座談會
數位時代的中國研究：國關中心座談聚焦中國研究方法新趨勢與跨域合作
數位時代的中國研究：國關中心座談聚焦中國研究方法新趨勢與跨域合作
國關中心今（9）日舉辦第三場「台灣的中國研究現況、優勢與挑戰」座談會，由國關中心主任王信賢教授及副研究員曾偉峯共同主持，邀請台大政治系童涵浦教授、國關中心副主任陳至潔研究員及政大東亞所王韻副教授進行交流。
童涵浦認為，當今中國研究的研究方法面臨資料取得的困境，台灣在取得中國因素的素材上具有優勢，但學術化與理論化存在侷限，因此對西方主流研究影響較弱。童涵浦亦提出研究方向，如何善用中國對台政策作為，然後反推中國內部的政策邏輯，可成為台灣優勢，例如統戰議題的理論化與資料庫建置，十分具學術價值。
陳至潔指出，中國研究產生變化與難度增加有關，新興方法如資料科學研究方法益顯重要，然而新興研究方法在學界仍未有共識。陳至潔表示，要提升台灣在中國研究領域的國際影響力，關鍵在於能提出具學術深度的觀點，並積極與主流理論進行對話或批判。真正具影響力的研究，往往來自「新理論、新方法、新議題」的有效結合。他建議台灣中國研究學界應積極「走出去」，拓展研究影響。
王韻則表示，應釐清要把中國研究擴大，或是在社會學門的學科中強調中國因素。他同時指出，台灣的中國研究在社會科學化的影響下，相對變得不重視批判性研究，不過兩者不應互斥，社會科學研究的人文關懷同樣重要，他認為目前學界應加強價值導向研究，並注重理論化。
曾偉峯綜合意見後提出，理論化的前提是概念化。以人權研究為例，即使後續進行量化分析，也必須先經過明確的概念界定與建構。在概念化的過程中，如果能透過資料庫建置，提出具原創性的概念框架，便可能成為研究上的重要貢獻。
王信賢主任總結表示，從國關中心的角度來看，關鍵在於如何找出突破口，證明台灣在國際學術社群中的獨特價值。當中，中國研究是具有相對優勢的領域。值得注意的是，台灣中國研究目前學術研究與政策分析之間的交集仍有限，未來應擴大跨域連結，如此方能有助於提升研究影響力。國關中心將持續推動系列對話，探討台灣的中國研究之趨勢與發展策略。
On April 9, the Institute of International Relations (IIR) held the third session of its discussion series titled “The Current State of China Studies in Taiwan: Challenges and Opportunities.” Hosted by IIR Director Wang Hsin-Hsien and Associate Research Fellow Tzeng Wei-Feng, this session featured National Taiwan University Department of Political Science Professor Hans H. Tung, IIR Research Fellow and Deputy Director Titus C. Chen, and National Chengchi University Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies Associate Professor Wang Yun.
Professor Tung highlighted the challenges of data access facing China researchers, suggesting that Taiwan possesses some comparative advantages (namely language) in obtaining materials to study China. However, Taiwan's China studies has relatively weak influence on mainstream Western scholarship. Tung proposed concrete new research directions for Taiwan to better leverage its academic edge, specifically using understanding of cross-Strait issues to build inferences into China’s policymaking logic. Further research on United Front (UF) work, such as through constructing a database of UF actions and developing theories of UF logic, is a promising direction for expanding international appreciation of Taiwan’s China studies capabilities.
Research Fellow Chen emphasized the rising importance of emerging methods such as data science and AI modeling in China studies, while acknowledging that there is not yet a consensus on the reliability of these approaches within academia. According to Chen, increasing Taiwan’s international influence in the field of China studies hinges on the ability to present perspectives with scholarly depth and engage actively in dialogue with—or even critique—mainstream theories. He argued that impactful research often arises from the effective integration of “new theories, new methods, and new issues.” Chen also recommended that Taiwan’s China studies community should invest in “going outward” to broaden research impact, rather than just strive to attract international scholars to Taiwan.
Associate Professor Wang reflected that scholars should clarify whether their goal is to expand the field of China studies itself, or rather to support research on China within disciplines such as sociology and political science. He also observed that Taiwanese academia’s turn to social science methods has tended to downplay the practice of analytical judgement, which was an early strength of Taiwan’s China Studies field. However, he stressed that these two aspects—analytical judgement and social science research—should not be mutually exclusive.
Summarizing the discussion, Associate Research Fellow Tzeng discussed the importance of theorization and conceptualization as basis for research influence. Taking human rights research as an example, he pointed out that even when conducting quantitative analysis, concept definition is critical. The creation of original conceptual frameworks, supported by database development, can constitute important academic contributions.
Director Wang concluded that the key challenge, from IIR’s perspective, lies in identifying breakthroughs that demonstrate Taiwan’s unique academic value within the international scholarly community. China studies is one area where Taiwan can offer a substantial value and unique perspective. He also observed that there is still limited overlap between academic research and policy analysis in Taiwan’s China studies. In the future, efforts should focus on expanding cross-disciplinary and academic-policy linkages, which in turn can broaden the impact of China research. IIR will continue to promote this conversation as part of its broader effort to explore the trends and strategic directions of China studies in Taiwan.
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