Why Taiwan? - Anthropological Perspectives

This book considers why Taiwan matters independent of the China-centric paradigm by both examining anthropological research on Taiwan as well as how to study Taiwan anthropologically, re-asserting the ontological status of Taiwan as a legitimate object of scholarly inquiry.

List of contents

Meanings of Why Taiwan? - An Introduction 1.Why Taiwan Mattered: Oral Histories from the US Cold War Anthropology of China in Taiwan 2. Taiwan Doesn't Matter Until It Does, Navigating the Crossroads of China and Taiwan Studies 3. Indigenous Lives Matter, The Relevance of Indigeneity to Taiwan and to Anthropology 4. Learning via a Conduit, An Anthropological Encounter with Taiwan in Mainland China 5. When a Local Invented Tradition Becomes Heritage Culture for All of China, The Paradox of Taiwan's Tea Art 6. From Sea Goddess to Peace Goddess: The Export of Taiwan's Cult of Mazu 7. Gambling and Affect, Risking and Daring in Cold War Matsu 8. Revisiting "Taiwanese Food Culture", The Culinary Contact Zone of East and Southeast Asian Foodways 9. Worlding Taiwanese Aquaculture Technology, Science Diplomacy, Experts, and Know-How Transfer

About the author

Shuenn-der Yu is a research fellow at the Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan.
Anru Lee is Professor of Anthropology and Global Asian Studies at John Jay College, the City University of New York, USA.

Product details

• Authors: Shuenn-Der Lee Yu
• Assisted by: Anru Lee (Editor), Shuenn-der Yu (Editor)
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 22.01.2026
• EAN: 9781041063612
• ISBN: 978-1-0-4106361-2
• No. of pages: 214
• Series: Routledge Research on Taiwan Series
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Social sciences, law, business > Social sciences (general); History, Cultural Studies, Taiwan, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, Social & cultural anthropology, ethnography, Humanities, Regional Studies, Social and cultural anthropology, Regional / International studies, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Cultural & Ethnic Studies / Asian Studies, Taiwan;anthropology;Taiwan studies;decolonization;culture