SOAS Center of Taiwan Studies to Hold Free Virtual Summer School Event

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s summer school program for the Center of Taiwan Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (SOAS) will be held virtually and will be free to attend.

The SOAS Taiwan Studies department was founded in 1999 and is one of the leading university-level departments of the 19 such Taiwan-focused centers worldwide. It is currently the only center to offer a dedicated Taiwan Studies MA program outside of Taiwan. The summer school program, which started in 2007, is a highly anticipated annual event attracting speakers from the full breadth of academic disciplines.

In order to promote the study of Taiwan, the summer school is usually free to attend on site in London; this is the first time that it has been held virtually. It is a rare opportunity, therefore, for people interested in the field to gain a more thorough understanding without the expense of attending in person.

Dafydd Fell, director of Taiwan Studies at SOAS, said he is excited about the event, although he acknowledges that there are both benefits and drawbacks to the format.

“Although we started online teaching in March, this will be our first online event and it’s quite an ambitious event too,” Fell said. “So we are both excited and nervous.”

The five day event, which will be held between July 6 and July 10, includes seminars and panels covering topics such as gender studies—including the decriminalization of adultery in Taiwan—cross-strait relations, digital activism, Taiwanese identity, environmentalism and development, and Taiwanese cinema.

The 2020 program also includes five screenings: Love Boat: Taiwan; Unfinished Progress 建設未完成; “Island Nation” Episode 1: 長夜將盡 (Light at the End of the Tunnel); Out/Marriage (失婚記); and See You, Loveable Strangers 再見, 可愛陌生人. The films will be available for seven days, with scheduled Q&As with the directors held at set times during the regular schedule.

Amid a rich program, the book launch event for Taiwan Studies Revisited stands out as a highlight. The two-hour slot at 4 p.m. on July 6, will see some of the top names in Taiwan Studies discuss their past work in the frame of the developing field of study. The participants include Fell, Thomas B. Gold, Nancy Guy, Shelley Rigger, Joseph Wong, Simon Long, Melissa J. Brown, and Mikael Mattlin.

Taiwan Studies Revisited covers their methodology, fieldwork and how their work was received and if it has withstood the test of time. This discussion, therefore, will neatly blend disciplines to give an overview of the history and current status of Taiwan studies.

Although the switch to a virtual format for conferences has become a necessity around the world in the face of border controls, lockdowns, and social distancing in the face of the pandemic people are naturally still adjusting to the situation.

“Though you can have online events, much of the best discussion occurs informally before and after an event,” Fell said. “The discussions over beer and sandwiches are invaluable. Of course, there are some advantages to online events. They can be done more cheaply, saving on airfares and hotel costs.”

Dafydd Fell, director of Taiwan Studies at SOAS.

Fell describes the interest in the virtual summer school as high, with plenty of registrations from both Taiwan and the U.S. Full details of the program and the registration form can be found on the dedicated SOAS Taiwan Studies summer school page.

The events will be held between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. BST (4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Taiwan time) using the Blackboard collaboration platform. For those unable to attend at those times, a selection of the presentations may be available on the Taiwan Studies YouTube channel after the event.

Unlike the 2019 event, pictured above, 2020’s Summer School event will be held virtually.

In related news, the application for the 2020-21 MA in Taiwan Studies, which is taught on site, has been extended to July 31. A new scholarship program worth £5000 toward fees was also announced last week.

“Usually we stop accepting postgraduate applications in late June, but because of the COVID situation, this has been extended until the end of July, so there is still time to apply for the MA,” Fell said.

There are four scholarships available for either full or part-time studies, and potential applicants should bear in mind that they are likely a one-off for the 2020 program as they are being funded by the unspent research funds saved by speakers being unable to fly in to attend the summer school in person. The deadline for application is July 15.

(All photos courtesy of Jewel Lo)