Unlikely Trajectory : Literary and Cultural Leftism in Taiwan

Examines various case studies to provide a multifaceted understanding of Taiwan's literary and cultural leftism, emphasizing its transnational, diverse, and highly malleable nature.

An Unlikely Trajectory addresses a significant gap by foregrounding the often repressed or understudied literary and cultural leftist practices in Taiwan. Its twelve chapters explore how Taiwanese authors, directors, and intellectuals strategically navigated the complexities of colonial Japanese rule and authoritarian nationalist governance to articulate visions of a more just and oppression-free future for Taiwan. Taiwan's leftist practices matter because they offer essential insights into the island's social fabric and the intricate processes of identity formation as well as the broader international and geopolitical dynamics shaped by ongoing ideological conflicts. Through detailed case studies, this volume demonstrates how these leftist practices were influenced by diverse multicultural sources and have maintained their relevance and adaptability amid shifting sociopolitical landscapes. Furthermore, it explores how leftist ideologies intersect with other critical issues, including gender, class, and ethnicity.

Pei-yin Lin is Associate Professor at the School of Chinese, University of Hong Kong. She is the author Colonial Taiwan: Negotiating Identities and Modernity Through Literature and coeditor, with Wen-chi Li, of Taiwanese Literature as World Literature. Po-hsi Chen is Assistant Research Fellow at the Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, Taiwan.