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An Island of Fellowship, Adventures and a Cave with Barbarian Words
Alsford, Niki Joseph paul Available at http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/16055/
Alsford, Niki Joseph paul (2014) An Island of Fellowship, Adventures and a Cave with Barbarian Words. EATS News (3). pp. 8-10.
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The Newsletter of the European Association of Taiwan Studies http://eats-taiwan.eu/ 31 January 2014, issue 3 Publication Place: London ISSN 2053-6143 (Online)
EATS News appreciates the generous support of the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation
Communicating Taiwan’s Democracy Gary Rawnsley
s the keynote speaker at From a PD perspective, such the annual conference of official discourses constitute part Athe European Association of the environment in which of Taiwan Studies (EATS) in 2013, Taiwan must operate. It is Professor T.J. Cheng of William unfortunate that China chooses to and Mary College delivered a view Taiwan in such an out-dated characteristically interesting way - the problems of corruption paper on Offshore Democracies: are now far worse in the mainland An Ideational Challenge to China. than they are in Taiwan where His intention is to there is much less electoral understand how Taiwan is perceived corruption than previously - but the question in mainland China through examining the that Taiwan must confront is how to respond official and non-official discourses there about and work within the constraints? the island's democratic institutions and procedures. Two sections of his talk provoked EATS News Issue 3 31/1/2014 a response from a soft power and public Content diplomacy (PD) perspective. First, T.J. outlined the sibau minzhu, the Communicating Taiwan Democracy p.1 'quartet of evils' that define the official view Editorial p.4 about Taiwan's democracy. Discourses about Taiwan Fellows p.6 the 'evils' are framed by key-words that focus Institutional Profiles p.11 on the more disturbing side of Taiwan's Workshop Reports p.18 political evolution - black-gold, party-splitting Brno Student Workshop Special p.22 etc. Notice Board p.29
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Taiwan is not in a position to change the their value. Why be silent when the world is Chinese conversation, so must pay far more not listening to you anyway? For a state facing attention to its soft power capital and the Taiwan's predicament, silence means an quality of its public diplomacy strategy than absence of attention, and so the previously. The external environment frames government does not/cannot challenge the the architectures, methods, success and dominant narratives conducted in Beijing. failures of Taiwan's international Silence will not undermine a depiction of communications and determines their impact Taiwan which centres on 'the quartet of evils', on elite audiences and mass opinion. I have circulating within a tightly controlled media talked about this many times in published and education system. papers and in blogs, and this argument forms the core of the book I am now writing which T.J. is correct to commend the absence of examines the interaction of structure and hectoring and pontificating in Taiwan's agency to understand Taiwan's soft power. interactions with the PRC, but such methods of communication are neither strategic nor I felt that T.J. had inadvertently stumbled desirable as they can backfire on the source of on a set of contradictions when he claimed the message. Rather, Taiwan must strike a that 'Taiwan's democracy is like a silent movie, balance between silence - letting the story of more palatable than soundbites', and Taiwan's democracy speak for itself - and he applauded Taiwan's government for not making sure that story is heard by audiences hectoring the PRC about human rights abuses. conditioned to have a very different T.J. is right to isolate the practice of perception of reality. democracy as a particularly useful communications strategy - in Public Another speaker on the Diplomacy, actions really do speak louder Senkaku/Diayutai dispute prefaced her paper than words - and by providing a model with a reference to 'manipulation' by the Chinese democracy, Taiwan is demonstrating international media on this subject, evidence for which is provided by the fact that the media concentrate overwhelmingly on Japan and China and ignore Taiwan's claims on the islands. This sounds very similar to claims by Beijing that the international (read western) media deliberately demonise China, and that this accounts for the continuing popularity of the theory of cultural imperialism in China. As a communications scholar, I would reply that the international media know and understand China and Japan; their frames are familiar. Taiwan, however, is largely unfamiliar to (Keynote speaker T. J. Cheng, left) international media consumers who have no the fallacy of so-called Asian values: There real understanding of Taiwan or why Taiwan really is a political alternative for China. matters. The media will choose to sideline However, silence is not an option for Taiwan, Taiwan because of the competition of voices, and measured, strategic soundbites do have interests, stories and news-space, but also 2
UNDER“TANDING TAIWAN THROUGH FILM AND DOCUMENTARIE“ PROJECT CENTRE OF TAWAIN STUDIES SOAS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
The Centre of Taiwan Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London will screen a series of (The 10th EATS Conference in Lyon, 2013) Taiwanese films and documentaries in February 2014 as a part of its U dersta di g because journalists are denied the kind of Taiwan through Film and Docu e taries structured and continuous interaction with project, fu ded the Mi istr of Culture s diplomats and pres s officers that may yield Spotlight Taiwan Program. The project will coverage. My research reveals that Taiwan is host nine film screenings during each passive in its acceptance of this situation - academic year, including a mixture of feature that its public diplomats and press officers sit films, short films and documentaries. The back, see a crowded market place and believe Taiwan Film Week in February 2014 is that change is impossible. Being voiceless arranged as follows: therefore becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. 10 February 2014, 7-10pm, The Affair of Three Cities: The Game 台北京之比賽 These comments connect with my 11 February 2014, 7-10pm, The Chai-Wan discussion of T.J.'s paper and Matchup 我們 (with Q&A with director the consequences of accepting a 'silent movie' Chung Chuan) approach. Again, the international media are 12 February 2014, 7-10pm, Face to Face 正 not necessarily ignoring Taiwan; Taiwan is not 面迎擊 (with Q&A with director Chung getting the message out and its voice heard Chuan) because of the inadequacies of the public 13 February 2014, 7-10pm, Book launch diplomacy structure. Docu e ti g Tai a o Fil Issues a d Methods i Ne Docu e taries & screening of Viva Tonal: The Dance Age 跳 (This article has been published in Gary 舞時代 (hosted by Sang Ze-lan, Oregan) Raw sley’s log o pu li diplo a y: http://wwwpdic.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/sil 14 February 2014, 7-10pm, Boys from ence-is-not-always-golden.html) Fenggui 風櫃來的人 (hosted by Dr Ming- yeh Rawnsley)
Gary Rawnsley is Professor of Public For more information please consult the Diplomacy, Department of International website of the Centre of Taiwan Studies, Politics, Aberystwyth University. SOAS.
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2013 EATS annual centres were established in Editorial: conference in Lyon from the 2009. perspectives of public There was an explosion Self vs. Other diplomacy, the intellectual of Taiwan-focused or interaction has given him Taiwan-related academic Ming-Yeh T. further insight into the and cultural activities in the problems of the practice UK and Europe last year. Rawnsley and communication of The two workshop reports Tai a s de o ra . commissioned by the The evidence of the newsletter - Hard Power expansion of Taiwan Studies vs. Soft Power: Intra- as a field comes from many Regional Dynamics in East directions. We are pleased Asia i Ports outh to have two recent Taiwan (organised and reported by Fellows to share their Dr Isabelle Cheng) and experiences in this Tai a i Motio at the newsletter. Dr Colin University of Edinburgh Alexander comes from the (reported by Dr Jens discipline of international Damm) – are interesting communications and visited samples of these exciting Taiwan for the first time in developments. s the EATS Board 2013, while historian Niki Moreover, many of the are busy organising Alsford is an experienced events are not simply Athe forthcoming Taiwan researcher. They isolated one-offs. As our annual conference in both obtained Taiwan special features on Br o Portsmouth, which will take Fellowships last year and Student Workshop have place between 30 April and delight us with fascinating demonstrated, some 2 May 2014, the conference personal stories and workshops can be long- the e, “elf s. Other , is reflections. We are also term with accumulative very much in our mind. proud to present two active effects and may potentially rd Hence the 3 issue of EATS institutions of Taiwan News is designed to follow a Studies from two similar idea. The intention is continents – Asia and not to make a direct Europe. Dr Ann Heylen Please send your comparison or contrast introduces us to the about anything specific, but International Taiwan news, reports and to broaden the context of Studies Center of the articles to the EATS Taiwan Studies by National Taiwan Normal News editor at: incorporating multiple University (NTNU), and viewpoints. As Professor Dr “aša Iste ič rites o Gar ‘a sle s arti le has the Taiwan Research mytrawnsley@gmail. illustrated, when he Center of the University com engages the keynote of Ljubljana, Slovenia. speeches delivered at the Coincidentally both 4
