The challenges of research on contemporary Taiwan at a time of Cross-Strait tensions

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges of conducting research on Taiwan within the context of geopolitical tensions, focusing on the discourse surrounding the positionality of Western scholars. While Taiwan offers a more accessible research environment compared to mainland China, there are conceptual difficulties stemming from its contested statehood. In a global narrative that often reduces Taiwan’s political reality to a facet of U.S.-China competition, this contribution emphasizes the need for a critical approach that acknowledges the diversity of local voices, avoids reinforcing existing dichotomies, and ensures a more nuanced understanding of Taiwan's political sphere.