Theme: Heteroglossic Taiwan: Dialogues Across Many Voices
Heteroglossia can mean the coexistence of plurality and difference, an openness to distinct perspectives and voices; it can also stand as an appeal for respect toward the other—not a unity achieved through reconciliation, but a regard for actions and consciousnesses that remain independent and unmerged. Heteroglossia also raises several questions, such as: whether a plurality of voices demands substantive exchange, or whether coexistence alone is enough. How do these groups embrace seemingly contradictory demands of plurality on the inside, while maintaining cohesion on the outside?
As Taiwan Studies continues to mature from its Cold War era foundation as an alternative Sinology into its own distinct field of study—and as its scholars approach the study of Taiwan from increasingly diverse disciplinary formations, methodological approaches, and theoretical investments—the potential for gaps between methodologies and assumptions increases. This demands some retrospective dialogue to discuss what it means to be a Taiwan Studies scholar. The 2027 NATSA conference theme, “Heteroglossic Taiwan: Dialogues Across Many Voices,” employs heteroglossia as the key concept, aiming to highlight the plural coexistence that already characterizes Taiwan Studies both within and beyond the field.
The 2027 NATSA conference theme of heteroglossia builds upon previous theoretical advances in Taiwan Studies, including the integration of contributions from Indigenous Studies as well as finding dialogue with Asian-American and Gender Studies. Scholarships in diverse disciplines have brought new critical perspectives to the field and expanded the range of histories and objects legible under the remit of Taiwan Studies. Nonetheless, these new perspectives may not naturally agree with each other. The imagined Taiwan is multiplicitous and calls for critical reflection. The idea of heteroglossia, or voices coming from different positions, is useful when studying a contested state such as Taiwan. Taiwan's colonial history and ongoing geopolitical tensions inexorably raises questions about whose voices shape broader narratives.
Welcoming multiple voices, the 2027 annual conference of the North American Taiwan Studies Association encourages submissions that engage with this concept of heteroglossia in their own research field. Submission Deadline is December 31st, 2026.