On Goodwill and Hospitality
Admiring this living room in this guesthouse in Xincheng, minutes from the gate of Taroko Gorge, I am forced to consider what a villager from, say, northeastern Tibet/Western China would do with such space!
Becoming a Bird
I came to Taiwan as a Fulbright Scholar-Teacher-Artist, and all three paths have been full of discovery. My topic is the human-bird myths that are found in cultures around the world, and that have inspired my own sculptures; I wanted to see how this theme played out in Taiwan’s rich cultural mix. My goal was […]
Why Taiwan? Investigating the Biogeography of Flatfishes from Their Evolutionary Hotspot
A key part of any Fulbright Taiwan application is “Why Taiwan?” Why does an applicant want to come to Taiwan and why is it necessary to come to Taiwan for the proposed work? For many participants in the Fulbright program, there are clear connections as part of historical, political and cultural study. As […]
When Home and Economics Collide: The Opaque Market of Foreign Domestic Work in Taiwan
Although I have lived most of my life in China, my Fulbright scholarship was the first time I had been to Taiwan. I had heard much about the beautiful island, and other members of my family had visited and told me stories, but I’d never had the chance to go. And as was […]
Can Health Insurance Boost Fertility? The Fertility Effect of National Health Insurance in Taiwan
When I arrived in Taipei two years ago, I knew relatively little about local Taiwanese culture or issues. With an undergraduate background in English and Chinese, most of my academic knowledge was limited to English literature and the politics of mainland China. I was drawn to Taiwan by its reputation for vibrant democracy, […]
Green Space in the Heart of a Bustling City
During the 2016-2017 academic year, I am honored to have spent ten months at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Modern History while on a Fulbright grant for American graduate students (U.S. fellows). My Taipei-based project, A Chameleonic Power: The Republic of China’s Encounter with the Decolonizing World, 1942-1971, has been a component of my […]
Becoming an Insider: My Journey in Taiwan’s Social Welfare Movement
This past year has been a whirlwind of changes for me. When I first landed in Taiwan, I only had a surface-level understanding of its people and culture. I had just finished a year-long program in China and was excited to experience something different. At the time, I had expected to enjoy my […]
An Excuse to Get Started: Reflections on My Taiwan Fulbright Fellowship Experience
I once listened to an interview with a famous artist, who when asked if she cared whether people knew something about the original influences in her work, replied: “Well, it’s nice if they know, but it doesn’t really matter. Those things were just an excuse for me to get started.” As […]
Evaluating America: Reflections on Perspective in the International Community
Long before I was selected for a Fulbright Scholarship to Taiwan, I spent most of my life on a different island across the Pacific Ocean. I was born and raised in Hawaii, a multicultural community known for its diversity. Despite my Chinese and Japanese heritage, I never considered myself “Asian-American.” I was just […]
Brown in Taiwan: Episode 1
Like most educators who come from inner-city upbringings, Ms. Murdock is deeply passionate about creating safe spaces for developing critical thinking and learner identity, as well as facilitating equitable pedagogy in the classroom. Throughout this video, you will get a glance at Dominique’s research focus, her reflections on adapting to Taiwan, and some candid insight […]
