and memory, it challenges historical narratives and deepens understanding of Taiwan’s evolving identity amid Japanese colonial influence and localisation.
Written by Chee-Hann Wu. This article discusses Taiwan Travelogue and its US book tour earlier this year. It highlights the controversial marketing strategy, the extensive use of footnotes to enrich the historical context, and the categorisation of the novel as queer literature due to the evident, though subtle, romantic undertones between the two female protagonists.
Written by Thomas Fliß. This article introduces the workshop “Mapping Taiwan Teaching – Teaching Taiwan in Script, Speech and Performance” at Trier University, which focused on teaching Taiwan through language, culture, and performance. Scholars and educators explored Taiwan’s geopolitical significance, linguistic diversity, and cultural identity. The event featured interdisciplinary panels on Taiwan’s literature, theatre, and education, highlighting the need for expanded Taiwanese language courses and intercultural learning methods.
Written by Li-Ting Chang. This article introduces the exhibition “The Spring of the Marginalised” and explores the burgeoning relationship between Czech and Taiwanese literature, emphasising their shared experiences of political oppression, and the role of translation and cultural exchange in fostering dialogue and understanding.
Written by Wei-ting Liou. This article focuses on the author’s experiences in “worlding” Taiwan literature through their academic work. This includes engaging with translation, examining Taiwanese American literature, and teaching English-taught courses on Taiwan literature and culture. The author believes these approaches can help reshape the conventional understanding of Taiwan literary studies.
Written by Aoife Cantrill. Translation plays a crucial role in contemporary Taiwan literature, reflecting the country’s complex history and linguistic diversity. This article examines how Taiwanese writers use translation not only to share their stories with the world but also to explore their own cultural identity and historical memory.