cultivate future generations of the newsletter when you period of one month. of students and scholars in have news to share with Successful applicants will be the field. Dr Tá a Dluhošo á EATS News (mytrawnsley@ granted a living stipend of organised the first graduate gmail.com). We look 900 EURO (including workshop on Taiwan forward to hearing from accommodation) and Studies in Masaryk you and to announcing insurance provided by the University in 2010, which more good news and ERCCT, and a free round trip attracted 20 students. innovative initiatives with air ticket (economy class). When she organised the the Taiwan Studies During their stay in second workshop in Brno in communities. Tuebingen, Visiting Fellows summer 2013, it welcomed will be officially affiliated to 37 participants. Dr Dr Ming-Yeh T. Rawnsley is the ERCCT and be provided Dluhošo á then selected Secretary-General of EATS with office space. Working five undergraduate and Board and Editor of EATS languages at the ERCCT are postgraduate students to News. She is also Research English and Mandarin visit Taiwan in December Associate, Centre of Taiwan Chinese. 2013, which became a Studies, SOAS, University Interested applicants student workshop on of London and Associate should submit an academic Topics in Taiwanisation , Fellow, China Policy CV, an exposé of their PhD hosted by the International Institute, University of or postdoc research project Taiwan Studies Center of Nottingham. of no longer than 10 pages, NTNU. The contributions by and a letter of Dr Dluhošo á, Dr Ann recommendation by a Heylen and Miss Denisa professor of the partner Hilbertova help us form a institution where they are more rounded impression enrolled. All application about the history, ERCCT VISITING materials should be sent in arrangement and impact of FELLOWS electronic form to Dr Stefan the Br o “tude t Fleischauer at Workshop fro the PROGRAMME [email protected] different positions of i-tuebingen.de organisers and participants. The European Research Application deadline Once again, the Notice Center on Contemporary for the summer semester Board of the newsletter Taiwan (ERCCT) at the 2014 (April 7th to July 19th) serves as a platform to University of Tuebingen, is February 15th, 2014, and announce new publications, Germany, runs a Visiting for the winter semester the recent movement of Fellows Programme in 2014/2015 (Oct. 13th, 2014 EATS members, as well as cooperation with its - Feb. 14th, 2015) is June activities of Taiwan Studies Taiwanese partner 15th, 2014. institutions around the institutions. Two Taiwanese For more information world. We hope all EATS PhD or Postdoc students on the ERCCT please refer members will remember to are invited each semester to our website at drop an email to the editor to join the ERCCT for a www.ercct.uni-uebingen.de
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My Experience as a Taiwan Fellow Colin Alexander
Be Golli gs the hirp o a said as I e tered the - 11 in Shida Night Market. Or at least that s hat I thought she said. Ben Gollings is a recently retired English rugby player. Does she think I looked like him? I guess my dark bearded complexion could be construed as similar. Perhaps Gollings was famous in Taiwan, maybe he released a pop video some ears a k that passed e ut had ee ig i Asia ? Bee oo, ee oo , the doors ope ed again and this ti e a a of Ha Chi ese o ple io e tered. O e agai I heard the r of, Be Golli gs . Jesus , I thought i jetlagged daze, Golli gs as so fa ous the greet people ith his a e. I chuckled to myself, paid for some sushi, a big bottle of water and a chocolate bar and left the shop. That first night I wandered the streets of Taipei taking it all in. I had arrived at 6pm after departi g the UK so e hours earlier a d did t a t to go to sleep just et for fear that I ould wake up at 2am and be in a whole world of bother the rest of that day. Needless to say, that still happened. After breakfast in my cheap, windowless, Taipei hotel I headed back to my room to get my bag full of documents. I had to register at the Center for Chinese Studies (CCS) at the National Central Library that morning. As I approached the elevator in the foyer an elderly man was already waiting at the doors. The elevator arrived, and moments after the airtight doors had closed he let out a large, post-breakfast burp to which I, as any Western man would, giggled like a school boy. The elderly ge tle a just looked at e e used as though I had started laughi g for o reaso . I thi k I goi g to like this pla e , as thought as I held reath u til the elevator doors opened again. Those were my first few hours in Taiwan, and I subsequently found out that the greeting said by shop assista ts is hua yi g gua gli g’, so not really similar to Be Golli gs at all, ut the perso al joke sta ed with me throughout my time there. I arrived in February 2013 after being selected for a Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Research Fellowship, applied for via the Taipei Representative Office in London. The stipend was for six months. However, I stayed for just five and half months due to other commitments. The research topic of my successful application as Tai a Pu li Diplo a to ards its For al 6
Diplo ati Allies i the Cari ea and I was affiliated with the International Taiwan Studies Center (ITSC) at National Taiwan Normal University. M ti e as spe t readi g a lot a out Tai a s political communications, with the aim of re-testing some the theories and conclusions that I had developed in my PhD thesis. I also conducted various interviews with high profile government and military figures with responsibility for communications. Academically speaking, I consider the time I spent in Taiwan to be academically worthwhile, stimulating and successful overall. However, at times I struggled to gain access to some government institutions, the KMT being the most prolific of these. I put this occasional stonewalling down to a number of factors that those thinking of conducting similar research should take note of. Firstly, Taiwan remains in the process of democratisation, and so commitments to transparency are varied from organisation to organisation and department to department within government. The second reason is that Taiwan, while technologically advanced, continues many of its traditional business practices around patronage. As such, a Western academic without much in the way of reputation will struggle to access some organisations and/or prominent individuals. The best way to get round this is to network widely and to find a local person with some kudos to sponsor you in or make introductions on your behalf. The added problem is that your interviewee is unlikely to tell you anything other than the standard answer at first interview, so if they suggest a second more informal meeting over dinner or drinks then jump at the chance. Be prepared to put in some serious man hours to getting an audience with those you desire. The CCS is helpful when, or if, help is required. I did not really require their assistance during my stay in Taiwan though. However, I am sure that had need arisen then Peter Chang and his team would have been most willing to advise on a resolution. I found my living accommodation myself with the assistance of an English-speaking agent. The accommodation I found really suited my needs and budget and I have no real complaints about the processes that occurred, although other people did tell of nightmare scenarios. There are good and bad landlords in all countries though. Finally, I must add a point about loneliness. I was fortunate that my wife was able to take a sabbatical from work and come out to Taiwan. She arrived after I had been there for seven weeks, stayed for four weeks and then travelled South East Asia with a friend for three weeks, before returning to Taiwan for a further three weeks. This option is not available to many people though. To combat loneliness I joined a local [very] amateur football team called the On Tap Badgers that was made up mainly of ex-pats. Sunday morning fixtures followed by pub lunch and a few beers were always something to look forward to. What is more, most of the people playing in team were in a similar situation to myself; working abroad with family and friends back at home. The welcome I received and the immediate integration that they provided is something that I will look back on with real fondness. Taiwan is a wonderful country. It is safe, clean and orderly. Part of our job as Taiwan Studies scholars is to inadvertently promote Taiwan as an intellectual concept. However, I cannot help but think that I quite like it being the exclusive club that it is.
Dr Colin Alexander is Lecturer in Communications Studies, Nottingham Trent University, UK. 7
An Island of Fellowship, Adventures and a Cave with Barbarian Words Niki Alsford
n 2013, I found myself the lucky recipient of the Taiwan Fellowship, a grant awarded by the IMinistry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to scholars engaged in research related to Taiwan, cross-strait relations, China, and Chinese studies.1 I was pleasantly surprised as scholarship awards and academic positions for the study of Taiwan have tended to favour the social sciences. This of course, to a certain degree, makes perfect sense considering the attention that contemporary Taiwan studies has made on disciplines within social science faculties throughout the world. As a scholar who is engaged in the humanities (history, in my particular case), there is often not much meat left on the carcass of international research funding — although perhaps one is now witnessing a change in tides. So you can imagine my delight to be informed that I was able to take some leave and return to an island that I once called home, but would now call fieldwork.
On a cold, damp spring morning in April I began to pack, readying to leave my London home to embark upon my fellowship. Fellowship, I think, is an interesting word, a better alternative perhaps to drier words such as grant or scholarship. It is a word that continues to remind me of something out of The Lord of the Rings. Whe J.‘.‘. Tolkie rote a out fello ship, he said: It's the jo that's e er started as takes lo gest to fi ish. A ertain degree of truth to that, no doubt, but yet Tolkien also rote: It's a da gerous usi ess, Frodo, goi g out our door. You step o to the road, a d if ou do 't keep our feet, there's o k o i g here ou ight e s ept off to. This parti ular quote thrills me, and if one looks up the word fellowship in any respected dictionary, the feedback often draws to a condition of sharing similar interests, ideals, or experiences, as well as a financial grant made to a fellow in a college or university. I would like, therefore, to take this more to mean the former and write about an experience that was shared during my fellowship period.
Those who know my research will know that I have tended to focus on one particular fellow who sojourned in Taiwan in the late nineteenth century. In an article titled Keelung and the Neighbourhood, Joh Dodd rote a out a a e, the entrance [of which] is narrow and the apartment very small; it will only contain, two or three persons, and is not more than seven feet or so high . Situated within are a few names cut in the walls eari g rather a ie t dates .2 The cave,
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k o to Dodd as The Dut h Ca e , has o er the ourse of Tai a s histor ee isited a number of people of different nationalities. The earliest graffiti inscriptions date to the Dutch period, and in the early-modern and modern periods of its history the cave was visited by the French author Camille Imbault-Huart, and the Japanese anthropologist Ino Kanori who ventured there in 1902. Today it is referred to as fanzidong, politel tra slated as Ca e of Foreig Words .
The cave, situated on Heping Island Park (Hepingdao binhai gongyuan) can be accessed via a man- made opening in spite of what seems to be an old Cold War remnant with the inscription junshi zhongdi qingqu shanru (roughl tra slated as ilitar poi t, please do ot e ter ithout per issio .
