Held on October 15-16 and jointly organized by the Education Division of the Bureau de Représentation de Taipei en France, the Chair in Taiwan Studies at Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO), and ITSC, the Southern Europe Taiwan Studies Forum (南歐臺灣講座論壇) drew scholars and young researchers from Italy, Spain, France, and Taiwan to INALCO’s historic Paris campus to explore how existing Taiwan Studies centers can connect, and discuss the future of Taiwan Studies in Europe.
Unlike typical conferences that focus primarily on academic paper presentations, this forum paid more attention to how Taiwan Studies can take root in the higher education systems of different countries. Researchers from schools such as the Sapienza University of Rome, Roma Tre University, the University of Siena, and the Autonomous University of Barcelona shared the research specialties and challenges faced by each of their Taiwan chairs and centers, and demonstrating the diversity of Taiwan Studies as a field—from literature and translation to history and international relations.
The forum’s most significant goal was to make Taiwan’s own languages a key medium for international exchange. A significant portion of the forum was conducted in Taiwanese Mandarin, while Taigi, Hakka, and Indigenous languages were also introduced through cultural activities. INALCO Chair in Taiwan Studies Prof. Liu Chan-yueh pointed out that while English is certainly useful in international exchange, constructing a field of research on the foundation of Taiwan’s subjectivity will require encouraging international scholars to study Taiwan’s languages more deeply. “Twenty languages spoken in Taiwan means that there are twenty different channels through which to know, engage with, discuss, and research Taiwan.”
The topics at the forum transcended traditional disciplinary boundaries, and encompassed everything from the history of Taiwan, artificial intelligence, and the social sciences and humanities, to oceanographic literature, cultural preservation, and international publishing. Renowned oceanographic writer Liao Hung-chi (廖鴻基) also shared some of his island writing, which allowed European scholars to rediscover Taiwan through both literature and maritime experience.
The other highlight of the forum was the participation of four youth groups organized by the Ministry of Education’s Youth Development Administration: “Island Voices,” (島語發聲) “Taiwan-France Arts and Culture,” (臺法藝境) “RE: Taiwan Reinterpreted,”(RE：臺灣再詮釋) and “Filming a New Taiwan” (拍出新臺灣). Through cultural experiences such as koa-á-hì (Taiwanese opera), sio-po-kua (traditional folk music), Indigenous Tao and Painan songs, 語言與影像, they were no longer simply taking part in international exchanges, but also active participants in sharing Taiwan’s experience with the world, leaving a deep impression on southern European scholars and students.
The forum concluded with a focus on long-term cooperation, and discussed possibilities such as joint courses, sharing of educational resources, transnational research, and the development of cooperative programs, with the aim of gradually building a tighter network of Taiwan Studies institutes in southern Europe. Though held in Paris, this forum helped the world better understand Taiwan, but more importantly, enabled Taiwan to be a full participant in global discourse using its own languages, cultures, and knowledge.
Guest reporting by Prof. Liu Chan-yueh (劉展岳)
Translated by Gregory Laslo (樓克己)