Investigators
Eric Chen-hua Yu (Project Manager) - Stanford University
Larry Diamond - Stanford University

Taiwan has undergone a peaceful transition to democracy over a period of more than a decade. Nowadays, Taiwan can be regarded as one of the freest and competitive democracies in Asia. However, Taiwan's democratic development is still being subject to harsh internal and external tests.

The Program on Democracy in Taiwan is sponsored by the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL), in interaction with the Hoover Institution. Initiated in the Fall of 2005, the program expands and institutionalizes activities that both the Institute for International Studies and the Hoover Institution had been sponsoring on democratic political and social change and the regional and international challenges confronting democracy in Taiwan (including the problem of cross-Strait relations).

The principal elements of the program are as follows:

Annual Symposium on Taiwan Democracy: Each year the program organizes at least one public symposium addressing some of the challenges confronting Taiwan's democratic development, in comparative perspective.

The first year symposium (2005-06), with the title, "Democratization in Greater China: What Can We Learn from Taiwan's Past for China's Future?" took place in October 2006. This two-day symposium brought together approximately 40 leading scholars in the study of China and Taiwan, including political scientists, sociologists, economists, anthropologists, and historians, to consider what Taiwan's democratic development may teach us about possible future democratic development in mainland China. It consisted of fifteen paper presentations, a round table discussion session, and a keynote speech delivered by James C. F. Huang, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The second year symposium (2006-07), with the title, "New Efforts to Promote Democracy," took place on May 31 and June 1, 2007. This two-day symposium featured participation from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and other publicly funded as well as civil society efforts to assist democratic development internationally. It brought together twenty-five activists, policymakers, scholars, and political leaders to discuss diverse experiences in creating and directing organizations that address the many facets of building and strengthening democracy. Panels comprising representatives from primarily nongovernmental democracy promotion efforts in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and North America discussed past undertakings and present endeavors.

This year's symposium (2007-08), with the title, "Democratic Consolidation in Taiwan,” took place on May 30-31, 2008 at Stanford University. This two-day conference, consisted of fifteen paper presentations and one round table discussion session, brought together approximately 30 leading Taiwanese and US scholars in the study of Taiwan’s political development. It aimed to examine the last eight years of democracy in Taiwan under the Chen Shui-bian Administration and to assess Taiwan's progress toward democratic consolidation.

In future years, the program may examine such topics as the quality of democracy in Taiwan (in comparative perspective), and how democracy in Taiwan interacts with the challenge of cross-strait relations.

Seminar Series: The program hosts lectures and seminars by Taiwanese public officials, intellectuals, and scholars, and by U.S.-based scholars of Taiwan and of cross-strait relations. Previous speakers have addressed a wide range of topics including Taiwan's democracy and cross-strait relations, Taiwan's foreign policy and quest for international space, Taiwan's constitutional reforms, Taiwan's 2008 presidential and legislative elections, and the cross-strait economic relationship.

Visiting Scholar and Summer Undergraduate Intern: The program also hosts occasional visiting scholars who are researching and writing about various aspects of the Taiwan's democratic development. Additionally, through the selection process of the Stanford in Government International Fellowship Program, the program also funds a Stanford undergraduate intern to work at Taiwan Foundation for Democracy during the summer. Please visit Stanford in Government Fellowship for more details about this internship opportunity.

Contact
Eric Chen-hua Yu