So a few days after Typhoon Trami deposited her substantial rainfall in August 2013, I embarked on my adventure with a fellow companion — though a comparison with Frodo and Sam should not be made. The cave provided all that it should: It gave a couple of aging men a sense of boyhood ad e ture. Joh Dodd des ri ed the area he he e t as the sort of pla e where one would expect to meet Sinbad the Sailor out for a stroll .3 For us of a much more recent generation, it is a place that one might find in an Indiana Jones film (note to Hollywood studios — suggestion for a new film: Indiana Jones and the Cave of Barbarian Words). With our torches we began frisking the walls, removing cobwebs and prehistoric insect-like creatures in search of names. The cave, as John Dodd rightfully describes, can fit about two to three people (in our case it just managed the two of us — well we both are still carrying a little Christmas holiday weight in spite of it being the middle of the summer!). Situated along the wall were piles of spirit money (probably due it being ghost month), and in one crevice we encountered two mysterious clay jars covered in the exoskeletal remains of those prehistoric insect-like creatures that I briefly mentioned earlier. What was more, my pipe- smoking, Captain Haddock look-a-like o pa io stu led upo a authe ti , though so e hat plastic, Buddhist icon (to which the tomb-robbing so-and-so claims ownership over and pocketed) — Is he ursed, like i a Ho ard Carter a d the urse of Ki g Tut sort of a ? Well he did lai to ha e a summer cold a few days later, so you never can tell. In a separate crevice, the beam of my torch caught a small reflection of something sticking out of the muddy floor. I did the usual tap with the foot (to avoid the effort of bending over of course!) only to find it was firmly stuck in the ground, so with the back of my foot I began to dig around it. As the suspension heightened I knelt down, and in a manner that I can only describe as being similar to a dog digging up a bone, I pulled out a glass bottle. What was this magical item? Was it from an ancient Chinese apothecary? Or could it have been a receptacle for the carrying of Holy Water used by the Spanish Dominicans who may have once 9
held a secret mass in the cave? Upon much closer inspection, three Chinese characters — ai zhi wei — began to appear. Alas it turned out to be nothing more than sauce for dumplings! A product perhaps of the recent typhoon.
The typhoon though, and the spirit money indicating that it was ghost month, meant we pretty much had the area to ourselves. Knowing that this was the very cave that was written about by the men whom I have spent a considerable amount of time researching, I was nevertheless in my element. I knew John Dodd had visited the cave circa 1875, so I was keen to catch a glimpse of that date with the beam of my light. About an hour or so into our mysterious cave art exploration, and discussing all things historical, we came across the date: 1875, with the initials: J.D. Now, it is i possi le to k o for sure, ut a part of e k o s that i spite of Joh Dodd s ar i g that: it is not certain whether [the] Dutch sounding names have not been e gra ed so e aggish Arr of the present century ,4 he himself had decided that the situation called for a personal inscription, and I had, nearly 140 years later, stumbled onto that very engraving. As you can imagine, we left much fulfilled.
As my fellowship draws to a close, I find myself wondering if perhaps Tolkien was right, and that the jo that's e er started takes lo gest to fi ish, ut surel this does t atter. I for o e e jo ed adventures, and the Taiwan Fellowship to me goes beyond the status of being awarded a grant, and is more of a companionship of individuals that share similar interests in a congenial atmosphere.
Notes:
1. Taiwan Fellowship, Introduction (http://taiwanfellowship.ncl.edu.tw/eng/about.aspx, accessed 23 September 2013). 2. Alsford, Niki J.P. The Witnessed Account of British Resident John Dodd at Tamsui.(Taipei: SMC Publishing Inc., 2010), 263. 3. Ibid, 262. 4. Ibid, 263.
Niki Alsford is Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of History at the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London.
TAIWAN FELLOWSHIPS
The Taiwan Fellowship is established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to award foreign experts and scholars interested in researches related to Taiwan, cross-strait relations, mainland China, Asia-Pacific region and Chinese studies to conduct advanced research at universities or academic institutions in Taiwan. For further details please seehttp://taiwanfellowship.ncl.edu.tw/eng/index.aspx
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Institutional Profile (I): International Taiwan Studies Center, National Taiwan Normal University
Ann Heylen
he International Taiwan we have seen some Studies Center (ITSC) changes taking place that T was established in relate to the December 2009 as one of the internationalization of initiatives taken by the College Taiwan Studies from of Liberal Arts at National within Taiwan society - Taiwan Normal University academically and (NTNU) to promote the politically speaking. internationalization of Taiwan Within the structure of Studies within the university. I the university system, as appoi ted the Ce ter s the Center is an first acting director, not long independent body and after I started working at dependent on external NTNU as associate professor at funding. The staffing of the Graduate Institute of Taiwan Culture, the center consists of the director and a Languages and Literature in 2008. The deputy director Yin C. Chuang with our office activities of the Center, as the located in the Department. name suggest, mainly focus Activities are on internationalization, either extracurricular to the in attracting international teaching and research scholars to Taiwan or duties of the Department, providing opportunities for but there exists room for our students to gain an integration within the international experience curriculum. We strive to abroad. In its initial stage the create a pattern with the Center was in charge of the academic activities that can new journal publication set a tradition. Monumenta Taiwanica ( 灣 What we have 學誌) (2009-2012) edited by achieved in this respect is the Graduate Institute. the collaboration with Over the past five years, George Mason University
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(GMU); the Center acts as host for the Fellowship. During their stay the Center can recipients of the Taiwan Studies Program provide office space and assist with academic selected by the Center for Asia-Pacific support. Under this scheme, we have Economic Cooperation at GMU. This welcomed Táňa Dluhošo á fro collaboration was set up in 2011, when the Charles University, Prague to do the final first group of four undergraduate students research to complete her doctoral visited NTNU for a period of two weeks. dissertation dealing with the literary field and Usually the visit is for two weeks and takes Taiwan literature in the early post-war period. place in May or December. The students are In 2013, the Center hosted Dr Colin Alexander, selected based on their research proposal University of Leeds with a postdoctoral related to a Taiwan topic, which can range proje t Tai a s Pu li Diplo a to ards its from history, social work, popular culture, Formal Diplomatic Allies in the Caribbean religion and economics. Students arrange Islands and also archeologist Dr Maria Cruz their own schedule, but can rely on the Center Berrocal working on the archaeology of early for additional information and support. The colonialism: Europe in Taiwan in the 17th rationale behind this exchange is to make the Century. Both researchers regularly took part students at an in academic early stage in exchanges with their higher the education depart e t s interested in students Tai a s through culture and lectures and society. To participation in date some of the 2013 NTNU the students Summer School. have The 2014 integrated recipients are their Taiwan two doctoral experience in students, their master Poppy Toland, thesis or applied for scholarships to take Bangor University, Wales with the project Chinese language classes. We feel this That Summer, the Calmest Sea 那年的夏 collaboration is one of the productive 天，最寧靜的海 Translating the work of investments and applications of Ministry of Hao Yuxiang within its context Fe ruar – Education (MOE) support for Taiwan Studies May 2014) and Ms Philippa Riley, University of abroad. Mel our e ith the proje t “pa e of the Another venture of a similar kind that the nation, soft power and cultural policy in Center fulfils as service to the International contemporary Taiwan: a case study of Taipei Taiwan Studies community regards the “tatio as the atio al gate a Mar h - Taiwan Fellowship program initiated by the May, September – October 2014). We expect Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). to continue this trend; it not only offers Since 2011, the Center has been host to a visibility to Taiwan Studies internationally but number of researcher recipients of the Taiwan also creates opportunities for future 12
exchanges and collaboration with researchers years have been Professor Masashi Ichiki, in Taiwan. (Chikushi Jogakuen University, Fukuoka, The Center also benefits from the March 2011), Prof. Jeroen De Kloet (University research projects programs initiated by the of Amsterdam & Director of the Amsterdam Ministry of Education to promote Taiwan Centre for Globalisation Studies, October Studies at foreign universities, either through 2012), Prof. Kim Ik Ki (Dongguk University, short research stays, international conference Seoul, Ja uar . I April, e ll e organization or workshops. To this end, the welcoming the two week stay of Dr Sang Yeon Center hosted Professor Mark Harrison, Loise Sung (University of Vienna). The University of Tasmania (UTAS) and Dr Haiqing highlight so far has been the 2011, 1-4 Yu, University of New South Wales (UNSW), September inaugural East Asian Popular Australia, ith a proje t Taipei as a Glo al Culture Association Conference (EAPCA). This City: Place-making between the screen and conference was organized by East Asian the e er da fro O to er to Fe ruar Popular Culture Association (EAPCA), the 2010. In November 2010, the Center Center, and the Department of Taiwan organized in collaboration with the Taiwan Culture, Languages and Literature, NTNU. At Research Unit at Ruhr University Bochum an the meeting, scholars from eighteen nations i ter atio al s posiu Tai a literature delivered almost one hundred papers. The off the mainstream: Between languages, cooperation between the three organizations eth i ities a d edias. Both proje ts ere brought in very lively and thoughtful sponsored by the MOE The Talent Cultivation discussions of the issues that participants Project of Taiwanese Literature, History and developed. Keynote speeches were delivered Art in Globalization (January 2007- December by the famous Professor Inuhiko Yomota 2010). (Meiji Gakuin University), Dr Toni Wood – The research directions of the Center Johnson (University of Queensland) and focus on popular culture, Taiwan history and Professor John Bratzel (University of Michigan heritage, missionary linguistics, Taiwanese & 2011 President of the American Popular literature. We try to see that the invited Culture Association (PCA)). scholars and applications for our students to Following the inaugural conference of go abroad fit these research directions. For the East Asian Popular Culture Association, instance, we are quite active in the field of the timely topic of popular culture has been popular culture, and this also thanks to my added as o e of the Ce ter s resear h lusters. olleague Dr Yi C Chua g s e pertise a d Needless to say, the above mentioned extensive network. Invited researchers in the research stays prove beneficial to the courses field of popular culture to have spent short within the department that focus on popular research stays at the Center over the past ulture. I refer to Tai a Popular Culture
