NTNU International Taiwan Studies Center Newsletter

A Word From Our Director

Welcome to the April 2026 issue of the NTNU International Taiwan Studies Center Newsletter. This issue dives into institutions and events that are locally-focused but have a cross-disciplinary and international outlook.

In this issue, we are featuring the Northern Institute of Taiwan Studies at the University of Lancashire, helmed by Professor Niki Alsford, who maintains its resilience through inter-institutional connections and student experience. Our "New Voices" article this issue spotlights Sanho Chung, an assistant professor in political science at National Cheng Kung University, in which he discusses clientelism in Taiwan's local elections, and his path from Hong Kong to Taiwan Studies. We also have a report on the 26th Annual International Conference of the Cultural Studies Association, Taiwan which was held early in March on the theme "Trans-culturalization," and featured Professors Gisèle Sapiro, Mōri Yoshitaka, and Michelle Huang as keynote speakers.

ITSC and our partner institutions are also releasing details on several large upcoming events, including the 2026 UCLA-NTNU Taiwan Studies Initiative Conference in May, the "Keywords of Taiwan Theory III" Workshop in September, the "Global Taiwan" Conference at the University of Melbourne in November, and many more around the world—see below for details.

Drawing on diverse perspectives and contexts, we hope to continue to strengthen the international and interdisciplinary nature of Taiwan Studies, and build connections to further horizons. We thank you for your encouragement and support, and we look forward to sharing more of the latest developments in the field with you in the months ahead.

Director

Nikky Lin

Editorial Team

Greg Laslo

Jessica Siu-yin Yeung

Chang Feng-en

Josh Edbrooke

Table of Contents

A Word From Our Director
An Introduction to the Northern Institute of Taiwan Studies at the University of Lancashire
New Voices in Taiwan Studies: Sanho Chung on Clientelism in Taiwan's Local Elections
Special Event Reports
ITSC Media
Upcoming Taiwan Studies Events from Around the World
Recent Publications in the Taiwan Studies Field
Useful Content for Teaching and Research
Connect With Us

An Introduction to the Northern Institute of Taiwan Studies at the University of Lancashire

Based at the University of Lancashire in Preston, UK, the Northern Institute of Taiwan Studies (NorITS) has been able to expand the provision of Taiwan-related teaching, research and extra-curricular activities into the north of England and Scotland. We had the honor of talking with founding member and current director of the institute, Prof. Niki Alsford, about the vision behind NorITS and how a unique approach has enabled it to become one of the most vibrant Taiwan Studies hubs in Europe!

Prof. Niki J.P. Alsford:

Director of the Northern Institute of Taiwan Studies at the University of Lancashire

The establishment of the Northern Institute of Taiwan Studies (NorITS) in 2018 was driven by a combination of structural, geographical, and academic factors that highlighted a clear gap within the UK’s Taiwan Studies landscape. At the time, existing centers of Taiwan Studies, most notably at SOAS and the University of Nottingham, were concentrated in London and central England. This created a distinct geographical imbalance, limiting access for students and scholars based in northern England and reinforcing a regional divide in opportunities for engagement with Taiwan-focused research and teaching. NorITS was therefore conceived as a strategic intervention to address this imbalance. Its location at the University of Lancashire extends the reach of Taiwan Studies into northern England (and up to Scotland), providing a new regional hub to support students, foster research collaboration, and engage wider communities that had previously lacked direct access to such institutional infrastructure.

At the same time, the founding members recognized a growing academic and student interest in both Taiwan and the broader Asia Pacific region, reflected in increasing enrollment in and expansion of Asia Pacific Studies programs. Student numbers had increased from twenty-eight applicants in 2013–14 to over 100 students enrolled by 2017, and this trajectory provided a strong foundation for the inauguration of NorITS.

International Taiwan Studies Center Media

NTNU International Taiwan Studies Center Podcast

Recent Episodes

Professor Craig Smith from the University of Melbourne discusses the importance of Taiwanese translators/interpreters during the Japanese colonial period and the complexities of the characters involved.

Listen Here

Professor Michael Hsiao describes one of the most ambitious Taiwan Studies projects to date: the journey involved in making the Encyclopedia of Taiwan Studies!

Listen Here

Play the Game and Learn Taiwanese With TaiGiddy

TaiGiddy is a gamified Taiwanese language learning website developed by the International Taiwan Studies Center at NTNU. It is currently the most comprehensive Taiwanese learning platform in the world with over 1,000 exercises covering thirty categories, including daily life, culture, religion, politics, and new vocabulary. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning Taiwanese. More info here.

