· Application Deadline extended: 15 March 2024 ·

Taiwan Travel Grant

Trier University is awarding three travel grants in 2025 as part of the collaborative research project "TAP – Taiwan as a Pioneer". 

The focus is on Taiwan-related research projects. Postdoctoral fellows, doctoral fellows, and outstanding master's and bachelor's students from all programs and departments who wish to write an independent research project (or thesis) with a thematic focus on Taiwan are eligible to apply. The trip should last at least eight weeks and should be completed by the 15th of October 2025. The scholarship holder will submit a written report on the progress of the research supported by the scholarship on the 1st of November 2025. The results of the research activity should be made available to the public, if possible, and presented on the TAP website and in the network.

Important Facts at a Glance:

• one-time funding amount: maximum 4,000 euros
• target groups: Postdoc/PhD, doctoral students, bachelor's and master's students of all study programs
• possible period of stay: starting from April to 15th of October 2025
• duration of stay: at least 8 weeks
• application deadline: 17th of February 2025

You can find more information on the website of Trier University. Please read all information carefully and submit all required documents completely. 

TAP Internal Workshop in Trier (13-16 January 2025)

From January 3 to 5, 2025, TAP members conducted an internal workshop to review the implementation of last year's program and to plan the workflow and revisions for the coming year.

For more information and impressions, please click the button below.  

Spring Schools

Introduction to Taiwanese (Tâi-gí) and Taiwan's Contemporary Popular Culture

Lecturer: Khó͘ Pōe-bín 許珮旻 M.A., and colleagues
This Spring School is designed to teach elementary Taiwanese and explain its application in contemporary Taiwanese popular culture.
For details, please click the button below.

· Application Deadline: 31 January 2025 ·

Calls for Applications: Doctoral Researchers

The Graduate School GRK 2833 "East Asian Futures: Visions and Realizations on National, Transregional and Global Scales" (EAF) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) offers seven 0,75 TV-L 13 positions and six affiliated fellowships at Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen for Doctoral Research (m,f,x) from October 1, 2025 till September 30, 2029.

Important Facts at a Glance:

• Seven Doctoral Researchers (PhD candidates; m,f,x), 29,8725 hours per week, TV-L E13, until September 30, 2029  
• Six Affiliated Fellowships for Doctoral Researchers who provide their own funding.
• program period: October 1, 2025 till September 30, 2029 (total of 4 years)
• application deadline: 31st of January, 2025

Further details on the application procedures, deadlines and the program can be found on their website. To visit, please click the button below.

TAP members visiting the DVCS XXXV Annual Meeting

Dr. Thomas Fliß, Dr. Yu-Yin Hsu, and Prof. Christine Moll-Murata participated in the 2024 DVCS conference (XXXV. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Vereinigung für Chinastudien), which was held by the Institute of Sinology and East Asian Studies at the University of Münster.

For further information and impressions, please click the button below. 

AREA Day 2024 - Taiwan at Ruhr University Bochum

On November 9, 2024, the AREA Day 2024 will take place at Ruhr University Bochum, with this year’s theme being Taiwan’s rich culture and its traces throughout North Rhine-Westphalia. Under the slogan “Culture, Cuisine & Community”, the event’s hosts AREA Ruhr and Taiwanherz invite all interested parties to indulge in a diverse programme including Taiwanese culinary delights as well as numerous workshops and hands-on activities, from calligraphy, martial arts and ceramic painting to Chinese chess, mahjongg, Taiwanese indigenous culture and a choir performance.

The event will commence with a guided tour through the Taiwan Research Unit’s exhibition “Motor der Moderne. Bildung in Taiwan, 1900–1950” by Prof. Dr. Christine Moll-Murata and will also feature a lecture by Prof. Moll-Murata introducing the activities of the Taiwan Research Unit since 2001 and the TAP project.

Workshop Discussion with Taiwanese Comicauthor Sean Chuang (小莊)

We are pleased to invite you to a special event featuring renowned Taiwanese comic author Sean Chuang (小莊), who will be presenting his series "Tidal Waves" (潮浪群雄). Join us for an engaging workshop where Chuang will share insights into his creative process and the themes behind his work, followed by a lively audience discussion.

Time: 24th of October, 6 - 8 pm
Location: MB3/126, Ruhr University Bochum

TAP workshop “Digital Teaching and Digital Humanities in Taiwan Studies”

On September 30th to October 2nd the TAP project in Bochum hosted their international workshop "Digital Teaching and Digital Humanities in Taiwan Studies" at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, bringing together scholars from Taiwan, Germany and other European contries.

For more impressions, please click the link below. 