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(http://twpopculture.blogspot.com) and Tai a Popular Musi (http://popsong991.blogspot.com t o courses taught by Dr Yin C. Chuang and which are to lead students to read relevant materials of and discuss the issue of identity experienced in Taiwan popular culture. Both courses look into this issue through historical perspectives as well as the ways in which Taiwaneseness has been re-resented through different cultural forms, including popular music, cinema, popular Literature, betel-nut beauties, electronic-fancy-float girls, shopping and queuing, wedding and portrait photography, adult films, comics and trendy and consumed locally and abroad. The notion Dramas, night markets, food culture and of history and memory is key in this process, political consumerism in Taiwan. Within this and as such, the East Asian Journal of Popular scope, the Center also welcomed the Culture (EAJPC) encourages imaginative sabbatical visit by Dr Yoshihisa Amae from perspectives and critical interpretations of Chang-jung Christian University for the popular culture as a medium to convey autumn semester 2013 with a project on memory. The journal strongly encourages Hatta Yoichi and George MacKay: Colonial articles that explore the way popular culture Modernity, Memories, and Cultural has been utilized to convey meaning to past Production. events, how the global flow of popular culture A significant development is the changes the way people recognize their own establishment of the East Asian Journal of history and how popular culture affects the Popular Culture (EAJPC), published by Intellect socio-cultural map of East Asia. The inaugural Publishers in United Kingdom. Editors-in-chief issue is scheduled for spring 2014 with a are Kate Taylor-Jones (Bangor University, selection of 7 articles, field reports and book Wales), Ann Heylen (NTNU) and John Berra reviews on a representative range of topics in (Tsinghua University, Beijing), with Yin C. East Asian popular culture Chuang (NTNU), Ming-Yeh Rawnsley (SOAS, ( http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals/). University of London) and Yan Ying (Bangor The domain of linguistics makes up University, Wales) as associate editors. The another focus of the research directions. To Chinese-language research community is date, the emphasis has been on encouraging expanding rapidly, including the growing doctoral students to spend short research Chinese communities to nations in Southeast stays and internships abroad, such as Leiden Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the University in the Netherlands, Universiti Sains Philippines) and elsewhere. These Malaysia (USM) in Penang, Malaysia, Nanyang communities have been inserting new cultural Technological University (NTU), Singapore, & linguistic elements that, over time, merge and Grace Christian College, Quezon, the with the local popular traditions, hence Philippines. Making use of available creating new ways in which these cultural internships opportunities, the Center has phenomena are being circulated, reproduced been successful in receiving MOE funding for 14
doctoral fieldwork on comparative research started in the autumn semester of 2013 with between Minnan in Taiwan, and among the talks by Dr. Astrid Lipinsky (University of ethnic Chinese communities in Singapore, Vie a, O to er Ci il Mo e e ts i Malaysia and the Philippines (2010, 2011, and Taiwan: The E a ple of the Wo e s 2012). Mo e e t ; Dr Hardi a Ohle dorf, From October – December 2012, the U i ersit of Lo do , O to er The Center organized the Experimental Taiwanese Taiwan Dilemma in Chinese Nationalism – Language Course, which provided Mr Yoann Tai a “tudies i the People s ‘epu li of Goudin, ph.d. candidate at Institute National Chi a P‘C ; Dr Corrado Neri University Jean des Langues et Civilisations Orientales Mouli , L o , No e er Tsai Mi g- (INALCO, Paris) to gather pedagogical data to Liang: From Cinema of Ghosts to the Ghost of complete his dissertation in Didactics on Ci e a ; Dr Maria Cruz Berro al U i ersit of theories of language variation in Chinese Konstanz, 1 No e er A Ar heologi al dialectology. Perspective on Spanish Early Colonialism in The most recent projects are the the Pa ifi a d Dr. Táňa Dluhošo á Masar k Graduate student workshop series. The first University & Oriental Institute Prague, 5 workshop was organized in 2010 at Masaryk De e er Earl Post-war Literature in University in Brno, Czech Republic with the Tai a . the e Historical Legacies of Taiwan Culture: On a concluding note, the Center A Ci e ati Approa h -12 September 2010) welcomes donations to fund new research http://www.phil.muni.cz/relig/archiv/pozvank projects and to advance its research agenda. y/pozvanka002a-historical-legacies-of-taiwan- We encourage research institutions, nonprofit culture.pdf organizations and individuals to become The second workshop took place in 2013, i ol ed i the Ce ter s future. Do ors ould 26-31 August (see the reports by Táňa contribute to our vital activities: Dluhošo á and Denisa Hilbertova in this newsletter). In order to provide full benefits • Fello ships open to international to the students, we were successful in scholars applying for a funding scheme that allowed • Fello ships ope to graduate stude t Masaryk students to come to Taiwan for two research and learning weeks in December to partake in the follow • “upport for isiti g s holars up stude t orkshop ith the the e Topi s • Ne progra de elop e t in Tawan bentuhua. The t o orkshops are • I terdis ipli ar resear h proje ts part of a larger MOE sponsored project promoting Taiwan Studies abroad combined For further information about the ITSC, please with interactive learning through an e- check the website of the Center: learning pilot project making use of the edited http://www.ntnu.edu.tw/itsc/ volume Becoming Taiwan: from colonialism to democracy (Heylen and Sommers, Studia Formosiana, Harrassowitz Verlag 2010). (See Dr Ann Heylen is Associate Professor in the the report on the December workshop in this Department of Taiwan Culture, Languages issue.) and Literature and the Director of the Planned activities for the future will International Taiwan Studies Center, continue in the form of lecture series, as National Taiwan Normal University. 15
Institutional Profile (II): Taiwan Research Center in Slovenia
Saša Istenič
he story of the Research day in August 2009. Ever Center in Slovenia is since, the Center has T very recent and is one endeavoured to enhance that is inextricably linked with cultural and academic the National Sun-Yat-sen exchange and promote University in Kaohsiung, where the knowledge about I studied for my PhD. Upon Taiwan in Slovenia, as finishing my studies, I well as other former pondered on the ways and Yugoslav republics, means to utilize my knowledge especially neighbouring back home. Lacking a proper Croatia. Taiwanese representative The Center, which office in Slovenia, the establishment of a has played a vital role in the development of research centre seemed a brilliant idea. academic courses and activities related to However, without the encouragement of my Taiwan has enabled the students to enhance mentor and the then president of the Taiwan their interest in the study of Taiwan. This is Foundation for Democracy (TFD), Professor continually being developed and as a result of Wen-cheng Lin 林文程, this idea would have this development, bilateral academic and never come to fruition. Coupled with the cultural exchange is further strengthened. The support from my alma mater, the University elective courses on Taiwan are well received of Ljubljana, and its Department of Asian and among students as evident in the high African Studies, the Center saw the light of numbers of enrolment. Accordingly, by arousi g the stude ts uriosit a d i terest i Taiwan, the number of Taiwan-related research topics has increased and awareness of Taiwan has improved. In addition to delivering lectures and assisting in nurturing cooperation agreements and academic exchanges between Slovenian and Taiwanese U i ersities, the Ce ter s a ti ities ha e so far included: co-organizing various international symposiums and workshops on Taiwan, including hosting the 2011 EATS conference, 16
holding Taiwan-related cultural activities need visas for visiting Taiwan and this will throughout Slovenia including Taiwanese film certainly enhance people-to-people festivals, Taiwan-themed photo and painting exchanges. Hopefully, the economic, cultural, exhibitions, radio broadcasts on Taiwanese and academic exchanges will likewise receive literature, promoting publications on Taiwan an additional boost and further advance in the departmental journal, gazette and relations with Taiwan. By organizing Taiwan- other Slovene media, and other activities. related activities and academic lectures, the Center will continue to endeavour to enhance Tai a s isi ilit i this part of the orld a d promote exchanges at various levels. Unfortunately, due to financial limitations, the Center lacks an institutionalized profile and does not offer any facilities. However, with its cyber platform www.tajvan.si and as a regional contact point of the Taiwan Academy, it strives to provide the most relevant information on the past and current events and lectures on Taiwan in Slovenia and its vicinity. (Workshop on Taiwan Culture)