Upcoming Taiwan Studies Events

From Around the World

International Conference: "Tongues of Taiwan: Culture and Identity between Languages and Empires"

Organized by Shu-mei Shih (Irving and Jean Stone Chair in the Humanities and Professor of Comparative Literature, Asian Languages and Cultures, and Asian American Studies, UCLA), Alan Dai (Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, UCLA), and Quentin Tan (Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, UCLA), this year's conference on "Tongues of Taiwan: Culture and Identity between Languages and Empires" is presented as part of the UCLA-NTNU Taiwan Studies Initiative, a partnership of UCLA and National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) that aims to create research synergies to promote cutting-edge research in Taiwan Studies.

Taiwan's rich and turbulent history has made it the home of diverse language communities and the nexus of many translingual encounters. This conference brings together scholars from diverse disciplines—linguistics, literature, history, media studies, and more—to reflect on the past, present, and future of the tongues of Taiwan. We invite discussions and debate around how linguistic practice has shaped cultural identity and vice versa in Taiwan, as well as explorations of the nuanced negotiations between different languages and cultural traditions undertaken by peoples living in the archipelago. More info here.

Date: Friday, May 29, 2026 — Saturday, May 30, 2026 (PST)

Venue: UCLA Hershey Hall Salon, Rm 158

"Global Taiwan" Conference at the University of Melbourne

Co-organized by the Australasian Taiwan Studies Association of the University of Melbourne and ITSC at NTNU, "Global Taiwan" is an international and interdisciplinary conference that brings together scholars from across the humanities and social sciences to explore Taiwan's place in the world. The conference seeks to reassess Taiwan's global significance and advance the study of Taiwan in a comparative, transnational frame by situating Taiwan within global historical processes, intellectual currents, and cultural exchanges, while also highlighting the island's distinctive experiences and contributions. The call for papers is now open; submissions in English or Mandarin are both welcome. More info here.

Deadline for submissions: July 31, 2026

Conference Dates: November 4-5, 2026

Venue: University of Melbourne

Workshop at ITSC: "Keywords of Taiwan Theory III"

For over a decade now, scholars of Taiwan have been ambitiously working to build a theoretical foundation for Taiwan Studies. The "keyword approach," as exemplified by Keywords of Taiwan Theory (2019) and Keywords of Taiwan Theory II (2025), involves creating keywords which represent important concepts in Taiwan history, culture, or theory, in order to create a network of experiences, perspectives, positions, and theories. The aim is to make Taiwan not only a provider of experience, but also a creator of theoretical tools that can be used to address major global issues.

As part of the preparation for the third volume, ITSC will host the "Keywords of Taiwan Theory III" Workshop (「臺灣理論關鍵詞III」工作坊) in late September, where more than fifty papers will be presented, each exploring a new keyword. More info here; read the original call for papers here.

Dates: September 19-20, 2026

Venue: Bo-ai Building, Heping II Campus, NTNU

Summer Term of ERCCT Taiwan Colloquium Opening at University of Tübingen

Between May 4 and July 23, European Research Center on Contemporary Taiwan (ERCCT) Research Fellows and Visiting Scholars will meet weekly in the Taiwan Colloquium to discuss their research. Project ideas and intended field studies will be communicated, applied theory and methodology scrutinized, and empirical findings gathered in the field critically assessed. The Visiting Scholars play an important role in evaluating the Fellows' projects and presenting their own research and subjecting it to open academic debate. More info on topics and how to join in person or online here.

Dates: Monday afternoons (CEST), May 4 — July 23

Venue: SR 003, Keplerstraße 2, Tübingen, or online

Book Talk: Chop Fry Watch Learn: Fu-pei Mei and the Making of Modern Chinese Food with Michelle T. King

The Taiwan Studies Program at University of Washington will be hosting a book talk by Michelle T. King, professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who will present Chop Fry Watch Learn: Fu Pei-mei and the Making of Modern Chinese Food. Fu Pei-mei was a pioneering postwar cook book author and television celebrity of Taiwan; she appeared continuously on television for forty years, wrote dozens of best-selling Chinese cookbooks, owned a successful cooking school, and traveled the world, teaching foreigners about Chinese food. Her cookbooks also represented the transpacific journeys of thousands of migrants who carried her recipes with them on their journeys. Fu's story offers us a window onto not just food, but also family, gender roles, technology, media, foreign relations, and cultural identity. This book talk is a hybrid event which can be attended in-person or online; more info here.

