Scrapbook

Previous Activities

[21 January 2012]

Video message, Khmer Anti-Poverty Party, Fundraising Dinner, Long Beach, California.

Full text of speech >

YouTube video on FuleCable >

[20/21 December 2011]

Presenter at the International Symposium on the State of the Social Sciences in Asia, Kuala Lumpur

[29 November 2011]

Speaker at the National Convention of the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

[24/25 November 2011]

5th Congress of the Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA) convenes in Taichung, Taiwan >

Elected president and member of the Executive Committee, APISA >

[1 September 2011]

Lecturer, APISA Professional Capacity Building Workshop, Kuala Lumpur >

[2 August 2011]

Signatory, open letter to President Ma Ying-jeou regarding the indictment of former President Lee Teng-hui (published in the Taipei Times) >

[19 - 20 May 2011]

Presenter and Panel Chair, First International Conference on International Relations and Development, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.

PowerPoint Presentation >

[8 April 2011]

Signatory, open letter to President Ma Ying-jeou regarding the state of democracy in Taiwan

Liberty Times >

Taipei Times >

[March 2011]

Official Photographer, Salzburg Biennale 2011

[Winter 2010]

Teaching Fellow, Institute of Social and Societal Policy, University of Linz

Contributor, Encyclopedia of Transitional Justice, Cambridge University Press.

Appointed Chair of the Organising Committee, 5th APISA Congress >

[August/September 2010]

Taiwan Summer School Program Coordinator

[August 9-10, 2010]

Presenter, International Conference on Japan under the DPJ: Regime Shift and Regional Implications, organised by the Yuchengco Center, the Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA) and De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.

PowerPoint Presentation >

[July 2-3, 2010]

Trainer and adviser, Khmer Anti-Poverty Party Leadership Training, Lowell, MA, USA.

[May 23, 2010]

Signatory, open letter to Wang Jin-pyng, President of Legislative Yuan, regarding the ongoing negotiations between the Taiwanese and Chinese governments to arrive at an economic cooperation framework agreement >

[April 26, 2010]

Discussant and panel chair, International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility, Overseas Chinese University, Taiwan.

[February 2010]

Research trip to Thailand: Observation of the current political development (Red Movement and court verdict on Thaksin)

Research trip to Cambodia: First contact with electoral campaign team of Daran Kravanh, candidate for prime minister of Cambodia >

[January 1, 2010]

Acceptance of invitation to become electoral campaign advisor to Daran Kravanh, candidate for prime minister of Cambodia.

[November 13, 2009]

Signatory, open letter to President Ma Ying-jeou regarding the state of democracy in Taiwan >

[November 12-13, 2009]

Presenter and panel chair, International Conference on Contemporary Issues in Taiwanese Innovation and Industrial Policy, Centre for East and Southeast Asian Studies, Lund University, Sweden >

PowerPoint >

[September 28, 2009]

Presenter, International Workshop on Democratic Transition, Political Culture and Social Change in Taiwan, Institute of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna, Austria >

Power Point >

Full Paper in PDF >

[August/September 2009]

Taiwan Summer School Program Coordinator

[May 21, 2009]

Signatory, open letter to President Ma Ying-jeou regarding the state of democracy in Taiwan >

[February 11, 2009]

Research trip to Thailand

[November 29, 2008]

Presenter, Prospects of Democracy in East Asia for the 21st Century: Issues, Threats, and Challenges, Asian Political and International Studies Association (Jakarta).

Full Paper >

[November 23, 2008]

Presenter, Annual Conference of the Taiwanese Political Science Association (Puli).

[November 7, 2008]

Presenter, Higher Education Forum Austria - Taiwan (Taipei).

PowerPoint >

[September 25, 2008]

Research trip to Thailand

[August 1, 2008]

Launch of my my personal website fule.at

[June 22, 2008]

Research trip to Mongolia: Visiting Professor, Center for Mongol Studies, National University of Mongolia

[February 2, 2008]

Research trip to Thailand.

[January 13, 2008]

Reserach trip to South Korea

[December 13, 2007]

Discussant, 8th National Conference on Political Science and Public Administration (Bangkok).

[November 24, 2007]

Presenter, International Symposium: The 20th Anniversary of the Lifting of Martial Law in Taiwan (Taipei).

[August 5, 2007]

Presenter, The 5th International Convention of Asia Scholars (Kuala Lumpur).

[May 17, 2007]

Research trip to Vietnam

[February 26, 2007]

Presenter, International Conference on the 228 Massacre, Human Rights and Transitional Justice (Taipei).

[January 20, 2007]

Research trip to Japan: Visiting Professor, Department of Political Science, Meiji University, Japan

Black Bauhinia

At the beginning of November 2023, I received an e-mail from an old friend of mine. He had produced a documentary on Hong Kong's localism and independence movement featuring interviews and footage of several prominent activists. More specifically, Black Bauhinia visualizes the emotional journey of two young localists - a journey that takes them from electoral successes into prison and exile. When my friend told me about his film, I was eager to see it. On 18 November 2023, the private screening of Black Bauhinia finally took place in a movie theatre in Taipei. The movie was emotionally very demanding, especially for those who themselves had witnessed or experienced government repression. As such, Lin Fei-fan found himself close to tears and for several minutes emotionally unable to respond to questions from the audience during the Q&A session.

Link to official website: https://blackbauhinia.co.uk/

Groszer Wein Austria

In February 2021, I finally received the first shipment of my friend's wine from Austria. About two years ago, I came across an old colleague from university who over the years had become a dedicated vineyard owner. Fascinated by his wines, I thought it necessary to have them imported and share them with my Taiwanese friends. Austrian wine is still something unknown here in Taiwan. It cannot compete with others in terms of quantity but in terms of quality it is likely to exceed one's expectations.

Wine making in Austria is not so much about producing technically perfect wines for the mass market, but wines that reflect the terroir as well as the prime characteristics of the grapes used. In other words, it is more about being in love with nature and cherishing its fruits. As such, wine makers in Austria tend to accentuate the given characteristics of the grape against the backdrop of its terroir and round off its aromas/flavors without overpowering them.

The wines are available at Thirsty Scholar (Taichung, Taiwan).

Visiting Prof. Philippe C. Schmitter

In August 2018 I had the opportunity to spent a couple of days with Prof. Schmitter at his house in Tuscany. I have always found his publications extremely helpful for my own research on regime transitions. While I stayed at his house I also had the unique opportunity to meet his friend Claus Offe. I first came across his excellent books on the welfare state as a student of political sociology back in Austria. When Philippe told me that we would have to leave me alone for a while because he would have to go to pick up his friend Claus, I had no idea that he was talking about Claus Offe. Really a big surprise......

Politics as a Science:
A Prolegomenon

A recent book by Philippe and his colleague Marc Blecher. He sent me the digital version. He asked me to share it with friends and students, which I love to do.

Politics as a Science is an ideal introduction for anyone interested in, or studying, comparative politics

PDF of the book

Focus on Taiwan - International Conference
May 1995 Linz/Austria

As a student in Austria, I organized an international conference on Taiwan. The event took place at Linz University (Austria) in May 1995. Participants included Lu Hsiu-lien, Lung Yingtai, Li Ang, Jutoupi, Julian Baum, Helmut Martin, Hsu Tsang Houei, Peter Ferdinand, Carsten Hermann-Pillath, John F. Copper, Gottfried-Karl Kindermann, Bernard Joei and J. Arthur Robinson.

Conference booklet in PDF.

Smoking-related changes or brand switching? Smokers' anticipated responses to a large increase in Taiwan's Tobacco Health and Welfare Surcharge

Palgrave/Macmillan, 2015

In this study my colleagues and I examine the impact on smokers' behaviour of a planned increase in the Health and Welfare Surcharge of Tobacco Products in Taiwan. We used a structured questionnaire to perform telephone interviews. Applying multinomial logistic regression we found that after the proposed increase in the Health and Welfare Surcharge of Tobacco Products, subsequent cigarette price increases would motivate nearly 30% of the smokers to adopt smoking-related changes and 10% to change to lower-priced brands.

The study was published in Public Health.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2016.02.018

Democratic Governance in Northeast Asia

A Human-Centred Approach to Evaluating Democracy

Palgrave/Macmillan, 2015

Comprising case studies of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, this edited volume explores the key characteristics of democratic governance in Northeast Asia. Each democracy is assessed on the extent to which it enables the flourishing of social capital; prioritizes the interests of all as characterized by freedom from fear and want; and empowers all to participate in the democratic process and governance. With particular focus on the experience of minorities, this volume contends that the acid test of democratic governance is not how well the government represents the interests of the elites, or even the majority, but rather how it cares for the needs of vulnerable groups in society.

I authored two chapters of this edited volume:

Chapter 6: Taiwanese Democracy

Chapter 7: Debating 'Unpopular'

Issues in Taiwan

Link to publication

Post-Conflict Development in East Asia

East Asia is a region deeply affected by conflict. Colonial, ideological, and national wars have left their scars and legacies on regional, international, and national governance. Yet East Asian post-conflict development experiences have been viewed as remarkably successful. This volume critically assesses measurements of success in East Asian post-conflict development from a human-centered perspective.

I authored Chapter 5 of the volume:

Christian Schafferer

Human Security and Post-Conflict Development in Taiwan (PDF)

The Taiwan Higher Education Faculty Survey (THEFS)

Over the last decades, educational systems in many parts of the world have undergone manifold changes that have significantly affected the working environment of educators. The Taiwan Higher Education Faculty Survey (THEFS) aims at obtaining solid information about the current working conditions of teachers at institutions of higher education in Taiwan in order to evaluate the impact of recent reforms on the livelihood of teaching professionals.

Among other anticipated negative impacts of reforms in Taiwan's higher education is the increasing prevalence of workplace bullying. For further information on THEFS and workplace bullying see my research note (PDF).

Encyclopedia of Transitional Justice

(Oxford University Press, 2013)

This comprehensive three-volume reference work collects and summarizes the wealth of information available in the field of transitional justice. In 2010, Lavinia Stan and Nadya Nedelsky asked me to author two chapters on transitional justice in Taiwan (PDF) and Austria (PDF), respectively, for the encyclopedia. >

APISA 8 Congress

In September 2014, the 8th Congress of the Asian Political and International Studies Association convened in Chiang Mai, Thailand. At the Congress, the Executive Committee discussed several policies that should help APISA expand its network and position itself as a leading professional association focusing on social and security issues in Asia.

Khmer Anti-Poverty Party 2011

On 29 November 2011, the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party convened its National Party Convention in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I was invited to give a speech on the necessity of further democratic development in Cambodia, and the important role the party and its charismatic leader, Daran Kravanh, would play in that developmental process.

Salzburg Biennale

The Salzburg Biennale is a festival for contemporary music held every two years in March. In 2011, the festival took place for the second time. I was offered the unique opportunity to work as the festival's official photographer, which I much enjoyed.

Khmer Anti-Poverty Party 2010

In July 2010, the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party held a leadership training seminar in Lowell, Massachusetts (USA). I was invited to give a lecture on the application of modern political marketing and to help design the party's electoral campaign strategy.

Bangkok 2008 Anti-government Demonstrations

In 2008, a group of self-proclaimed democracy activists tried to topple the successor government of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. I observed the anti-government campaign several times. My photo essay on the demonstrations got published in New Mandala >

Mongolian Election 2008

In June 2008, members of Mongolia's parliament were elected. During the electoral campaign period, candidates engaged in a variety of electoral campaign activities. Streets were full of posters and banners, and poltical advertisements could be found in newspapers, magazines and on TV. I recorded and analyzed all of the over two hundred ads aired on Mongolia's major TV stations.

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