Dr “aša Iste ič is Associate Professor of Just recently, two noteworthy Sinology and President of the Taiwan conferences that connected Taiwanese and Research Center at the Department of Asian East European scholars and politicians took and African Studies of the University of place in both the Slovenian and Croatian Ljubljana, Slovenia. capitals: (1) A conference on the development of democracy in Ljubljana and (2) the first ever conference with a specific focus on ND Taiwan at the Faculty of Political Sciences in THE 2 WORLD CONGRESS OF Zagreb. With Croatia recently joining the TAIWAN STUDIES European Union, this has consequently JUNE 2015, LONDON provided many new avenues for strengthening cooperation and exchange with The 2nd World Congress of Taiwan Studies, co- Taiwan in a number of areas. Tourism hosted by Academia Sinica and SOAS, will take exchange for example, has witnessed a drastic place in London in June 2015. Further increase. Ever since the Taiwanese passport information will be available at a later date. holders were allowed to enter – initially The World Congress of Taiwan Studies is the Slovenia and Croatia in 2011, and afterwards largest academic gathering within Taiwan most other former Yugoslav states – without a Studies. The inaugural conference took place visa for a stay up to 90 days tour agencies in April 2012 in Academia Sinica, Taiwan. The were swift in attracting numerous Taiwanese 2nd World Congress aims to offer a survey of visitors to this previously perilous, post- the field. Yugoslav war zone. Since September 2012, Slovenian and Croatian tourists also no longer
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Workshop Report (I): Hard Power vs. Soft Power: Intra-Regional Dynamics in East Asia University of Portsmouth 6 November 2013
Isabelle Cheng
he orkshop, Hard concept for diplomats of Power vs. Soft Power: small powers like Taiwan T Intra-Regional for diplomatic negotiation. Dynamics in East Asia , Dr. Shen laid out four started with an opening illustrative cases in which speech delivered by Dr Taiwanese diplomats Lyushun Shen, the de facto utilised smart power and Ambassador of Taiwan, succeeded in the followed by a roundtable negotiation of difficult discussion attended by four issues, including the speakers from universities granting of observer status renowned for their East Asian at the World Health Studies programmes. The Organisation to Taiwan. four invited speakers for the roundtable were After the opening speech, the event Mr Edward Griffith (University of Leeds), Dr proceeded to the discussion of how East Asian Winnie King (University of Bristol), Dr Chun-yi states exercised in combination their hard Lee (University of Nottingham) and Dr Ming- power and soft power in foreign policy, Yeh Rawnsley (SOAS, University of London). political economy and export of cultural Elaborating on the theme of the roundtable, industry. Mr Griffith gave a talk on the they addressed the territorial dispute of Diaoyutai/Senkaku dispute between China Diaoyutai/Senkaku islands between China and and Japan. Applying a structuration approach, Japan, the informal institutionalisation of Mr Griffith argued that China seemed to have economic interaction between Taiwan and successfully shifted the normative structure of China, the potential consequence of China s the issue and changed the international investment in Taiwan, and the popularity of perspective of the dispute, although this may Korean TV soap operas in Taiwan. have been achieved at the cost of its newly Challenging the dichotomy of hard power acquired image of greater inclination to resort and soft power, Dr Shen argued that s art to soft power. Focusing on the intensive po er , coined by the former US Secretary of economic links across the Taiwan Strait, Dr State Hillary Clinton, was a more useful King argued that an informal 18
institutionalisation has been formed between Taiwan and China after nearly three decades of steady increase of Taiwanese investment in China. Following the political economic implications of such institutionalisation elaborated by Dr King, Dr Lee led the audience to consider the interaction in an opposite direction – China s investment in Taiwan – and suggested this may present an opportunity as well as risk for Taiwan s economy. Dr Rawnsley s presentation on the interest amongst students and staff in Taiwan recent Korean wave in Taiwan offered the Studies at the university. necessary look at the exercise of soft power in the form of TV soap operas. Using Dae Jang Dr Isabelle Cheng is Lecturer in East Asian Geum as a case study, she argued that one of Studies, School of Languages and Area the reasons for the popularity of Korean soap Studies, the University of Portsmouth. operas was the shared cultural values such as interpersonal harmony, filial piety, morals and hierarchy. During the Q&A session, the issues of China s strategy in the Diaoyutai dispute, “T ANTONY’“ COLLEGE Taiwan s investment in China (particularly ASIAN STUDIES CENTRE Foxconn s search of cheap labour) and the comparison of Korean soap operas and pop TAIWAN STUDIES PROGRAMME music was raised and debated between the SEMINAR SERIES audience and the speakers. FEBRUARY-MARCH 2014 Attended by an audience of nearly 50 people, the event was well received by “t A to s College, U iersit of O ford, ru s students and academic staff of the University a regular seminar series under its Taiwan of Portsmouth from the School of Languages Studies Programme. Seminars will be held and Area Studies, School of Social Science, from 5:00 to 6:30pm. Humanity and Literature Studies, and Business 28 February 2014, Dr Richard C. Bush III School. Academic Staff positively commented (Brookings Institution), on the content of all presentations and found The Most them useful for developing new research “e siti e Issue: The U“, Chi a a d topics as well as cultivating opportunities for Tai a 3 March 2014, Dr Ming-chin Monique future collaboration. Students found the talks Chu ( inspiring and informative for their “t A to s, O ford , Book Lau h: dissertations. The East Asia Co puter Chip War 14 March 2014, Professor Yun-han Chu Following this successful event, the University of Portsmouth will host the Annual A ade ia “i i a , Ho East Asia s
Conference of the European Association of U dersta d De o ra th nd For more information, please contact Taiwan Studies on 30 April – 2 May 2014. th convenor Dr Ming-chin Monique Chu at Themed on Taiwan: Self vs. Other , the 11 EATS Conference will address the growing [email protected] 19
Workshop Report (II): Taiwan in Motion University of Edinburgh 29 November 2013
Jens Damm
workshop that was Yin-chuan Tsai 蔡銀娟 is part of a larger event a Taiwanese director and Ashowing various films scriptwriter working in films from Taiwan was organized and TV, as well as an acclaimed by Dr Chia-Ling Yang from painter and book illustrator. the Department of Art She presented her own story, History, University of describing how she came to be Edinburgh. This workshop a director. Her movies, which featured various directors also won prestigious prizes, are who introduced their work highly appreciated by and showed examples drawn audiences. from their films, which were During the break, a mostly documentary movies. In this way, the piano recital was performed by Yu-hsiang workshop offered a platform for a discussion Huang 黃裕翔, a blind pianist who also played on the current state of Taiwanese cinema, the lead in the semi-documentary film, Touch cinematography and screen cultures. of the Light, by Jung-chi Chang 張榮吉. The first session was opened by Ko- Director Chang talked about the problems shang Shen 沈 尚 “elf-Exploration through Fil : M Creati e Ve ture. He sho ed parts of The Pigeon Game, a documentary commissioned by the National Geographic Channel, which was aired in more than 160 countries worldwide and won the Best Documentary Director of Golden Bell Award, Tai a s E A ard. His feature documentary, Baseball Boys, was released in 2009 and although it won the Grand Prize in the Taiwan International Documentary Festival, it clearly demonstrated that there is a general lack of audience interest in art movies, (from left: Yin-chuan Tsai, Ko-shang Shen, Jung-chi Chang) both in Taiwan and abroad.
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that he had encountered in directing this Society and Governance in Republican China movie, and also about the difficulties that he Series: Berliner China-Hefte - Chinese History had experienced with the producers. Jung-chi and Society, No. 43, ISBN 978-3-643-90471-3, Chang won the Best Documentary Award at pp. 134-35.) the Golden Horse Awards for My Football Summer and, in 2008, The End of the Tunnel, his graduation film won the Best Short Film Award at the Taipei Film Festival; he explained the importance of the events in everyday life which provide inspiration for his movies. The directors were followed by Dr Ming-Yeh T. Rawnsley (SOAS, University of London) who presented a more theoretical paper on "Culture, Democratization and Taiwan Cinema" with a particular focus on cultural democratization processes in Taiwan after the lifting of Martial Law in 1987. She argued that the contemporary Taiwanese film (The Organiser Dr Chia-Ling Yang, 2nd from industry has been profoundly influenced and left, was interviewed on 29 November 2013 shaped by Taiwan New Cinema of the 1980s by Dr Ming-yeh Rawnsley, right. The podcast in terms of film education, film aesthetics and of the interview can be accessed via this link.) film economy. Finally, a round-table chaired by Professor Julian Ward, University of Dr Jens Damm is Associate Professor at the Edinburgh ended this fascinating workshop Graduate Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chang with a discussion on the differences in Jung Christian University, Taiwan. commercial productions and art productions in Taiwan. The three Chinese language markets were contrasted and a comparison was drawn between the specific productions ERCCT TAIWAN SPOTLIGHT emerging from Mainland China, Hong Kong Tuebingen, 7-15 July 2014 and Taiwan. The European Research Center on Contemporary Taiwan at the University of Tuebingen will organize a week of cultural activities in Tuebingen from July 7-15, 2014. This Tai a “potlight eek ill feature a ide arra of le tures o Tai a s literature and culture, and several Taiwanese authors have been invited to read from their works. We will also have various concerts and dance performances of Taiwanese artists. Further, a (This article has been published in: Mechthild selection of recent Taiwanese movies will be Leutner, Izabella Goikhman Eds. State, sho i o e of Tue i ge s ajor i emas.
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Brno Student Workshop Special
colleagues from the European Association of Taiwan Studies (EATS), who literally turned into my supervisors and became the most challenging critics of my work. Therefore I felt that there is a niche and a need for organsing an intensive workshop that would supplement current study programmes in the Central and Eastern Europe, which are primarily oriented towards Mainland China.
