fulbright Taiwan online journal

fulbright Taiwan online journal

Tag: Taipei

China’s Military Political Commissar System under PLA Modernization/ Professionalization

Introduction  This paper will attempt to answer the following research question, “will China’s military modernization and professionalization change the institution of political commissars in the People’s Liberation Army?” The incoming development of technology, the revolution in military affairs, and the changing composition of PLA personnel will all contribute in accelerating the transition away from a symbiotic party-army relationship to increasing institutional autonomy. The concept of professionalization supports Huntington’s theory of civil-military theory of objective civilian control. Such support, in turn, has major consequences for the political commissar system. Second, the need for a non-commissioned officer (NCO) support system places political commissars in the prime position to begin shifting their roles and responsibilities away from ideological purposes.The goal is to utilize this research to better understand how China has changed their military organization and to conceive a more complete representation of China’s PLA. What are Political Commissars? Since the early 20th century, the PLA leadership structure has incorporated political officers at every level of their chain of command. Unlike the U.S. military which attempts to separate political actors from their tactical and military decisions (except at the highest level of leadership), the PLA is a Party-army: its strategies, regulations, and traditions

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Stacy Closson: An Experience in Diplomatic Educational Exchange

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg_rSjVb6-o Dr. Stacy Closson reflects on her teaching experience with international graduate and undergraduate students during the Middle East and Diplomacy class in National Chengchi University (NCCU) in. She also discusses her research and presentations on the energy and environmental security of Taiwan. Dr. Closson is an Assistant Professor at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, University of Kentucky. She is a Fulbright Scholar and Visiting Professor at the Department of Diplomacy, National Chengchi University in Taipei from January to June 2016.

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Jeffery Hou: Creative Urban Commoning – Examining Alternative Placemaking in Contemporary Taiwan

As the first Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program grant recipient to Taiwan, Jessica Dzieweczynski observes and collects Taiwanese everyday life experiences as firsthand material and term them into Chinese curriculum back in the States. Jessica holds a M.A. in Chinese Pedagogy and teaches high school students Mandarin at Latin School of Chicago.

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Kirsten Asdal: Naval Perspectives on Asia-Pacific Maritime Conflict

Kirsten shared her experiences living and studying in Taipei in 2013-2014 and discussed what she has learned about Asia-Pacific international relations and regional maritime conflict. Kirsten Asdal graduated from the US Naval Academy in May 2013 with a B.S. in Chinese. She will complete a masters in Contemporary Chinese Studies at Oxford University in 2015, then report to her first ship, the USS MICHAEL MURPHY (DDG112), to serve as a division officer.

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Reflections on Illiteracy

“My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors.” ―M. Angelou One challenge that I didn’t understand in its entirety when I accepted my grant to come to Taiwan was what it is like to be illiterate.  There are many things in life that we take for granted, and sometimes, it takes the absence of something to really understand that concept. For example, when you are sick with a cold and you are so congested that you can’t breathe normally, it is not until that moment that you realize what a privilege it is to breathe properly. This has been the case for me during my service in Taiwan. I had no idea how incredibly fortunate I am to be literate–able to read and write in the primary language of each country in which I had previously resided. I took for granted the automatic ease of functioning in a society that literacy gives an individual. My current illiterate state in the Mandarin language allows me to more fully appreciate the power and importance of literacy on a variety

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Research & Reflections

fulbright taiwan online journal