Taiwan Salon Season 2
Taiwan Salon is a podcast produced by the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI), a 501(c)3 policy think tank in Washington, DC.
Hosted by members of GTI’s staff, Taiwan Salon examines Taiwan’s cultural policy and approach to soft power from perspectives both inside and outside the government. Through interviews, the series illuminates how Taiwan’s unique history and culture interacts with policy and pinpoints opportunities and challenges for future “soft” engagement between Taiwan and the United States.
EPISODES
Episode 6: Gary Rawnsley and Diana Chiawen Lee on Communicating Taiwan’s Soft Power Capacity
In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Associate Adrienne Wu interviews Dr. Gary Rawnsley, head of University of Lincoln’s School of Social and Political Sciences, and Diana Chiawen Lee, an award-winning independent film producer and documentary filmmaker. Despite Taiwan’s vibrant and unique culture, the country struggles with communicating its story to international audiences. For our season two finale, we discuss how to better present Taiwan’s culture abroad and communicate its soft power capacity.
Episode 5: Clarissa Wei on Taiwanese Food
In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Associate Adrienne Wu and former GTI Program Associate Zoë Weaver-Lee interview Clarissa Wei, a freelance journalist and the author of Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation. From bubble tea to beef noodle soup, Taiwanese food is a huge draw for tourists and an excellent way of introducing Taiwan’s culture to the world. But can food tell the story of Taiwan? During this episode, we discuss Taiwanese cuisine and how it connects to Taiwanese identity and history.
Episode 4: Annie Huang on Taiwan’s Civil Society
In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Associate Adrienne Wu and Summer Fellow Jonah Landsman interview Annie Huang, a Taiwanese NGO leader and social entrepreneur. Taiwan’s vibrant civil society not only sets Taiwan apart from China, but also showcases Taiwan’s commitment to protecting human rights and holding the government accountable to its citizens. During this episode, we discuss what makes Taiwanese civil society unique and the challenges NGOs face when making transnational connections.
Episode 3: Lanhee Chen on Being Taiwanese American
In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Associate Adrienne Wu and Program Manager Marshall Reid interview Lanhee Chen, a GTI Advisor and the David and Diane Steffy Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. During this special AAPI heritage month episode, we speak with Dr. Chen about Taiwanese American identity, Taiwan as a bipartisan issue, and the role that Taiwanese Americans can play in US-Taiwan relations.
Episode 2: Chiayo Kuo on Digital Diplomacy
In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu interviews Chiayo Kuo, the founder and president of the Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association (TDDA). In an increasingly digitized and globalized world, social media has become an important tool for public diplomacy. During this episode, we speak with Chiayo Kuo about TDDA’s upcoming projects, and why digital outreach is important for Taiwan and its relations with other states.
Episode 1: Agnes Ling-yu Hsiao on Transitional Justice
In this episode of Taiwan Salon, host and GTI Research Assistant Adrienne Wu interviews sociologist and academic researcher Dr. Agnes Ling-yu Hsiao. In 2018, the Taiwanese government established a Transitional Justice Commission (TJC) to examine illegal acts committed during the White Terror period, and to provide victims with compensation. For this first episode of season two, we discuss why transitional justice is vital for Taiwan’s process of nation building, as well as future steps following the Transitional Justice Commission’s dissolution in 2022.