Looking Back In 2010, Masaryk University organised a first graduate workshop on Taiwan studies in Tána Dluhošová cooperation with the Chiang Ching-kuo International Sinological Center at Charles (organiser) University in Prague and other partners. After advertising the workshop in neighbouring ummer School on Taiwan Studies at countries, we received applications mainly Masaryk University, Brno, Czech from undergraduate students. At that time, S ‘epu li : Tai a : Past a d Prese t , we were able to welcome about 20 students 26–31 August 2013. from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, and Romania. Our main intention Why We Had the Workshop? was to introduce to the students as many In the summer or 2013, we organised the aspects of Taiwanese culture as possible, so second workshop on Taiwan studies at they could pursue them further in the future Masaryk University. My reasons for doing so according to their own interests. We invited were down to my own previous experience. A eight teachers to give lectures on film, few years ago, when I was a graduate student popular culture, religion, history, and in sinology at Charles University and language. developed my interest in Taiwan literature, there were no Taiwan-related courses Participants available. I was left to my own devices, To remedy these shortcomings, I decided on a though I thankfully enjoyed the support of my slightly different strategy for the workshop in teachers in seeking guidance and advice 2013. As before, I focused on students from outside the Czech Republic. In many ways, I Central and Eastern Europe as our main was extremely lucky to get in contact with the participants because they rarely have the 22
opportunity to study Taiwan at their home The Course and the Lecturers universities. Of course we did not intend to The workshop was designed as an intensive form a closed company. On the contrary, we course and treated as the equivalent of a one- were happy to invite anyone interested in the semester course (4 credits). This made a huge topic, and I was glad that we could also difference and helped to turn this workshop welcome two participants from the into an even greater success than the Netherlands and Italy. The majority of the previous one. The final ceremony, during participants were undergraduates, though which the vice-dean of the Faculty of Arts, Dr among them were also some MA and PhD Jan Pavlík, and the representative of Taipei students. For this reason, the lectures on Economic and Cultural Office in Prague, literature and history were designed more as Madame Christine Hsueh, awarded the general outlines with some revealing case successful participants a certificate on hand- studies added, rather than going into great made paper was indeed, the highlight of the detail. The other topics, like cinema, political entire workshop. science, social The course was movements then designed as a supplemented these combination of two core lectures. lectures and This year (2013) seminars. With a we had participants bunch of great from nine countries, lecturers, mainly including the Czech from the EATS Republic, Poland, community, we Croatia, Lithuania, were able to give Russia, Ukraine, students a brief but Slovakia, the substantial overview Netherlands, and Italy. When I advertised the of some aspects of Taiwanese society. The course with the help of the EATS and the CCK- main emphasis was on Taiwanese culture, ISC networks (I would like to thank to Dr history, literature, film, and contemporary Bogda )e a ek a d Dr “aša Iste ič for their politics. In all this, the students were not contribution), I did not expect many merely passive participants. They had to responses from different countries. prepare presentations for a topic they Altogether I received 46 applications, a selected before. Study materials and number that greatly surpassed the20 students audiovisual materials were available to them I had expected. Thanks to the willingness of via an e-learning tool through which they the lecturers to teach more students, and received support and advice, where they thanks also to the flexibility of our budget, I could discuss their problems and could also decided to accept all applicants. After all, our submit their presentations. Because we had main goal was to attract as many students to more students than expected, the participants Taiwan Studies as possible. On August 26, formed small groups and thus were 2013 we then welcomed 37 registered encouraged to enter into communication with participants and some spontaneous guests as each other even before the workshop started. well who were sitting in on the lectures. I should like to thank all the lecturers who were willing to take the time to teach at 23
our workshop and who gave great workshop. We concluded our meeting in a presentations that were enriching not only for pleasant restaurant situated in a modernist the students but also for us as their colleagues. pavilion that is among the architectonic Namely Professor Faye Kleeman (University of highlights of Brno, a city known for its Colorado), Dr Ming-Yeh Rawnsley (SOAS), modernist architecture. The final dinner was Professor Ann Heylen (NTNU), Dr Astrid hosted by Madame Hsueh, the Representative Lipinsky (Vienna University), Professor Gary of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Rawnsley (Aberystwyth University), and Prague. The beautiful surroundings, the tasty Professor Carsten Storm (Friedrich-Alexander- food, and the happy faces all around were the Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg). I am very best reward for me as the organiser. grateful that, in addition to their teaching, But it was not just the orga ised fu they also attended all lectures and seminars, that made this workshop special. At the liste ed to other olleagues talks, a d ga e beginning, there were three or four separate stimulating comments to the student groups of students: one from Jagiellonian presentations. I think this format was University in Krakow, one from Masaryk academically fruitful, but more importantly it University, and another one from Croatia. But also delivered a message to the students that I was happy to see that the boundaries they are part of a larger intellectual between them immediately started to melt community where every opinion counts and is away, and everyone was mingling and going taken seriously. out together. I sincerely hope that the Facebook page Outside the Classroom of the workshop will survive, and that we will I believe that summer schools and workshops continue to share information about Taiwan- are not about studying alone, and the related topics and about a lot of other things dynamics of our workshop proved that as well. convincingly. The lecturers and students quickly merged into a group that spent time What’s Next? together in the classroom, but also went out In spring 2014, we shall hopefully be able to together for meals and drinks, all the while enjoy another student workshop at continuing their conversations on academic as Jagiellonian University at Krakow. It will be well as non-academic topics. As an additional devoted to a comparative discussion of the non-curricular activity, I prepared a tour democratisation processes in Taiwan as well around the city of Brno and a trip to Olomouc, as Central and Eastern Europe. I also hope a old u i ersit to ishop s seat, here that i three ears ti e, e ill e a le to we also met our partners from Palacký organise another workshop at Masaryk University, who are running the project University with more young, enthusiastic CHINET (co-funded by the European Structural participants and interesting scholars! Fund and the Czech Republic), which helped to finance the workshop. Dr Tá a Dluhošo á is a Research Fellow at Beside these outings, I tried from the the Oriental Institute of the Academy of beginning to encourage everyone to mingle Sciences of the Czech Republic. She also and get acquainted with one another during teaches part-time at Masaryk University. an unofficial dinner on the first day of the
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This gave a particular edge for the attendees in the discussions. Each day of the workshop was led by a different scholar who introduced us to their field. The range of subjects was wide enough for each of us to find our own favourite topic. Moreover, each student was expected to give a presentation on a certain topic that he or she chose and prepared with the help of our speakers. This helped us to study a specific aspect of Taiwan Studies in depth, which greatly improved the level of discussion during the workshop. Each speaker is a respected scholar in his or her own subject area. They work at universities all over the world, Taiwanese as well as Europeans, which ensured a good coverage of perspectives. Best of all, they were friendly and outgoing. Every day after classes, further discussions were carried out in pubs and restaurants of charming Brno. Personally, I liked this part best. I got a chance to talk to all our professors and, to be honest, Denisa Hilbertova I took it as an opportunity to have my own (participant) pri ate lesso s . Workshop participants, who were from ummer School on Taiwan Studies at another city or country, were accommodated Masaryk University, Brno, Czech at student dormitories of Masaryk University, not far from the city centre. After the first day, S ‘epu li : Tai a : Past a d Prese t , many of us decided not to go to the breakfast 26–31 August 2013. since there was really good refreshment served during each break. Some students The Workshop focused on Taiwan s Past and Present. The main emphasis was on already had previous experience from Taiwan Taiwanese culture, history, literature, film, or China; some students were completely new and contemporary politics. The goal of the to this area of study. To my surprise, this fact workshop was to promote Taiwan Studies helped to create an amazingly interesting mix among Eastern and Western European of questions and approaches towards our students of Chinese Studies and other related discussed topics. The whole workshop had a fields. I believe (and I may speak for many, if friendly atmosphere and the professors were not all, participants) that the workshop fulfils open and encouraging. The organisers also its aims and perhaps even more. helped to create this friendly approach by The whole organisation of the workshop preparing bonding activities, such as a was among one of the best in which I have welcome reception, a guided Brno city tour, a ever taken part. In advance, the speakers day trip to the city of Olomouc with its great uploaded movies and recommended readings. history, and a fabulous farewell dinner, which 25
was held in a unique restaurant in cubist style. This dinner was also attended by the representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Prague, Mrs Christine Hsueh, who together with the Dean of the Philosophical faculty of Masaryk University congratulated us on receiving our workshop certificates. Personally, I can say I had a great time, met many interesting people, learnt a lot; and moreover it did not feel like work at all.
Ann Heylen (co-organiser)
inter Workshop, Topics in Taiwanisation (bentuhua) , WNational Taiwan Normal University, 2-15 December 2013.