Exhibition Opening at Library - Motor der Moderne. Bildung in Taiwan, 1900 – 1950

The Taiwan Research Unit will open an exhibition on Taiwan in the university library on September 30th at 5 p.m. The exhibition uses images from two archives to document snapshots of educational initiatives in elementary, middle and higher schools as well as in vocational training. On the one hand, the archive of the Japanese doctor and second director of the Taipei Medical School, Takagi Tomoe (1858-1943), will be presented, which is being processed as part of the BMBF project “Taiwan as a Pioneer” (TAP). On the other hand, photographs of the first language and teacher training institute, today's Taipei University of Education (NTUE), will be shown. Anyone interested is cordially invited to view the exhibition and join us for the exhibition opening. For further information, please see the official website of the university library. 

The curators of the exhibition, Christine Moll-Murata, Hsu Yu-yin, and Chien Hung-yi will give short introductions in German and English to the posters on display.

Time: Monday, September 30th, 5 pm
Place: Ruhr University Bochum Library, 1st Floor, Room 09

“Facing Up to the Digital Turn in the Museums: A Field Report from the NMTH” - Speech by Dr. Lung-Chi Chang

TAP (Taiwan as a Pioneer), a BMBF-funded research project, invited Dr. Lung-Chi Chang, Director of the National Museum of History of Taiwan, to give a talk on “Facing Up to the Digital Turn in the Museums: A Field Report from the NMTH” at its international workshop this autumn. Please see the poster for the speakers' introduction. Pre-registration is not required.

Time: Monday, September 30, 2024, 10:30 am - 12 pm
Place: Mensa Foyer Room 2, Ruhr-University Bochum
 

Workshop Discussion with renowned Taiwanese Film Director Wei Te-Sheng 魏德聖

The renowned Taiwanese film director Wei Te-Sheng is currently premiering his new film BIG overseas. On Sunday, 23.06.2024, at around 1:30 p.m., the film will be shown in a special screening at the UFA Filmpalast at Düsseldorf Central Station. 

On Monday, 24.06.2024, at 6:30 p.m a workshop discussion with the director will take place at the Ruhr University Bochum. All interested parties are warmly invited to participate! 

Time: 24.06.2024, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Changed Location: MB 3/126

EATS Conference 2024

TAP members attended the 21st EATS Annual Conference at the Vienna Center for Taiwan Studies, University of Vienna, from April 3rd to 5th, which focused on "Conceptualising Gender, Women and LGBTQI+ in / and Taiwan" this year. For more information and insights, please click the button below. 

MOU with National Taiwan Library

In the morning of 28 March 2024, Dr. Cuiying Cao, Director of the National Taiwan Library, and Prof. Dr. Christine Moll-Murata signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on International Academic Exchange and Cooperation at the National Taiwan Library. For more information, please click the button below. 

Lecture Series: Taiwan in Geschichte und Gegenwart

The Ruhr University Bochum is holding a Lecture Series called "Taiwan in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Koloniales Erbe, moderne Gesellschaft und partizipative Politik" initiated by the research project TAP and the Taiwan working group of the DVCS. In this lecture series, specialists in Taiwan's humanities and social sciences convey current historical, linguistic, anthropological, political, religious and cultural perspectives. 

For further information on the lectures and registration, please click the button below. 

TAP Internal Workshop in Bochum (18-20 March 2024)

From 18-20 of March the TAP members Dr. Josie-Marie Perkuhn, Dr. Thomas Fliß, Dr. Amélie Keyser-Verreault and Dr. Hsu Yu-Yin met at Ruhr University Bochum to discuss collaborations and further plans for 2024.

For more information and impressions, please click the button below.  

· Application Deadline extended: 15 March 2024 ·

Taiwan Travel Grant

Trier University is awarding three travel grants in 2024 as part of the collaborative research project "TAP – Taiwan as a Pioneer". 

The focus is on Taiwan-related research projects. Postdoctoral fellows, doctoral fellows, and outstanding master's and bachelor's students from all programs and departments who wish to write an independent research project (or thesis) with a thematic focus on Taiwan are eligible to apply. The trip should be started and completed in this calendar year at best, considering the entry requirements, and should last at least eight weeks. The scholarship holder will submit a written report on the progress of the research supported by the scholarship at the end. The results of the research activity should be made available to the public, if possible, and presented on the TAP website and in the network.

Important Facts at a Glance:

• one-time funding amount: maximum 4,000 euros
• target groups: Postdoc/PhD, doctoral students, bachelor's and master's students of all study programs
• starting date: April 2024 (stay needs to be completed within 2024)
• duration of stay: at least 8 weeks
• application deadline: 15th of March 2024

You can find more information on the website of Trier University. Please read all information carefully and submit all required documents completely. Please note that the application deadline has been extended, the information on the website of the University of Trier will be updated soon. 

Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Taiwan 2024

A panel of experts convened on 1 February 2024 to analyze Taiwan's recent elections and the evolving geopolitical landscape. The panel consisted of Dr. Josie-Marie Perkuhn, a member of TAP at the University of Trier, Jürgen Kahl, a correspondent for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and the head of the Research Unit for Taiwanese Culture and Literature (TRU), Prof. Dr. Christine Moll-Murata. Prof. Dr. Jörn-Carsten Gottwald, Chair Professor for East Asian Politics, moderated the evening.

For more information and insights, click the button below. 

TAP Members Visiting the DVCS XXXIV Annual Meeting

Dr. Josie-Marie Perkuhn, Dr. Thomas Fliß and Dr. Yu-Yin Hsu attended the DVCS XXXIV annual meeting in Erlangen on 25 November 2023 for new events of the TAP project. For further information, please click the button below.

Dr. Hsu's presentation in Taiwan

Dr. Hsu presented her current research progress in TAP and had a discussion with other researchers at a workshop in Taiwan. For more information and impressions, please click the button below.

· Winter Term 2023/2024 ·

Courses on Taiwan

BA Seminar: Elementary Tâi-gí (Taiwanese Holo Language) (online)

Teachers: Ms. Kho Poe-bin
Time: Monday, 10–12 h

Course information: This course aims at explaining the structure and characteristics of Tâi-gí (the Taiwanese Holo Language) so that the students will understand its basic grammar. There will be a systematic introduction to Tâi-gí structure such as phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax as well as practical exercises in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Besides, the course will give an general outline of the history, current situation, writing systems, learning resources, dialectal differences, idiomatic expression, linguistic research, and language development of Tâi-gí.
 

BA Exercise: Tutorial for Elementary Tâi-gí (Taiwanese Holo Language) (online)

Teacher: Ms. Kho Poe-bin
Time:  Wednesdays, 12–14 h

Course information:  This is an online tutorial for LV 090108 Elementary Tâi-gí (Taiwanese Holo Language). It is intended for practice of pronunciation and conversation. The course will be held in English.

Dr. Hsu's Research Trip to Taiwan and Japan

Dr. Hsu from the TAP team is currently in Taiwan and Japan to research the influence of medical education in Taiwan under Japanese rule. For more information and impressions, please click the button below.

New Article from Dr. Hsu (TAP): "Building a Cornerstone of Education: Localized Growth of the Modern Printing Industry in Colonial Taiwan"

Dr. Hsu Yu-Yin from the TAP team in Bochum published an article titled "Building a Cornerstone of Education: Localized Growth of the Modern Printing Industry in Colonial Taiwan." In the article, she reviews the development of printing in Taiwan during the Japanese rule and discusses the link between the printing industry, education, and local awareness in Taiwan.

· Tuesday, 30 May 2023 ·

Lecture on the Topic "Taiwan in Europe – Historical Research and Public Awareness" at Academia Sinica

On Tuesday, 30 May 2023, at 3 p.m. Taiwan time (9 a.m. German time), Prof. Christine Moll-Murata gave a lecture at the Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica, Taiwan, on the topic "Taiwan in Europe – Historical Research and Public Awareness."

· Summer Term 2023 ·

Courses on Taiwan

BA Exercise: Geographic Information System and Map-Making for East Asian Studies

Teacher: Prof. Dr. Cheng An-hsi 鄭安睎
Time: block seminar starting on Friday, 16 June (please check eCampus)

Course information: This course is a basic course of geographic information system (GIS) digital cartography and metrological history. It mainly uses the free software QGIS and other spatial software OSM (Open Street Map). The QGIS course is taught in four units, including: basic operation of software, statistical mapping, integrated application of GPS tracks and QGIS, GPS trajectory and field survey, etc. Through the training of this course, students will be guided step by step from software operation, data analysis and arrangement. This will induce students' understanding of spatial digital quantification in the humanities and social sciences, and aims to establish a learning attitude of objectively using quantitative data and independent thinking.The course provides a methodological tool for all students of East Asian Studies.
Assignments: Active participation, map-making, presentation: 5 CP

BA Seminar: Taiwan’s Ethnic Groups Between Mountains and the Sea: Anthropological Explorations

Teachers: Prof. Dr. Cheng An-hsi 鄭安睎, Prof. Dr. Christine Moll-Murata
Time: Fridays, 12–14 h
Room: Uni134, 2.06

Course information: This seminar presents the main ethnic groups living in present-day Taiwan from an anthropological  perspective. We will start with a presentation of prehistorical traces and historical records of these Austronesian peoples and discuss their cooperation and conflicts with early Dutch and Spanish colonialists and Chinese settlers up until the early 20th century.
In the period of Japanese colonial rule, first anthropological research was conducted in Taiwan with the objective of controlling  the indigenous population. The related research will be presented with a special focus on resistance and adaptation of  Taiwan's  indigenous peoples. One main focus of the seminar is on the self-representation of the indigenous groups, Taiwan Aboriginal Rights and their political participation in the recent years.
Students will be asked to give short presentations of particular groups and more general issues. Except written materials, we will also analyze media representations of the concerned groups. The course will be taught in English and Chinese; introductory materials in Chinese will also be presented.

