[CHANGE OF VENUE] Taiwan through stories: the economy, cuisine and natural disasters – Presentation of three new books on Taiwan
This event offers the chance to discover three new books on Taiwan, published by Maisonneuve & Larose – Nouvelles Éditions / Hémisphères Éditions, which blend literature, history and society to explore different facets of the Taiwanese experience.
Writing the Economy. Taiwanese Experiences: Between History and Fiction, edited by Chan-yueh Liu, Pei-jung Lin and Wei-chih Wang, examines Taiwan’s economic transformations through a dialogue between historical narratives and literary representations.
The economy is never merely a technical backdrop to history. It is one of the silent driving forces that shape social structures, guide human interactions and define the possibilities of existence. Through these, the contours of a society—its tensions, aspirations and divisions—take shape. Whilst the economy outlines the social landscape, literature reveals its contours and fissures. It enables us to grasp what would otherwise remain elusive: the texture of everyday life, the weight of expectations, the fragility of balances. And it is perhaps here that its most valuable function lies: in creating that space of suspension where reality can finally be observed, questioned and understood. This book sets out to reflect on the interactions between Taiwan’s economic development and certain literary works, thereby offering an interdisciplinary, cross-perspective analysis.
Culinary and Literary Traces. A History of Taiwan through its Cuisines, edited by Chan-yueh Liu and Min-xu Zhan, invites readers to explore Taiwan’s history through its food practices, culinary memories and their expressions in literature.
There is an alternative way to understand Taiwan: it is achieved neither through maps nor official narratives, but through stories of food, through these fragments of existence woven into the fabric of language. Five texts, five foods, five styles of writing – and, as these pages unfold, an island is revealed, shattered into living fragments. In each text, food becomes a hearth: a hearth of memory, of desire, of rupture, of reclamation.
Finally, Living with Natural Disasters. Stories and Journeys in Taiwan, edited by Chan-yueh Liu and Min-xu Zhan, explores how Taiwanese society lives with earthquakes, typhoons and other natural disasters, and how these experiences are recounted, passed on and reinterpreted.
How do the people of Taiwan coexist with severe natural disasters: earthquakes, typhoons, landslides, floods, droughts… What are the impacts on Taiwanese identity and on artistic creation? In the face of climate change, the shared vulnerability of human societies opens up the possibility of a renaissance and a transformation of mindsets; the resilience of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples raises questions about human responsibility and the solidarity that may result, not only on the island but also beyond its borders, in order to live and adapt in a world where disasters are becoming increasingly frequent and intense. Through these texts, the authors shift the perception of natural disasters from conflict towards cooperation, from tragedy towards a new understanding of nature. Nature transforms humans and civilisations; it shapes perceptions and beliefs: through these translated texts, this volume sets out to explore the interactions between the people of Taiwan and their environment, and to discover an island that is not only maritime but also riverine, where nature determines unique human trajectories and creations.
Through the presentation of these three publications, this event will provide an opportunity to reflect on how the economy, food and the environment serve as gateways to understanding Taiwanese history, literature and society, as well as the specific ways in which Taiwan narrates and conceives of itself.
Publisher:
Hémisphères - Maisonneuve & Larose Éditions
Organised with the support and collaboration of:
National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan (NSTC)
National Museum of Taiwan Literature
National Chung Hsing University (Taiwan)
Chair in Taiwanese Studies at INALCO
Contact: View e-mail