This student workshop brought together five undergraduate and graduate students, as well as two lecturers from Masaryk University, Brno to study about Taiwan s democratisation and bentuhua. Students were selected based on their participation in the summer school of August 2013. The topic, bentuhua, was chosen because it was part of the course taught by Dr Táňa Dluhošo á at Masaryk University. In that sense, the workshop was not only a lively introduction to Taiwan during which students
(A trip to Olomouc) could gain a first-hand international experience, but also an integral part of their taught course resulting in a term paper. Denisa Hilbertova is a PhD candidate at the Students were free to choose a related theme Institute of World History, Faculty of Arts, and to research for their term paper as part of Charles University in Prague. Her research their activities during the workshop. Thus the interests are the Social History of Taiwan, purpose of this interactive workshop was to British Maritime Trade in Asia, Cultural deepen the Taiwan Studies course content Interaction of Western and Asian societies. taught in Brno by enhancing stude ts Her dissertation topic is The Tea Industry and participation in lectures, and even more British diaspora in Taiwan, 1860-1895. importantly by doing fieldwork in Taiwan and
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visiting museums that might be enriched with Taiwan s transition from authoritarian rule to small tasks. democracy and its impact on politicians and The workshop was designed with four journalists (5 December) further teaching approaches: (1) lectures given by contextualised the background against which prominent Taiwanese scholars providing a to picture Taiwan s major societal changes theoretical and methodological framework; (2) over the past decades. The next day, Dr A-chin seminars with students where particular Hsiao (Academia Sinica) provided the cultural research topics and literature used was and historical explanation to Professor discussed; (3) field work, exemplifying Rawnsley s political angle. Likewise, Dr Táňa different aspects of the Taiwanisation Dluhošo á s lecture addressed the movement, conducted by a mixed group of conceptualisation of bentuhua in early students, whose results were presented at the postwar literature (5 December), while Dr Lin end of the workshop; and (4) arranged visits Pei-yin (University of Hong Kong) illustrated to important museums and historical sites its development with examples from the which embody the Taiwanisation movement. 1960s up to the present day (6 December). The invited talks and arrangement of the The afternoon sessions were reserved for educational activities were streamlined to educational visits to the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines (4 December), the National Central Library (5 December), the Special Collection of National Taiwan University Library (6 December) and the Office of the President of the ROC on Taiwan (7 December). In particular the visits to the two libraries introduced the students to making use of the library systems needed to prepare their term paper presentation on 13 December. The lecture sessions in Taipei were followed by a 4-day visit to Tainan during which the students could see first-hand examples of Taiwan bentuhua in daily lives. To this accommodate the students needs. We end, we planned a visit to the Ye Shitao arranged the morning talks and educational Museum of Literature (8 December), the visits in Taipei and Tainan in the following National Museum of Taiwan History (8 order: starting with Dr Yoshihisa Amae s December) and the Museum of Taiwan (Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan) Literature (10 December). The visit to the lecture on Hatta Yoichi and George Mackay (4 Tainan Theological Seminar (10 December) December) appropriated the notion of and a direct encounter with the Siraya pingpu bentuhua in the context of popular culture religious practices (8 December) provided an research on two historical figures in Taiwan extra impetus for the 2 term papers related to Studies. Professor Gary Rawnsley s aboriginal customs and the Presbyterian (Aberystwyth University, Wales) lecture on church in Taiwan. Likewise, the city tour in 27
Tainan on 9 December gave the students an Introducing European students to extensive introduction to the richness of Taiwan Studies temples and historical buildings concentrated Culturally friendly introduction to in its dense urban setting. Our stay in the Taiwan traditional Japanese-styled house in the Work and communicating Taiwan township Jiali gave an intimate feeling of a related topics according to the li ed Tai a histor experience. On 10 December we took the High Speed Rail back to Taipei. The following two days the students were given the time to organize their own schedule to write up their presentations. During the general discussion, the overall opinion was that the students learnt a lot about Taiwan. One of the students remarked that during the two weeks she learnt more about Taiwan culture and society in this intensive workshop than when she was in Taiwan in 2012 international academic standards. studying Mandarin for six months. From the Introducing important Taiwan perspective of the organisers, this is a lovely libraries, archives, and museums, compliment and we felt mission accomplished. which are essential for further Free activities were planned on the final research two days (14 and 15 December), which ranged Networking from visits to Tamsui, the National Palace Students presentations will become Museum, Shilin night market, Longshan part of prepared E-learning, as a case temple among others. No need to repeat, studies to be used for illustration of what could not be missed on a daily basis was the Taiwanisation movement. the variety of Taiwanese culinary dishes and Preparing the signing of a Memo of delicacies both in Taipei and Tainan. Understanding (MOU) regarding Throughout the 2 week stay, there was also student and faculty exchange. close interaction with some of the master students in the Department of Taiwan Culture, Dr Ann Heylen is Associate Professor in the Languages and Literature. Conversations were Department of Taiwan Culture, Languages partly in Chinese and partly in English, which and Literature and the Director of the proved beneficial for both groups of students. International Taiwan Studies Center, In conclusion, the outcomes of the National Taiwan Normal University. student workshop were successful and as expected:
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Notice Board
ERCCT to Become a CCK Foundation Minister of Culture, Long Ying-tai, and ERCCT director Professor Gunter Schubert. Overseas Center
Following a decision by the board of directors of the Chiang Ching-Kuo (CCK) Foundation for Call for Papers International Scholarly Exchange, the International Symposium on European Research Center on Contemporary Chi a’s “oft Po er i Africa: Taiwan (ERCCT) will become a CCK Foundation emerging media and cultural Overseas Center, one of four such centres worldwide. A corresponding agreement relations between between den University of Tübingen and the China and Africa CCK Foundation will be signed at the occasion 4-5 September 2014 of a symposium in Tübingen in early July 2014. With its new status officially granted by July The University of Nottingham, 1st, the ERCCT has done a major step to Ningbo, China secure the continuation of its work in promoting postgraduate social science The School of Contemporary Chinese Studies research on Taiwan and fostering academic at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China dialogue and interaction between European (UNNC), the U i ersit of West i ster s and Taiwanese scholars. Afri a Media Ce tre, a d ‘hodes U i ersit s School of Journalism and Media Studies, invite submissions of abstracts and panel proposals ERCCT Winner of the 2013 French for the International Symposium. This symposium is to promote better Taiwanese Cultural Award u dersta di g of Chi a s i ol e e t i Africa, using its media engagement as an The European Research Center on entry point. It welcomes proposals addressing Contemporary Taiwan is the winner of the the following topics: 2013 French Taiwanese Cultural Award, which China in Africa as a particular poinbt is awarded annually by the Paris-based of focus in media debates Fondation Culturelle Franco-Taïwanaise de Types of media controversies around l'Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques Chi a s i ol e e t i Afri a of individuals or institutions having made a “oft po er Chi a a d ‚goi g substantial contribution to the understanding out ia the edia and spread of Taiwan culture. The award of The represe tatio of Chi a s 25,000 Euros will help to finance the involvement in African media numerous ERCCT activities and programmes. The perceptions of journalists and It will be handed over during a ceremony in editors of Chi a s soft po er strateg O to er i Paris, atte ded Tai a s and the inplications of these
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developments for the liberal SCCS Scholarships for Doctoral democracy model of journalism and Research media systems in Africa The effe ti e ess of Chi a s soft Deadline: 16 May 2014 power media push in Africa The i pa t of Chi a s soft po er The School of Contemporary Chinese offensive on journalism in African Studies, University of Notitngham is countries seeking applications for a number of SCCS Chi a s i flue e e o the ala e of PhD Studentships. This 3 year award po er i Afri a s edia se tor would cover fees and a £9,600 annual Chi a s odel for utilisi g the edia living stipend and is open to international, as a soft power tool in Africa EU and UK candidates who are form a social sciences background (those from The Afri a edia pu li s perspe ti es of Chi a s edia economics, business and law are involvement particularly encouraged to apply). For further information, please contact I pli atio s of Chi a s edia relations for the existing western Mandy Felton liberal democracy model ([email protected]).
