Invited by Brill Academic Publishers, Hakka scholar Hsiao Hsin-huang (蕭新煌) would serve as the editor-in-chief of “Taiwan Encyclopedia,” which will be published this November in a digital version. Printed copies of the book will be available next year.

With an over 300-year history, Brill Academic Publishers is a Dutch international academic publisher founded in 1683, mainly publishing academic journals, documents, and reference works.

Hsiao, an adjunct research fellow of Academia Sinica Institute of Sociology, was one of the Hakka Contribution Award recipients last year. Having served as the convener of HAC’s Hakka Academic Development Commission and a professor of College of Hakka Studies at National Central University and National United University, Hsiao is dedicated to improving the quality and quantity of the overall Hakka research in Taiwan. He promoted the establishment of Taiwan Consortium of Global Hakka Studies in a bid to keep pace with the international academic community. 
 

According to Hsiao, this is the first time that an international publisher has agreed to publish an encyclopedia focused on Taiwan. He believes this is due to the rise of Taiwan studies, which have been promoted by several academic and research centers at home and abroad for over 20 years to draw the world’s attention.

Hsiao said that “Taiwan Encyclopedia” consists of 14 fields, including international relations, politics, sociology, history, Indigenous peoples, languages, literature, documentaries, gender and feminist studies, archeology, media studies, religions, films, and music. Around 100 active and important professionals in Taiwan’s research community have been recruited to compile the publication.

Hsiao stated that, instead of looking at Taiwan from China’s angle, the encyclopedia will present the nation from the perspective of Taiwanese people in a bid to speak out for the country and help it gain recognition.