BA Exercise: Tutorium für Grundkurs Taiwanisch / Tutorial for Elementary Taiwanese

Teacher: Wu Kuan-Wei 吳冠緯, M.A.
Time:  Wednesdays, 16–18 h
Room: GABF 04/409

Course information:  This is a tutorial for Elementary Tâi-gí (Taiwanese Holo Language). It is intended for practice of pronunciation and conversation.
The course will be held in English.

· Application Deadline: 11 April 2023 ·

Taiwan Travel Grant

Trier University is awarding three travel grants in 2023 as part of the collaborative research project "TAP – Taiwan as a Pioneer".

The focus is on Taiwan-related research projects. Postdoctoral fellows, doctoral fellows, and outstanding master's and bachelor's students from all programs and departments who wish to write an independent research project (or thesis) with a thematic focus on Taiwan are eligible to apply. The trip should be started and completed in this calendar year at best, considering the entry requirements, and should last at least eight weeks. The scholarship holder will submit a written report on the progress of the research supported by the scholarship at the end. The results of the research activity should be made available to the public, if possible, and presented on the TAP website and in the network.

Important Facts at a Glance:

• one-time funding amount: maximum 4,000 euros
• target groups: Postdoc/PhD, doctoral students, bachelor's and master's students of all study programs
• starting date: June 2023 (calendar year 2023)
• duration of stay: at least 8 weeks
• application deadline: 11 April 2023

You can find more information on the website of Trier University. Please read all information carefully and submit all required documents completely.

· Thursday, 26 January 2023 ·

Lecture and Reading of Dr. Thilo Diefenbach

On Thursday, 26 January 2023, 6-8 p.m. s.t., Dr. Thilo Diefenbach will give a lecture and reading on his new work, "Zwischen Himmel und Meer", a new translation anthology of literary works from Taiwan. The lecture take place at Ruhr University Bochum, building GB, room 04/59 (room change!).

All interested persons are cordially invited.

· November 2022  ·

Welcome Dr. Hsu Yu-Yin 徐郁縈!

The TAP team gladly announces that Dr. Hsu Yu-Yin from Tainan has arrived on 29 November 2022. Dr. Hsu is now taking up the position of TAP postdoc project leader in TAP's Bochum sub-project "Erziehung als Motor der Moderne" (Education as a Motor of Modernity).

· Tuesday, 6 December 2022 ·

Taiwan Information Day (Taiwan-Infotag) – Information About Taiwan and Field Reports About Studies, Internship and Job Search

On Tuesday, 6 December from 12–15 p.m., an information day on Taiwan will be held in cooperation with the International Office of the Ruhr University Bochum and the Taipeh Vertretung Frankfurt. In addition to interesting lectures on Taiwan, the event will also focus on exchange opportunities with Taiwan, whether for a study visit, an internship or a job. All interested persons are invited to come by at any time in Tagungsraum II of the Mensa.
The presentations will be held in German.

· Tuesday, 29 November 2022 ·

Local Elections in Taiwan – Analyses and Backgrounds (Lokalwahlen in Taiwan – Analysen und Hintergründe)

At the end of November, local elections will be held in Taiwan, on the occasion of which we are offering a panel and audience discussion entitled "Local Elections in Taiwan – Analyses and Background" on Tuesday, 29 November. The panelists will include Jürgen Kahl, correspondent of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Tatjana Romig, a freelance journalist who works for Radio Taiwan International, and the head of the Research Unit for Taiwanese Culture and Literature (TRU), Prof. Dr. Christine Moll-Murata. The evening will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Jörn-Carsten Gottwald, Chair of East Asian Politics.

The hybrid event will take place from 18:30–20:30 in room GB 04/59 or as online webinar.

All interested persons are cordially invited.

The discussion will be held in German.

· Thursday, 17 November 2022  ·

Lecture by Prof. Heylen on the Topic: A Sociolinguistic Approach to Language Standardization in Taiwan: The Case of Taigi

On Thursday, 17 November 2022, Prof. Ann Heylen from National Taiwan Normal University (國立臺灣師範大學) will give a talk titled "A Sociolinguistic Approach to Language Standardization in Taiwan: The Case of Taigi". The lecture will take place from 17-19 h c.t. at Ruhr University Bochum, Building GB 04/59.

All interested persons are cordially invited.

Those who can not attend in presence, are welcome to join via Zoom: