Social Movements

Siraya Groups Take Stand Against KMT Effort to Deny Indigenous Recognition to Pingpu Groups

Siraya civil society groups took a stand against a move from the KMT to create a new legal category called “Pingpu Indigenous” earlier this month, holding a press conference on the matter. The proposal, which originates from KMT legislator Sra Kacaw, who is Amis, would be a means of denying Siraya recognition as Indigenous...

Migrant Workers as Subjects of a Taiwan Strait Contingency

An escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait—whether it transpires as a maritime blockade or a kinetic attack—would bring about disastrous social and economic consequences. Given the importance of the Taiwan Strait to international maritime trade and Taiwan’s critical role in supply chains of strategic technologies, including semiconductors, crisis scenarios consider several grave repercussions. These include immediate disruptions to global economic activity valued at over two trillion dollars, threats to Japan’s energy security, and shortages in the EU, which would exacerbate economic inequality, poverty, and the functioning of critical sectors...

Taken For Granted: Taiwan’s Flagship Foreign Policy Neglects Labor Issues

In its quest to diversify its political and economic engagements with the world, Taiwan keeps looking south. At the recent Yushan Forum, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Chairman Michael Hsiao proudly announced the launch of six new strategic corridors under the framework of the New Southbound Policy (NSP). This includes government-led initiatives to facilitate cooperation on technology, health, and resilience, as well as think tank, NGO, and youth corridors led by civil society...

Gender Equity and Taiwan’s Independence: A Decolonial Perspective on Community Interests and Conflicts

Can gender equity issues like women's and LGBTQ rights be discussed along with Taiwan independence? Is there one more important and urgent topic among all the issues concerning different marginalized people? When issues such as feminism and LGBTQ rights are discussed together with social news, there is often criticism that talking about marginalized people is a way to distract people and divert public resources from the issue of Taiwan independence. However, from a decolonial perspective, gender equity and Taiwan independence move in the same direction and support each other...