James Lin
@jamestwotree.bsky.social
Historian of Taiwan & the World. Associate Professor, University of Washington Jackson School. Author of In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan (University of California Press, 2025) Website: ocf.io/jameslin he/him
Honored to have Julia Strauss review my book, In the Global Vanguard: "All interested in contemporary Taiwan history, as well as other audiences interested in agrarian development or the high modernism of the Green Revolution, should run, not walk, to get their hands on this informative and ground-
Cannot recommend this enough for anyone interested in Taiwan
What is a Left Position on Taiwan? - positions politics
What is a left position on Taiwan? This question was posed to us – the three editors of praxis, Rebecca Karl, Aminda Smith, and Fabio Lanza – at a recent social event in New York. The query came from ...
positionspolitics.org
I published a short essay on positions politics praxis elaborating a left position on Taiwan. It was an honor to be on a roundtable with esteemed Taiwanese scholars Joyce Liu, Yi-yi Hsieh, @kerim.one, and Andy Chih-ming Wang. positionspolitics.org/what-is-a-le...
What is a Left Position on Taiwan? - positions politics
What is a left position on Taiwan? This question was posed to us – the three editors of praxis, Rebecca Karl, Aminda Smith, and Fabio Lanza – at a recent social event in New York. The query came from ...
positionspolitics.org
I'm humbled to be awarded the Agricultural History Society's Henry A. Wallace Award for best book on agricultural history outside the US for my book, In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan. www.aghistorysociety.org/awards
Awards — Agricultural History Society
aghistorysociety.org
Your humble servant has a written a book about the social science of poverty in Cold War Latin America and the contexts that shaped its creation, from international sources like the Ford Foundation to dictatorships across the region. The book is in production and will be ready at the end of 2026
The first academic review of my book is up at none other than the American Historical Review! Thanks to Justin Wu for the deep dive into my book and capturing my interventions into different scholarly conversations about Taiwan, capitalism, STS, and postcolonialism. academic.oup.com/ahr/article/...
James Lin. In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan
Semiconductors. Democracy. Bubble tea. When speaking of contemporary Taiwan, we probably think about these terms rather than issues like land reform, agric
academic.oup.com
My book interview is up on the @NewBooksEAsia podcast! I discuss with Dr. Sarah Bramao-Ramos how I started researching this topic, why global South-South development history matters, how Taiwan constructed a unique model of agrarian development, and more! newbooksnetwork.com/in-the-globa...
James Lin, "The Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan" (U California Press, 2025) - New Books Network
newbooksnetwork.com
I wrote a review of Sulmaan Wasif Khan's recent book, The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between, for AHR: doi.org/10.1093/ahr/.... Khan's book was a highly readable history and an excellent intro for non-Taiwan specialists.
Sulmaan Wasif Khan. The Struggle for Taiwan: A History of America, China, and the Island Caught Between
In recent years, Taiwan has been a recurring fixture in media headlines. Chinese military exercises and threats of further military action have made the Ta
doi.org
We're very excited to be hosting a visit by James Lin at the Centre for Chinese Research with support from @sppga.ubc.ca! His new book on Taiwan has lessons for the world about agrarian change, the food sector, and rural life. Friday November 28, 3pm in the Liu building's Place of Many Trees
James Lin@jamestwotree.bsky.social · 9mo agoFor folks in Vancouver, I'll be giving a talk about my book, In the Global Vanguard, in-person at the University of British Columbia Centre for Chinese Research on November 28, 3-5pm. Many thanks to @profjulietlu.bsky.social!
For folks in Vancouver, I'll be giving a talk about my book, In the Global Vanguard, in-person at the University of British Columbia Centre for Chinese Research on November 28, 3-5pm. Many thanks to @profjulietlu.bsky.social!
I'll be giving a talk virtually on my book, In the Global Vanguard, at the University of Nottingham Taiwan Research Hub next Wednesday. Please feel free to join if you are based in the UK/Europe!
I spoke to Josh Edbrooke at National Taiwan Normal University's International Taiwan Studies Centre about my book, In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan. Many thanks to Josh for the thoughtful questions and discussion audioboom.com/posts/879447...
In the Global Vanguard, with Professor James Lin
Professor James Lin from the University of Washington shares the backstory to his latest book and demonstrates how Taiwan's early development missions impacted Taiwan's own population in ways ...
audioboom.com
In our latest post, we show how arguments that cast Taiwan as a "destabilizer" are troubling and flatly untrue. Taiwan isn't the one bending the world order. Taiwan's story deserves to be seen in its own right, not as a scapegoat. ampleroad.substack.com/p/a-sense-of...
A Sense of Dread: Isolationists under Trump Lay the Groundwork for Abandoning Taiwan, Marking a Radical Departure in Foreign Policy
Hello everyone,
ampleroad.substack.com
A careful, deep dive into the complicated legacies of colonialism, war, and historical memory through Taiwanese veterans and comfort women of the Second Sino-Japanese War/WWII.