Date: May 14, 2026, 3:30-5:00 pm (PST)

Venue: Thomson Hall 317, University of Washington, or online

International Workshop: "Shifting Crises: Changing Taiwan in a Challenging International Environment"

The world lurches from one crisis into another. Between the last pandemic and the looming climate crisis, conventional wars and escalating conflicts are challenging the global community. How are these shifting crises affecting Taiwan and cross-strait relations? How are political, civil, social or cultural actors in Taiwan responding to the constantly changing international environment?

Taiwan as a Pioneer (TAP) invites academics and early career researchers working on related topics to participate in the 5th International Workshop (September 23 - September 25, 2026) at Trier University. TAP invites submissions that explore challenges affecting Taiwan and local responses within Taiwan. TAP particularly invites submissions that address Taiwan's innovative role and responses to global dynamics and megatrends. Reimbursement of travel expenses is available; more info here.

Call for Participation/Papers: Closes May 15, 2026

Workshop Dates: September 23-25, 2026

Book Talk: Taiwan Travelogue in Conversation, ft. Yáng Shuāng Zǐ and Translator Lin King

On the eve of the 2026 International Booker Prize announcement, the Centre of Taiwan Studies at SOAS will host a public talk with Yáng Shuāng-zǐ (楊双子), whose novel Taiwan Travelogue, as translated into English by Lin King (金翎), has been shortlisted for the prize.

This event will center on Taiwan Travelogue as a work of historical imagination and literary experimentation. Yáng will reflect on the research and creative process behind the novel, including her engagement with Taiwan’s multilingual and colonial past, and the narrative strategies that shape its distinctive voice. Lin King will discuss her approach to translating the novel’s stylistic shifts, humor, and cultural references, offering insight into the collaborative dimensions of author–translator relationships and the challenges of rendering Taiwanese historical and linguistic textures into English. More info here.

Date: May 18, 2026, 1:00-3:00 pm

Venue: SALT, Senate House (Paul Webley Wing, SOAS)

"Transition": The 2026 Melbourne Taiwan Film Festival

"Transition" is perhaps most visible in Taiwan’s historical and political journey from authoritarianism to democracy. Yet, for those living through it, change often feels quiet and subtle—triggered by a short conversation, a photograph, or a fleeting moment with family. The 2026 Melbourne Taiwan Film Festival will spotlight this theme across screenings of four films: Family Matters《我家的事》, Deep Quiet Room《深度安靜》, The Photo From 1997《那張照片裡的我們》, and The Foggy Tale《大濛》. Find more details here, and stay abreast of details and updates on their Facebook page.

Dates: May 21-23, 2026

Venue: Australian Centre for the Moving Image

"The Future of Sinophone Taiwan: An International Conference" at UCSB

This comprehensive two-day conference hosted by the Center for Taiwan Studies at UCSB will explore the evolving landscape of Taiwan and Sinophone studies. Featuring keynote speeches by Professor Shih Shu-mei of UCLA's Taiwan Studies Program and Professor Emma Teng of MIT, the program convenes leading scholars to discuss diverse intersections including Queer Sinophone Studies, Geography, Cinema, and Health Politics. By examining Taiwan’s history, literature, and its connection to Sinophone America, the event fosters critical dialogue on the island’s cultural and political futures. It serves as a vital platform for interdisciplinary research and international academic collaboration. More info here.

Dates: May 22-23, 2026

Venue: Humanities and Social Sciences Building and Social Sciences and Media Building, UC Santa Barbara

SOAS Taiwan Studies Summer School Opens Applications, Call for Papers

Registration for this year's Taiwan Studies Summer School at SOAS is now open. The program will begin on June 26 and continue from June 29 to July 3. This year will bring together scholars, practitioners, and filmmakers in conversation on three main themes: Anti-death penalty, queer Taiwan, and AI and digital futures. The keynote speech titled "The Human in the Loop: Relay Literary Translation and Minoritized Languages in the AI Era" will be delivered by Associate Professor Darryl Sterk. More info on the summer school here.

As part of the Summer School, SOAS is also issuing a call for papers inviting students writing about Taiwan-related topics in the humanities or social sciences to present their work at the Student Symposium. The call for papers closes June 12; more info here.

NATSA Annual Conference: "Resonance/Dissonance — Taiwan Studies, Knowledge Production, and Power Asymmetry"

The North American Taiwan Studies Association will be holding its 31st annual conference from June 26-28, 2026, at Indiana University Bloomington. This year’s theme is "Resonance/Dissonance: Taiwan Studies, Knowledge Production and Power Asymmetry." With a focus on the uneven distribution of resources and prestige, this conference uses the metaphors of "resonance" and "dissonance" to discuss the relationship between various voices and how they resonate with existing intellectual frameworks, and encourage interdisciplinary conversations and collaborations. Register to attend here; see the original call for papers here.

