Taiwan Salon – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, GTI Program Manager Adrienne Wu and Spring Intern Uma Baron interview Vanessa Hope, the director of documentary film Invisible Nation. Reflecting on the eight years she spent filming Invisible Nation, Vanessa Hope talks about why Taiwan and Tsai Ing-wen matter for democracies worldwide and how she approached telling Taiwan’s story.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Associate Adrienne Wu interviews Dr. Jerry C. Y. Liu, dean of the College of Humanities at the National Taiwan University of Arts and the founding president of Taiwan Association of Cultural Policy Studies (TACPS). For our season three premiere, we speak with Dr. Liu about TACPS’ recent cultural petition, recommendations for the incoming administration, and reflections on the 2024 elections.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Assistant Zoe Weaver-Lee interview Weining Hung, the co-founder of LUCfest, an annual music festival that seeks to showcase new talent, as well as to connect Taiwan's musicians with international audiences and the broader global music industry. Ms. Hung discusses the barriers faced by Taiwan’s music industry, and how both the government and industry professionals are facing these challenges.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Assistant Zoe Weaver-Lee interview Dr. Alan Bairner, a professor of Sport and Social Theory at Loughborough University (UK). In the conversation, Dr. Bairner discusses the role of sports in cultural diplomacy, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by Taiwan in relation to hosting and participating in international sporting events.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Manager Marshall Reid interview Dr. Randall L. Nadeau, the executive director of the Foundation for Scholarly Exchange, commonly known as Fulbright Taiwan. Discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Confucius Institute closures, Dr. Nadeau talks about trends of interest in academic exchanges between the United States and Taiwan.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Manager Marshall Reid interview Dr. Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao, the chairman of the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation and the chairman of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at National Chengchi University. Dr. Hsiao discusses the importance of people-to-people ties in Taipei’s New Southbound Policy and how NGOs complement work being done by the government.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Manager Marshall Reid interview Dr. Lung-chih Chang, the director of the National Museum of Taiwan History (NMTH). Emphasizing the importance of creating a "museum of the people," Dr. Chang talks about how the NMTH curates its exhibits and collaborates internationally.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Manager Marshall Reid interview Dr. Chun-ying Wei, a board member of the Taiwan Association of Cultural Policy Studies and an assistant professor at National Sun Yat-Sen University. Dr. Wei discusses Taiwan’s National Cultural Congress, culture white papers, and the government’s current approach to cultural policy.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Assistant Zoe Weaver-Lee interview Dr. Shelley Rigger, a GTI advisor, interim vice president for academic affairs, and the Brown Professor of Political Science at Davidson College. Addressing the strengths and limitations of using democratic values as a source of soft power, Dr. Rigger discusses how democratic values tie into the Taiwanese identity and contribute to the island’s international engagement.

In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu and Program Assistant Zoe Weaver-Lee interview Minister Audrey Tang, the digital minister of Taiwan. To kick off the season, Minister Tang discusses Taiwan’s aptitude for collaboration across diversity and how digital tools can strengthen democracy and augment diplomacy.