Academia Sinica Hosts the First World Congress of Taiwan Studies

Monday April 30, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Lest readers think that Taiwan is a hodge-podge of the Keystone Kops as KMT criminals continue to avoid justice under Ma's anti-corruption campaign. There are some serious things happening here; one prominent affair was Academia Sinica hosting the First World Congress of Taiwan Studies from April 26--28; it was a great affair with over 700 people attending and presenters from all parts of the world.

What made it special was both that it was international and it was totally focused on Taiwan.

Normally when Taiwan scholars give papers etc. at a conference, they have to do it under some broad innocuous title or heading such as Asian Studies or even worse as under China-related Studies. For example at the joint 2011 International Convention of the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) and the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) held in Hawaii last March, there was no Taiwan section, even though numerous papers were totally focused on Taiwan. Well, at least we did not have to present under that crazy excuse of a name, Chinese Taipei.

So with this recent Congress; it was very refreshing to finally see a conference give Taiwan its due. And in case anyone was wondering, Academia Sinica did a great job of hosting it.