Graduate Institute of Public Affairs, NTU

Hello, friends!

This year’s Tingzijiao (Veranda) discussion series is coming to a close, and for our final session, we will focus on a topic deeply tied to local development and culture: local religion in Taiwan.

Taiwan’s local religious practices have evolved significantly alongside urbanization, displaying features quite distinct from their roots in more rural eras. In highly developed urban regions, local religious institutions have adapted to rapid social changes, offering new kinds of religious services to sustain their traditions and maintain robust participation.

Beyond strengthening local ties, many religious organizations have formed friendly networks with groups in other counties and even overseas, for instance through participation in deity alliance associations. At the same time, recent decades of rapid economic growth and social change have brought new controversies—including cross-strait religious exchanges and gang-related activities—that affect local civil society and community networks.

To address these issues, the Chinese Association for Government and Public Affairs and the Taiwan Association for Local Governance Studies (see https://localtw.org/) will invite experienced speakers representing different generations of religious leaders and researchers. Together, they will share experiences and perspectives on the current state of local religious management in Taiwan, the challenges faced, and possible strategies to ensure sustainable development.

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🗓️ Time: Saturday, October 26, 2024, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 Venue: Discussion Room 713, 7th Floor, College of Social Sciences, National Taiwan University

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🔹 Chair:

• Prof. Ming-Hsiu Chiang (Department of Public Administration, National Chengchi University)

🔹 Opening Speaker:

• Dr. Hsiu-Chun Chung (Ph.D. in Ethnology, National Chengchi University)

🔹 Discussants:

• Dr. Mao-Hsien Lin (Associate Professor and Department Chair, Department of Taiwanese Languages and Literature, National Taichung University of Education)

• Dr. Yi-En Tso (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Soochow University)

• Dr. Kuei-Min Chang (Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, National Taiwan University)

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Organizers:

• Graduate Institute of Public Affairs, National Taiwan University

• Chinese Association for Government and Public Affairs

• Taiwan Association for Local Governance Studies

Supporting Organization:

• Taiwan Foundation for Democracy

Registration Link: https://reurl.cc/ReG0lx

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We warmly welcome all friends interested in the development of local religion and related issues to join us!