In the context of globalization and global capitalism, Taiwan has geographic and historical proximity to the “New Southbound Policy” countries and the development of its economics, politics, and society resembles theirs. Due to social transformation and changes, Taiwan and these “New Southbound Policy” partners have all confronted challenges resulting from population aging, rearrangement of medical resources and care labor, restructuring of labor market, transnational migration of skill and semi-skill labor, and the development of public society and community economics.
In order to benefit from the similarities between Taiwan and the “New Southbound Policy” countries, the scholars in these regions should develop long-term academic exchanges and cooperation with each other.
As a way to begin this process, the conference themes focus on the major social issues Taiwan and the “New Southbound Policy” countries face during due to ongoing social transformation. Individual panels and presentations will address the following topics:
1.Aging and long-term care
In the global trend of an aging population, “aging in place” has emerged as a universal social ideal. However, conceptualizations of this ideal, expectations for its implementation, and strategies may differ in different social contexts. This panel will focus on Southeastern and Eastern Asian societies’ experiences in tackling the growing care-demands from the elderly, with the objective of developing a localized ideal of aging that may be much more suitable for the societies with higher rate of economic growth and familyism prevalence than in most Western societies.
2.Transnational migration and population mobility
Globalization not only facilitates the flows of capital and goods but accelerates population mobility across borders. This panel will explore the relevant research, including structural factors and mechanisms affecting migrants’ work and migration experiences, the migrants’ narratives, the expected and unexpected consequences caused by migration, and how the intersectionality of gender, class, and ethnicity shapes the experiences of migration.
3.Gender and labor market
Labor participation impacts the economic independence of women, power relations within households, and their economic security and poverty in later life. This panel discusses how women in East and Southeast Asia are incorporated into labor market in the context of global capitalism and national economic development, and how gender regime and structure of labor market affect their work experiences.
4.Community and alternative economics
This panel focuses its discussion on community and local micro businesses in East and Southeast Asia. Questions of interest include: What sorts of community-based economic innovations are emerging in these regions? What are the political and economic contexts in which such innovations emerge? Which institutions and mechanisms facilitate such businesses? What are the social consequences of the operations of community businesses? To what extent, for example, could they substitute for, perhaps with better services, service provision by the state? Do they consolidate the social status quo or enable mutual aid within communities, and perhaps even present an alternative to the capitalist economy?
5.Health and illness
Besides the traditional focus on the social structural dimension of health and illness, social scientists have increasingly foregrounded the cultural dimension. In particular, scholars have explored the biopolitical implications of healthism and new public health, as well as the meaning-making practices of people suffering from chronic or acute disease. This panel welcomes papers that explore health-related issues in Asian societies including: health inequities, the developmental paths of medical and public health institutions, illness experiences narratives, and the social and cultural impact of COVID-19.
We welcome scholars, NGO staff, and students interested in critical social issues in the contemporary East and Southeast society to participate in the conference.
Those wishing to present a paper should submit an abstract of between 200 and 300 words. Information enclosed with any abstract should include: theme number, title of paper; author name(s); affiliation(s); and email address of one corresponding author. Submissions for the conference should be sent to TS2020@gms.ndhu.edu.tw. The deadline for submission is 15 August 2020.