I pli atio s of Chi a s edia push for the global media world order Call for Contributions All proposal must include (1) a paper title, The China Policy Institute Blog the author s a e, title, i stitutio al affiliation and full contact information University of Nottingham (email, address and telephone numbers) and (3) a 500-word abstract. The China Policy Institute Blog has three areas of interest to Taiwan Studies Deadline for individual paper and panel Scholars. First, there is a regular feature proposals: 15 April 2014. Full fee: £120. on Taiwan that runs every week on Early bird regitration fee: £80. Fridays, written by Taiwan scholars from For further information consult around the world on a diverse range of http://china-africamedia.vcwp.co/ topics. Second, the CPI blog publishes For abstract/paper submission: regular columns by renowned scholars, in [email protected] the Taiwan sphere: Gary Rawnsley, Ketty For general enquries: Nathan Stone at Chen, J Michael Cole, and Ming-Yeh [email protected] Rawnsley. Third, the CPI blog has a For logistics: Yolanda Sheng at regular section that acts as a platform for [email protected] emerging scholars (PhD students and For local information: Vicky Zhu at postdocs). Taiwan studies colleagues are [email protected] cordially invited to share this information with their students and other potentially interested parties, and to get in touch if they are interested in contributing a piece on Taiwan to the blog. 30
Contemporary Taiwan (ERCCT), For further information, please see University of Tübingen. She lectures in http://jonlsullivan.com/2013/12/11/a- the University of Portsmouth between new-platform-for-contemporary-china/ November 2013 and May 2014 and To access the CPI Blog: will take up a Taiwan Fellowship from http://blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/chinapolic June 2014. yinstitute/ Dr Christopher Payne has been The editor of the CPI Blog is Dr Jon appointed Lecturer in Chinese Studies, Sullivan, Associate Professor and Deputy School of Arts, Languages and Director of the CPI. He Cultures and the Centre for Chinese tweets @jonlsullivan Studies, University of Manchester as of September 2013. Dr Ming-yeh T. Rawnsley has been Recent Movements of EATS appointed Research Associate, Centre of Taiwan Studies, SOAS, University of Members London since October 2013 and Associate Fellow, China Policy Dr Bi-yu Chang has been appointed Institute, University of Nottingham Senior Teaching Fellow in Taiwan since January 2014. Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, since October 2013. Latest Taiwan-Related Dr Ming-chin Monique Chu joined Oxford in October 2013 as a Research Publications by EATS Members Fellow at St Anto s College a d as a postdoctoral research officer in Cal o, Ale . Chi a s Air Defe se Taiwan Studies at the School of Identification Zone: Concept, Issues at Interdisciplinary Area Studies. Stake and Regional Impact , Na al Dr Tá a Dluhošo á has ee War College Press Working Paper 1 appointed a Research Fellow at the (23 December 2013). Oriental Institute of the Academy of Che g, Isa elle. Ballot Paper as the Sciences of the Czech Republic since Weapon of the Weak: Resistance of September 2013. Immigrant Women in the Private Dr Simona Grano has been promoted Home in Taiwan , the China Policy to a fixed and permanent position as Institute Blog (17 September 2013). Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter Che g, Isa elle. Ho e-Going or (Lecturer), University of Zurich, since Home-Making? The Citizenship November 2013. Legislation and Chinese Identity of Dr Lara Memosso passed her viva with Indonesian Chinese Women in minor corrections in November 2013 Tai a , i Chiu, Kuei-fen, Fell, at the School of Oriental and African Dafydd, and Lin, Ping (eds), Migration Studies (SOAS), University of London. to and from Taiwan. London: She was a Research Fellow at the Routledge, 2013. European Research Center on 31
Cheng, T.J. Cheng and Arthur Liu. Hsiao, Hsin-Huang Michael (ed.), Ma agi g Chi ese Foreig E ha ge Chinese Middle Classes: Taiwan, Hong ‘eser es , Journal of Post-Keynesian Kong, Macao and China. London: Economics 35.4 (2013), 621-647. Routledge, 2014. Cheng, T.J. and Peter Chow. The Ja o s, Bru e. Whither Logical Links between the Pivot and Taiwanization? The Colonization, the TPP , in Peter Chow (ed.), The Democratization and Taiwanization of Pivot Strategy and Asia, London and Taiwan , Japanese Journal of Political New York: Palgrave, forthcoming. Science 14 (4), December 2013), pp. Chiu, Kuei-fen, Fell, Dafydd, and Lin, 567-586 Ping (eds), Migration to and from Jacobs, Bruce (ed. with an Taiwan. London: Routledge, 2013. introduction), Critical Readings in Da , Je s. The O erseas Chi ese China-Taiwan Relations, 4 volumes. and Governance in Xiamen during the Leiden and Boston: Brill, in press. 1920s: Colonial Spaces and Ja o s, Bru e. Tai a s Colo ial Nationalism Revisited , i Me hthild Experiences and the Development of Leutner and Izabella Goikhman (eds), Ethnic Identities: Some State, Society and Governance in Hypotheses , Taiwan in Comparative Republic China Series: Berliner China- Perspective, Vol. 5 (2013), in press. Hefte – Chinese History and Society, Ja o s, Bru e. Review of Dafydd No.43, pp.29–48. Fell, Government and Politics in Dluhošo á, Tána and Heylen, Ann Taiwan (London and New York: eds , Introduction to the Special Routledge, 2012) and Robert Ash, Issue on Taiwan Studies: Popular John W. Garver and Penelope Prime Culture and Literature , Oriental (eds.), Taiwa ’s De ocracy: Eco o ic Archive 81.3 (2013), 385–389. and Political Challenges (London and Fell, D., Sapir, E. and Sullivan, J. New York: Routledge, 2011) , i China Tai a ese Parties Ca didate Journal, No. 69 (January 2013), pp. Selection in the Aftermath of the 205-209. Cha ge of ‘uli g Parties , Taiwan Ja o s, Bru e. Chi a s E pa sio is Journal of Democracy (2013). Echoes History , The Australian, 20 He le , A . ‘eadi g Histor a d February 2013, p. 8. Political Illustration in Taiwan Popular Ja o s, Bru e. A Taiwan Coda , China Culture , Oriental Archive 81.3 (2013): Policy Institute Blog, University of 411–435. Nottingham, 22 February 2013. Hickey, Dennis V. "Imbalance in the Ja o s, Bru e. Comparisons to Taiwan Strait", Parameters: The US Chi a s Regime , Taipei Times, 25 Army War College Quarterly 43 (3), August 2013, p. 8. Autumn 2013, pp.43-53. Jobin, Paul and Tseng Yu-Hwei. Hsiao, Hsin-Huang Michael (ed.), Gui ea Pigs Go to Court: Democracy or Alternative Political Epidemiology and Class Actions in Systems in Asia: After the Strongmen. Tai a , i “ora a Boudia, Nathalie London: Routledge, 2014. Jas (eds), Powerless Science? Science and Politics in a Toxic World. Oxford 32
and New York: Berghahn Books, 2014, Rawnsley, Ming-Yeh T. "Korean Wave pp.170-191. in Taiwan", in Jeongmee Kim (ed.), Jo i , Paul. Be o d U ertai t : Reading Asian Television Drama: Industrial Hazards and Class Actions in Crossing Boarders and Breaking Taiwan and Japa , i Ts ui-jung Liu Boundaries. London: IB Tauris, 2014, (ed.), Environmental History in East pp.213-234. Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Rawnsley, Ming-Yeh T. "Taiwanese- London & New York: Routledge, 2013, Language Cinema: Market vs. State, pp.339-382. National vs. Transnational", Oriental Klee a , Fa e Yua . Bod , Ide tit , Archive 81.3 (2013): 437-458. and Social Order: Japanese Crime “a z, “usa a. Tai a Market ‘eport , Fi tio i Colo ial Tai a , Oriental Art Stage Singapore (2013): 34-35. Archive 81.3 (2013): 581-601. “he g, Kai. The Different Faces of Lee, Pei-Li g. All a out : A Nezha i Moder Tai a ese Culture , Ideological Analysis of TV Serials from Oriental Archive 81.3 (2013): 391-410. the T o “ides of the Tai a “trait , “terk, Darr l. The Hu ter s Gift i Oriental Archive 81.3 (2013): 495-514. Ecorealist Indigenous Fiction from Lin, Pei- i . Ge deri g Cross-Strait Tai a , Oriental Archive 81.3 (2013): Relations: Romance and Geopolitics in 555-580. Li A g s “e e -Generation Streiter, Yoann and Yoann Goudin. Predestined Relationship and Ping The Ta ghao o Tai a s Lu s East a d Be o d , Oriental Tombstones: The Statal Recuperation Archive 81.3 (2013): 515-538. of Tactics for the Creation of a Lin, Pei-yin (ed.), Print, Profit and Natio al “pa e , Oriental Archive 81.3 Perception: Ideas, Information and (2013): 459-494. Knowledge in Chinese Societies1895- “ulli a , J. O li e resour es i the 1949. Leiden: Brill, 2014. Study of Elite Political Behaviour in Payne, Christopher. "Queer Otherwise: Tai a , The China Quarterly 213 Anti-Sociality in Wuhe's Gui'er and (2013). Ayao , Oriental Archive 81.3 (2013): “ulli a , J. Tai a s Preside tial 539-554. Ele tio , Political Studies Review Payne, Christopher. "Wushe, 11(1), 2013. Literature, a d Melodi Bla k Metal , “ulli a , J. a d “apir, E. “trategi Positions: East Asia Cultures Cross-Strait Discourse: Comparing Critique 22.2 (2014): forthcoming. Three Preside tial Ter s , China Rawnsley, Ming-Yeh T. "The Shaw Information 27(1), 2013. Brothers and the Taiwan Film Tseng, Yu-chin, Cheng, Isabelle and Industry", China Policy Blog, Fell, Daf dd. The Politi s of the University of Nottingham, 24 January Mai la d “pouses ‘ights Mo e e t 2014. i Tai a , i Chiu, Kuei-fen, Fell, Rawnsley, Ming-Yeh T. "Shaw Dafydd, and Lin, Ping (eds), Migration Brothers' Role in Film History", Taipei to and from Taiwan. London: Times, 18 January 2014. Routledge, 2013.
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Welcome to The 11th EATS Annual Conference: “elf s. Other University of Portsmouth 30 April – 2 May 2014
he 2014 EATS Conference will take place at the University of Portsmouth, UK. T Portsmouth is the second largest city on the south coast of England and is situated 64 miles (103 km) southwest from London with convenient transportation systems. There is a direct train service between London and Portsmouth, and the journey takes approximately 90 minutes one way. As home of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth is a city of maritime heritage and houses both HMS Victory (upon hi h Lord Nelso died a d the Mar ‘ose, the flagship of Ki g He r VIII s fleet. Moreo er, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have all left their mark on the city. We are sure that the o fere e s lo atio i Ports outh ill gi e parti ipa ts the opportunity to explore a part of the UK they may not otherwise visit.
The 11th EATS conference will be co-hosted by the School of Languages and Area Studies (SLAS) and the Centre for European and International Studies Research (CEISR). SLAS teaches six languages to degree level (French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Spanish and English as a foreign language) and associated area studies. Amongst them are three degree programmes with a Chinese as well as Japanese pathway. Ranked first in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, CEISR is a vibrant interdisciplinary centre for research on Europe and the wider world, examining human cultures, conflicts, diasporas, and inter-relations. Hosting EATS by SLAS and CEISR in 2014 will introduce Taiwan Studies to an active international student community in the University. Moreover, as EATS e ters a e de ade i the Asso iatio s histor , orki g ith i stitutions with such strong capacity i Europea “tudies is a rei state e t of EAT“ s issio of pro oti g Tai a “tudies i Europea institutions.
Welcome to Portsmouth. We look forward to seeing you at the 11th EATS conference!
From EATS Board Members: Niki Alsford (SOAS), Stefan Braig (Tübingen), Isabelle Cheng (Portsmouth), Jens Damm (Chang Jung), Ann Heylen (NTNU), “aša Iste ič Ljubljana), Ming-Yeh T. Rawnsley (SOAS/Nottingham) 34