Lecture｜Formosa as a Safe Haven? Taiwan’s Public Opinion on Potential Asylum Mechanisms and Refugees 

2026-07-15 - 2026-09-29

Kristina Kironska (Assistant Professor & Head of Myanmar Studies Center and Global Taiwan Chair, Palacky University Olomouc) 

Hybrid (onsite & online). Venue: HB101-1, Humanities and Social Sciences Building II, Guangfu Campus, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (No. 1001, University Rd., East Dist., Hsinchu City).

🎙️Formosa as a Safe Haven? Taiwan’s Public Opinion on Potential Asylum Mechanisms and Refugees
 

Speakers: Kristina Kironska (Assistant Professor & Head of Myanmar Studies Center and Global Taiwan Chair, Palacky University Olomouc) 
Moderator: Mei-Lin Pan (Professor, Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, NYCU)
Discussant: Dolma Tsering (Postdoc fellow, International Center for Cultural Studies, NYCU)
Date and Time: July 23, 2026 (Thursday), 14:00-16:30 (GMT+8, Taiwan Time) 
🌐 Format: Hybrid (onsite & online). Venue: HB101-1, Humanities and Social Sciences Building II, Guangfu Campus, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (No. 1001, University Rd., East Dist., Hsinchu City).
📥 Registration Link : https://forms.gle/9AKXqWp2EnrWVawB8
Forum Language: The event will be conducted in English. No simultaneous interpretation. 
 

  

 Abstract
Taiwan is one of the most vibrant democratic societies in Asia, consistently ranking highly in global measures of political rights and civil liberties. Yet, despite its strong democratic credentials and commitment to human rights, Taiwan continues to lack a comprehensive legal framework for refugee protection. Although draft refugee legislation has been proposed repeatedly over the past two decades, it has never been enacted. Scholars and policymakers have identified several reasons for this legislative impasse, including Taiwan's exclusion from the United Nations and the 1951 Refugee Convention, national security concerns related to cross-Strait migration, and the island's unique political and constitutional circumstances. However, these explanations focus primarily on legal and institutional constraints. 
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Moving beyond previous legal perspectives, this talk turns attention to another crucial dimension: "Taiwanese public opinion." How do people in Taiwan perceive refugees and the possibility of establishing a formal asylum mechanism? To what extent do humanitarian values, national identity, security concerns, and political considerations shape public attitudes toward refugee protection? By examining these questions, the talk offers new insights into the social and political feasibility of adopting a refugee law in Taiwan.
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Organizer: International Center for Cultural Studies, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (ICCS-NYCU) , Sub-project III Research Group: Refugee and Statelessness
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