The UCLA Taiwan Studies Lectureship (TSL) is a joint effort of the Asia Pacific Center (APC) and the Division of Humanities supported by the Taiwan Ministry of Education. The TSL aims to promote and broaden understanding of Taiwan’s politics, history, society, languages and culture. The program facilitates academic exchanges between UCLA and Taiwan, drawing on both the expertise of UCLA faculty and the contributions of visiting Taiwanese scholars. The TSL funds courses, public events, library acquisitions, and research grants for faculty and graduate students.

The initial stage (2014-2017) of the TSL focused on connections between contemporary Taiwan and the classical tradition in which it is rooted. The second stage (2017-2020) expanded the program to examine Taiwan’s culture and identity in historical, global, and transnational contexts. The TSL was renewed for another five years in 2020. In this third stage, the TSL turns the focus to Taiwan in relation to emerging global issues of critical importance, with the goal of expanding engagement with Taiwan in a greater diversity of academic disciplines and new research areas. In particular, stage 3 activities will examine Taiwan’s culture and identity in historical, global, and transnational contexts with a focus on three interrelated themes: (1) cultural change in Taiwan in the context of globalization; (2) social transformation in Taiwan: border crossing, emigration/immigration, and diasporic formation; and (3) shifting identities: Taiwanese indigeneity, trans-indigenous encounters across the Pacific, and nation- building.

Since 2014, the TSL has supported over 20 visiting scholars to UCLA; over 30 UCLA graduate student and faculty to further their research on Taiwan studies; new courses on Taiwan studies, including Taiwanese Language and Culture (Chinese 124 and 125) and Modernization and the Development of Taiwan Indigenous Societies (Anthropology 219); and 5 international conferences:

Rehistoricizing Kunqu: China’s Classical Opera (2016)

Zuozhuan in the Context of Warring States Texts (2017)

Musha 1930: History, Memory, Culture (2017)

Sinophone Studies: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Critical Reflections (2019)

Global Chinese Entrepreneurship (2020)

The TSL supports graduate student fellowships for travel to and research in Taiwan. Applications are due annually in winter quarter. Eligibility requirements apply – please check the application for details.