Jordyn Haime 韩新慧@jordynhaime.bsky.social · 11mo agoI wrote for ChinaTalk about Taiwanese society's attempt to confront its complicated WWII legacy: those who fought under Japan, against the Chinese, as colonial subjects www.chinatalk.media/p/taiwan-con...
In my father's poli sci classroom in 1970s Taiwan, he would always call out the 'spy students' in the back: "Take good notes! Spicy bit!" The class would titter. Even the report-maker would look a bit abashed. In this A&M student's righteous "Dear Leader" invocation, there was no shame felt at all.
Peter Sagal@petersagal.bsky.social · 11mo agoA professor at Texas A&M taught… something related to gender that offended a student, who secretly filmed herself objecting. That video is picked up by TX legislators, who demand her firing, and now the dean and dept head have been fired. www.kbtx.com/2025/09/09/a...
Reviewing a book manuscript is hard work but always worth it when it's for a good press. Particularly excited to get my hands on @jamestwotree.bsky.social's book
Honored to have @jamesbaron.bsky.social, who previously worked in the development field in Taiwan, review my book In the Global Vanguard for Taipei Times! www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar...
Book review: ‘Straw hat diplomats’: The rise and fall of Taiwan’s Cold War development diplomacy - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
taipeitimes.com
Call for papers: "New Directions in Taiwan History" workshop to be held at University of Washington, Seattle, on February 26-27, 2026. Deadline to apply is October 10, 2025. Please share widely! For application instructions: jsis.washington.edu/taiwan/works...
Workshop: New Directions in Taiwan History - Taiwan Studies Program
New Directions in Taiwan History – Taiwan at the Center and at the Margins February 26-27, 2026 University of Washington, Seattle Hosted by the UW Taiwan Studies Program This two-day workshop will bring together scholars working across the temporal range of Taiwan history to share and discuss works-in-progress and findings from their research projects. We
jsis.washington.edu
Excited to see the translation of Kaori Lai 賴香吟's Portraits in White 白色畫像 published in English by Columbia UP! Translated by Sylvia Li-chun Lin and Howard Goldblatt, commissioned by Ian Rowen, and a historical introduction written by yours truly. cup.columbia.edu/book/portrai...
You can grab my book on sale for 40% off! www.ucpress.edu/books/in-the...
ucpress.edu
University of California Press@ucpress.bsky.social · last yr.Every book, 40% off, all month long! Browse new releases or long-time favorites at ucpress.edu and use promo code MAY40. Terms: For US & Canada orders. Sale ends May 31, 2025. Not applicable for pre-orders publishing beyond 90 days.
My first book review! I am grateful to @angusbylsma.bsky.social for closely engaging with my book. The critique is fair, and it's exciting to see how the book is sparking conversations.
Angus Bylsma@angusbylsma.bsky.social · last yr.For this week’s review, I read @jamestwotree.bsky.social’s new history of Taiwanese agrarian development at home and abroad, In the Global Vanguard. Land reform, Africa, and Straw Hat Diplomats!
I'll be giving a talk on my book in Seattle and online (hybrid) on May 15 at 3:30pm (Pacific). Please join in person or online! jsis.washington.edu/taiwan/2025/...
MAY 15 - 'In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan' with James Lin, UW - Taiwan Studies Program
In just half a century, Taiwan transformed from an agricultural colony into an economic power, spurred by efforts of the authoritarian Republic of China government in land reform, farmers associations, and improved crop varieties. Yet overlooked is how Taiwan brought these practices to the developing world. In the Global Vanguard elucidates the history and impact
jsis.washington.edu
1/6 SCMP: "Yu has been outspoken in his advocacy for the reduction of China’s US Treasury bill holdings and has advised Beijing to stay alert for any attempts to use the country’s foreign assets against it." sc.mp/8tmps?utm_so... via @scmpnews
Economist says China’s overseas assets at risk as trade war hits boiling point
Yu Yongding, a former central bank adviser, says Beijing’s foreign holdings could become another battleground in the US-China trade war.
sc.mp
Taiwan has a prominent role in this story on Somaliland www.nytimes.com/2025/04/12/w...
How Trump Offers This African Territory Its ‘Biggest Opportunity’
After years of building relationships with congressional Republicans and conservative think tanks, officials in Somaliland believe President Trump will grant their ultimate wish: statehood.
nytimes.com
Open access publication! My book is now available open access for everyone to read and download free on the @ucpress.bsky.social website: www.ucpress.edu/books/in-the... A brief thread about the book /1
In the Global Vanguard by James Lin - Paper
Scholarship is a powerful tool for changing how people think, plan, and govern. By giving voice to bright minds and bold ideas, we seek to foster understanding and drive progressive change.
ucpress.edu
American political scientists and historians who study China say they see more parallels today between their area of study - Chinese politics - and their own country, the United States - than ever before. www.npr.org/2025/03/17/n...
Political scientists seeing parallels between China and the U.S.
American political scientists and historians who study other countries - especially China - say they see more parallels today between their area of study and their own country.
npr.org
