Prof. Wei-Ping Lin of NTU Anthropology wins the 12th Scholarly Monograph Award in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Congratulations to Prof. Wei-Ping Lin of NTU Anthropology for winning the 12th "Scholarly Monograph Award in the Humanities and Social Sciences." Prof. Lin accepted the award from Academia Sinica for her work titled Island Fantasia: Imaging Subjects on the Military Frontline between China and Taiwan.

Island Fantasia: Imaging Subjects on the Military Frontline between China and Taiwan is the first ethnography on Matsu, presenting research findings from over a decade of field studies. It adopts a "bottom-up" perspective in exploring how people in Matsu form their imagined community. The study entertains how the agency of individuals within a sparse group leads to a sense of community, subsequently forming collective social forces.

"The award signifies the recognition of ethnography writing by the Taiwanese academia, which holds great significance for my discipline and myself," says Prof. Lin. As being surrounded by mist is an essential life experience for Matsu islanders, we in contemporary life also find ourselves submerged in this situation of uncertainty. "For those who have no choice but to struggle with uncertainties, may the islanders' curiosity-driven exertion and trailblazing attempts shed the light for us going forward."

This award follows up on Prof. Lin's Materializing Magic Power: Chinese Popular Religion in Villages and Cities in 2016, which won her the 5th iteration of the same award. She is also the second repeat winner of this honor and the only anthropologist achieving this feat. Prof. Lin has broken unprecedented ground with her international perspective in studying folk religions and the cultural landscape of Matsu; her work is a wealth of resources for anyone interested in Taiwanese studies and cultures. She dedicated this honor to every NTU member.

Related links: