Nation-Building in Contemporary Taiwan and its Historic Roots: Colonization, Globalization, Localization - ATJ100360
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Can you name all the political powers that have had a colonial presence on Taiwan?
Why do Taiwanese today look favorably at the Japanese colonial period, when most other places in Asia have a very negative view of that time? How do Taiwanese deal with the ever-looming possibility of war across the Taiwan Strait? In this introductory class to Taiwan, we will be exploring questions like these. Located at the edge of empires, Taiwan has a unique colonial history that connects Asia, Europe, and North America. We will delve into history from the vantage of contemporary Taiwan, which is both post-colonial and democratic, and investigate what role the colonial experience plays in nation-building today. With this complex historical backdrop, the class will then focus on new, “aquatic” as well as land-based perspectives on Taiwan that have the potential of moving the island and its inhabitants out of the orbit of empire. The class will be held in English. No prior knowledge of Taiwan is required, but I expect active participation, an interest in challenging your own biases and assumptions, and the willingness to read about one or two academic articles or chapters per week (typically around 30 pages though the assignments can occasionally exceed that number). Please sign up for the Moodle course and familiarize yourself with its contents. Note that there is a short writing assignment due before the first class! Poslední úprava: Tischer Jacob Friedemann, Ph.D. (22.09.2025)
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Note that there will be no final exam for this class. Instead, course completion requirements are.
Grading:
Poslední úprava: Tischer Jacob Friedemann, Ph.D. (22.09.2025)
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Readings will be uploaded to Moodle. Poslední úprava: Tischer Jacob Friedemann, Ph.D. (22.09.2025)
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This syllabus is not final and potentially subject to change (mostly depending on the availability of guest speakers). Poslední úprava: Tischer Jacob Friedemann, Ph.D. (22.09.2025)
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