Self-Determination

Partisan Contestation to Continue in Aftermath of Recalls

Brian Hioe
The aftermath of the recalls is gradually taking shape. In particular, the pan-Blue camp is likely to persist with further attempts to attack the DPP. A new proposal from the TPP, which is supported by the KMT, would tie national referendums to elections. This would likely drive up turnout in a way that would make it more likely that referendums would meet benchmarks to be binding...
August 2025EnglishPoliticsSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements4 min read

The Hypocrisy of “The Hypocrisy of Recognizing Palestine But Not Taiwan”

Brian Hioe
A recent op-ed in the Washington Post by Vincent C. Chen–“The hypocrisy of recognizing Palestine but not Taiwan”–criticizes Western countries for moving toward the recognition of Palestine but not Taiwan. The article proves a remarkable exercise in nationalist parochialism. Rather than take the view that Taiwan should see its cause in a similar light to Palestine’s and that the two causes support each other, the suggestion is that Palestine is undeserving of recognition, and Taiwan is more deserving...
August 2025EnglishFeaturedPoliticsSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements6 min read

How the Recall Failure Affected Pro-Recall Taiwanese

Aleksandrs Gross
The Great Recall Movement has been described by some as the beginning of a new wave of Taiwanese activism—the greatest since the Sunflower Movement. The first wave of recall elections failed to recall even one of the 24 targeted KMT politicians from office, dealing a heavy blow to the pro-recall movement. Such a turn of events raises the question: how have the recall results affected pro-recall Taiwanese? And more importantly, what does this mean for the future of Taiwanese activism?...
August 2025EnglishPoliticsSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements16 min read

Rally Criticizes Taiwan’s Plans to Aid Israeli Settlement in the West Bank

Brian Hioe
A demonstration took place in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, criticizing Taiwan for its plans to aid Israeli settlement in the West Bank. The aid is currently framed as for a medical project, but this has led to criticisms of the Taiwanese government for actively contributing to Israeli settler colonialism, as the first government in the world to back a medical project in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Several hundred participated, despite extreme heat...
August 2025EnglishPoliticsSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements5 min read

Recalls Indicate Failure to Flip Pan-Blue Territory, Not Public Opinion Siding with the KMT

Brian Hioe
With the defeat of the “Great Recall Movement” over the weekend, it is notable to observe that some claims in media discourse have sought to frame the results as a rebuke to the DPP, indicating that the Taiwanese public supports the KMT. Chinese nationalists have gone even further, suggesting that the results mean that the majority of Taiwanese identify as Chinese...
EnglishJuly 2025PoliticsSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements7 min read