Dates: June 26-28, 2026

Venue: Global & International Studies Building (GISB), Indiana University Bloomington

Recent Publications in the Taiwan Studies Field

Dutch Church Politics in Seventeenth-Century Taiwan

The Consistory Meeting Minutes 1643-1649

by Ann Heylen, Christopher Joby

This book offers the first historical summary in English and source text in Dutch of the Tayuoan Consistory Minutes recorded between 1643 and 1649, one of the few remaining primary sources regarding the Calvinist mission within the Dutch settlement of Formosa. Filled with valuable information about the colonial encounter, contact with Indigenous peoples, and the tension between a clerical and secular society in establishing a Calvinist community, this volume helps to critically scrutinize colonial biases and inherited narratives. More info here.

The "Sinophone and Taiwan Studies" book series, centered on Taiwan Studies-related humanities and social science research, is open for new book submissions. Edited by Professor Shih Shu-mei (史書美) of UCLA and Professor Nikky Lin (林巾力) of NTNU, this book series aims to break Sinophone and Taiwan Studies out of old limiting frameworks and methodologies.

Browse the series and download the book proposal form here.

Taiwanese Face, Chinese Masks: Yang Mu and His Postcolonial Poetry

by Li Wen-chi (利文祺)

Cambria Press

This book reveals how Yang Mu, a leading Sinophone poet, resisted Kuomintang authoritarianism through poetic strategies that affirmed suppressed Taiwanese identity. Engaging both Chinese and Western literary traditions, his work navigates ambivalence, hybridity, and historical trauma to express a localized cultural consciousness. By illuminating how literature can challenge dominant narratives and give voice to silenced histories, Taiwanese Face, Chinese Masks makes a valuable contribution to Taiwan studies, Sinophone literature, and postcolonial theory. More info here.

Taiwan's Modern Identity Reimagined: Becoming Taiwanese

by Rosemary Haddon

Routledge

This book examines the formation of Taiwan's modern identity during the course of the twentieth century and its intersection with the "new" Taiwanese identity, arguing that Taiwan's modern identity bears the footprint of its successive hegemonies. By interpreting the past events that shaped identity and explaining the transition to the present, this book argues that the ontologies of becoming Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese form the architecture of Taiwan's identity. More info here.

Feeling Taiwan: Emotions in Everyday Politics, Social Movements, and Research Practices

Edited by Lee Po-han (李柏翰), Alvaro Martinez-Lacabe, Tseng Yu-chin (曾育勤)

Routledge

In re-centering emotion in Taiwan Studies, a field long dominated by rationalist approaches, this interdisciplinary volume highlights how feelings—of belonging, grief, intimacy, distrust, and ambivalence—shape political life, social formations, and scholarly practice. By putting feeling in the foreground as both method and object, Feeling Taiwan offers new ways to interpret Taiwan's histories and futures, while also modelling how to integrate reflexivity, positionality, and affect into research practice. More info here.

Justice at the Boundaries: Mediating Reconciliation and Legal Recognition in Taiwan's Indigenous Courts

by J. Christopher Upton

University of California Press

Justice at the Boundaries offers a powerful ethnographic account of the transformative potential and structural limitations of Taiwan's system of ad hoc Chambers of Indigenous Courts. Drawing on immersive fieldwork in courtrooms and Indigenous communities, Upton examines how judges, Indigenous litigants, and cultural brokers navigate contested terrains of law, identity, and sovereignty in a legal system shaped by ongoing processes of colonialism and aspirations of multiculturalism. The book brings fresh methodological and conceptual tools to the study of legal pluralism, Indigenous courts, Indigenous peoples' rights, and the complex politics of Indigenous recognition in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. More info here.

Taiwan Undaunted: In Search of the Nation that Cannot Call Itself a Nation

by Neal E Robbins
World Scientific Connect

Taiwan Undaunted explores the emergence of Taiwanese nationhood and identity, from colonial and dynastic times to its democratic awakening. Drawing on over eighty in-depth interviews conducted across the island as part of an eponymous documentary film, the author blends personal anecdotes and sharp analysis to capture how ordinary Taiwanese see themselves — their aspirations, dreams, hopes, and fears. At the centre of this account lie the tensions between Taiwan's indigenous heritage, immigrant roots and the geopolitical complexities across the strait. With China's territorial claims intensifying, the book reflects on the resilience of Taiwan's democracy and the uncertain future that lies ahead. More info here.

