“Democracy is never a thing done,” wrote poet Archibald MacLeish. “Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing.” In a similar vein, Taiwan’s vibrant democracy continues to be shaped and tested by dynamic internal and external pressures. This year, Taiwan’s January elections resulted in its first divided government since 2004, with no party winning an outright majority in the Legislative Yuan. Social movements have emerged in Taiwan in response to domestic political developments, including the Bluebird Movement, which formed in protest of a set of contentious legislative reform bills and produced the largest civil society demonstration since the 2014 Sunflower Movement. At the same time, exogenous factors such as the 2024 U.S. presidential election, ongoing cross-Strait tensions, and major military exercises conducted this year by the People’s Republic of China have left indelible marks on domestic political discourse in Taiwan. All the while, cross-sector social and digital innovations, such as civic technologies designed to counter disinformation, position Taiwan as a pioneer in new forms of democratic governance. How are Taiwan’s democratic institutions adapting to this wide array of internal and external social, political, and security challenges?

Join the Sigur Center for Asian Studies for a timely conversation with a group of multidisciplinary experts to unpack, explore, and assess the current state of domestic political discourse in Taiwan, the robustness and resiliency of Taiwan’s democratic institutions, and the newly emerging democratic frontiers confronting Taiwan and beyond.