Can you name all the political powers that have had a colonial presence on Taiwan?
Why do Taiwanese today look favorably at the Japanese colonial period, when most other places in Asia have a very negative view of that time?
How do Taiwanese deal with the ever-looming possibility of war across the Taiwan Strait?
In this introductory class to Taiwan, we will be exploring questions like these.
Located at the edge of empires, Taiwan has a unique colonial history that connects Asia, Europe, and North America.
We will delve into history from the vantage of contemporary Taiwan, which is both post-colonial and democratic, and investigate what role the colonial experience plays in nation-building today.
With this complex historical backdrop, the class will then focus on new, “aquatic” as well as land-based perspectives on Taiwan that have the potential of moving the island and its inhabitants out of the orbit of empire.
The class will be held in English. No prior knowledge of Taiwan is required, but I expect active participation, an interest in challenging your own biases and assumptions, and the willingness to read about one or two academic articles or chapters per week (typically around 30 pages though the assignments can occasionally exceed that number).
Image source:
Why do Taiwanese today look favorably at the Japanese colonial period, when most other places in Asia have a very negative view of that time?
How do Taiwanese deal with the ever-looming possibility of war across the Taiwan Strait?
In this introductory class to Taiwan, we will be exploring questions like these.
Located at the edge of empires, Taiwan has a unique colonial history that connects Asia, Europe, and North America.
We will delve into history from the vantage of contemporary Taiwan, which is both post-colonial and democratic, and investigate what role the colonial experience plays in nation-building today.
With this complex historical backdrop, the class will then focus on new, “aquatic” as well as land-based perspectives on Taiwan that have the potential of moving the island and its inhabitants out of the orbit of empire.
The class will be held in English. No prior knowledge of Taiwan is required, but I expect active participation, an interest in challenging your own biases and assumptions, and the willingness to read about one or two academic articles or chapters per week (typically around 30 pages though the assignments can occasionally exceed that number).
Image source:
- Teacher: Jacob Friedemann Tischer