There has been an increased sense of local pride, the development of a distinctive indigenous culture, and a growing awareness of Taiwanese subjectivity, each contributing to a Taiwan-centric sentiment. Part of this identity transformation was achieved via a transformation of ‘place identity.’
This lecture will investigate the state’s involvement in the place-making process and identify the crucial junctures at which Taiwan came to mean ‘home.’ Thus, Dr. Chang will give a comprehensive overview of how this island has evolved as a ‘meaningful place’ and explore how and the reasons why the idea of ‘Taiwan’ has changed so dramatically (from a ‘temporary residing place’ to ‘home’). By investigating the genealogy of post-war state spatiality (i.e. spatial strategies, construction, policy, and behaviour), this lecture will discuss the intricate relationship between culture, space, and identity.
About the lecturer
Dr. Bi-yu Chang is Deputy Director of the Centre of Taiwan Studies, SOAS, University of London. The central concern of her research has always been the politics of culture. It has led her to examine the complex interplay between knowledge and power, explore the relationship between culture, place, and identity, and investigate the thorny issues of recent decades, such as nation-building, independence, and cultural identity crisis in Taiwan. In the past few years, she has been focused on two dimensions of state involvement in identity construction, one is on Taiwan’s nation-branding project through post-war tourism, and the other on nation building via education reform. She has also extended her research interests into the issue of indigenous education.
The Taiwan Matters lecture series has been funded by the Ministry of Education of Taiwan (ROC) through the Taipei Mission in Stockholm, Sweden.
Lecture recording