Understanding Transnational Activism and Democratization: The Case of Taiwan

• In Event: International History and Politics in East Asia

Abstract

Transnational activism has been featured in a large proportion of academic literature since the 1990s, whereby it is recognised as an important force for analysis in international politics. In particular, the study of democratisation and the role that civil societies have played should be studied in the context of it being transnational, as such events do not happen in isolation. Despite this, the role of transnational activism in the East Asian wave of democratization has been relatively unexplored.
To explore this area further, this paper seeks to understand the role played by transnational activism in the democratization process of a country or territory. To understand this, this paper proposes using the novel theoretical framework of metis diplomacy to understand the role transnational activism has played in democratisation, how they seek to influence governments, both domestic and foreign to push for democracy. Metis diplomacy has been used to analyze the ‘state-becoming’ of Kosovo, exploring the role played by everyday situated discourses, diplomatic practices and entanglements in the enactment of sovereign statehood for Kosovo.
This paper proposes the use of Taiwan’s democratization movement as a case study, applying the theory of metis diplomacy through the adoption of discourse analysis and practice tracing in understanding how transnational activists groups advocated for democratization. It will explore the role played by transnational activists, those based overseas in advocating for democracy in Taiwan. It will highlight the role that everyday discourses, everyday diplomatic practices and everyday entanglements have played in the success or failure of those transnational activists in achieving their goals of democratization.

Author

• Zeng Ee Liew, University of Surrey