Developing Taiwan Studies Teaching Programme in Europe and the United States: the experience of SOAS University of London and University of Texas at Austin

Main author: Fell, Dafydd
Other authors: Chang, Sung-sheng Yvonne
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-25978
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description Over the last two decades, there has been a rapid expansion in the number of Taiwan programmes at universities in America and Europe; however, few of these Taiwan programmes have attempted to develop teaching courses. Where Taiwan courses have been introduced, they have tended to be in isolation and not well integrated into existing academic programmes. Among the universities with Taiwan programmes, only two have attempted to create comprehensive teaching programmes through which students can graduate with a degree in Taiwan studies: SOAS University of London and the University of Texas at Austin. The purpose of this paper is to compare the experiences of these two institutions in developing such niche teaching programmes. It begins with a discussion of how these two programmes first emerged and then goes on to review their distinct development trajectories and key features. The paper offers an analysis of how these two programmes were able not only to survive but also to expand their offerings and thrive in an academic environment that should be hostile to such niche programmes. It concludes with a review of the remaining challenges facing these teaching programmes.
format Journal Article
author Fell, Dafydd
author_facet Fell, Dafydd
Chang, Sung-sheng Yvonne
authorStr Fell, Dafydd
author_letter Fell, Dafydd
author2 Chang, Sung-sheng Yvonne
author2Str Chang, Sung-sheng Yvonne
title Developing Taiwan Studies Teaching Programme in Europe and the United States: the experience of SOAS University of London and University of Texas at Austin
publisher Cambridge University Press
publishDate 2019
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/25978/