Fear of Queer Taiwan: Anti-LGBTQ Movements Between Taiwan and the U.S. Religious Right

by Ying-Chao Kao

NYU Press

In 2019, global media celebrated Taiwan as the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. However, the pursuit of this human rights milestone spurred waves of opposition to LGBTQ rights that have fundamentally shaped the nation’s democracy and its relationship with the United States. Drawing on more than 100 in-depth interviews with leading figures across a wide political spectrum, and two years of cumulative ethnographic observation in both Taiwan and the United States, Kao reveals that moral conservatism has been flowing across borders and adapting to contemporary socio-political institutions as it seeks to protect its moral territories and expand its ideological power. More info here.

Eyes of the Sky (天空的眼睛)

by Syaman Rapongan

Translated by Kyle Shernuk

Columbia University Press

In Eyes of the Sky, Syaman Rapongan invites readers to learn the ways of the Tao, an Indigenous community who live on Orchid Island near the island of Taiwan—and to learn to see their own worlds anew through a Tao lens. Syaman Rapongan paints a vivid picture of his homeland—its mountains and seas, flora and fauna, climate and ecology—as well as local culture and customs. In describing fishing practices, canoe building, and conversations with friends from his village, he illustrates the Tao's ecological worldview, lived experience, and struggle to preserve their culture. Written in conversational prose with evocative detail, this book is a powerful testament to how Indigenous people and stories persevere. More info here.

The Encyclopedia of Taiwan Studies Online

This encyclopedia introduces the multifaceted aspects of Taiwan's past and present in almost 600 entries, authored by more than 300 worldwide scholars who are experts in the archaeology, history, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, political science, international relations, Indigenous studies, literature, gender studies, media studies, cinema and documentary, music, and art of Taiwan.

The Encyclopedia can thus be seen as a portal to the multifaceted world of Taiwan, with all its vibrant culture, important developments, and radical transformations.

This version is the second online release of the Encyclopedia, containing 10 of its 15 sections. Release of the third and last installment is planned at the end of 2025, followed by the print version in 2026.

The Encyclopedia is edited by Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao (Editor-in-Chief), Lung-Chih Chang, Kuei-Fen Chiu, Isabelle Cockel, Nancy Guy, Dafydd Fell, Ming-Sho Ho, Anru Lee, Lih-Yun Lin, Hsin-Tien Liao, Scott Simon, Ming-Yeh Rawnsley, Cheng-Hwa Tsang, Robert Weller, Alan Hao Yang, and Elizabeth Zeitoun (Associate Editors). Read more or browse the encyclopedia here.

Useful Content for Teaching and Research

2027 MOFA Taiwan Fellowship Opening for Applications

The Taiwan Fellowship is an opportunity for social sciences or political science scholars who are studying Taiwan and Taiwan-related topics to visit and conduct advanced research at universities and institutions. Fellowships range from three months to one year, with airfare subsidy and a monthly stipend provided. Foreigners at overseas academic organizations, from PhD students all the way to full professors, and those studying Taiwan's foreign relations, are welcome to apply. More info here.

Applications Open: May 1 - June 30, 2026

2027 CCS Research Grant Open for Applications

This program is aimed at foreign professors, associate professors, assistant professors (including post-doctoral researchers) and doctoral candidates in departments related to Chinese studies at foreign universities, as well as researchers at related foreign academic institutes. The research should be undertaken in Taiwan, and be focused mainly on Taiwan or Chinese studies. Airfare and research subsidies are provided. More info here.

Applications Open: Until May 31, 2026

Untold Histories Behind Taiwan Documentaries

The Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) is one of Asia’s leading documentary events, running from May 1 to May 10. This episode of "Zoom In Zoom Out" from TaiwanPlus features TIDF program director Wood Lin and veteran filmmaker Lee Daw-ming discussing how documentaries preserve truth and spark reflection in a changing Taiwan. Watch here.

Seven New Open Access Articles for 2026 from the International Journal of Taiwan Studies

There are currently fifty-one articles from the International Journal of Taiwan Studies which are open access. For a complete list of open access articles and links to download, click here, or find the latest issue of the journal here.

Taiwan Lit and the Global Sinosphere

Taiwan Lit, launched in the summer of 2020, is an online scholarly journal focusing on studies of Taiwan literature and culture. It is published by the Center for Taiwan Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

We invite submissions in either English or Chinese. Please see the descriptions of each individual section for details.

"TransTaiwan: A Research Gateway to Taiwan Studies" (TARGTS)

Dr Isabelle Cockel from the University of Portsmouth, Secretary-General of European Association of Taiwan Studies introduces "TransTaiwan: A Research Gateway to Taiwan Studies" (TARGTS).

TARGTS now provides more than 700 annotated bibliographies of Taiwan Studies journal articles.