Day 2 Live Keynote Address – “Human Rights, Social Justice, Scholar Activism” 

Presenter: Professor Jolan Hsieh (Taiwan) Chair: Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora (Aotearoa, NZ).

Professor Jolan Hsieh / Bavaragh Dagalomai (Siraya)
National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan

Dr Jolan Hsieh is a Professor of Ethnic Relations and Cultures, and the Director of the Center of International Indigenous Affairs at the College of Indigenous Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan. Jolan has served with many national/regional/international organizations as an Indigenous scholar and activist. Her professional services include: Advisor to the Presidential Office’s Indigenous Historical Justice and Transitional Justice Committee and Convenor of the Reconciliation Subcommittee; and co-Chair of World Indigenous Nationals Higher Education Consortium.

Jolan is active in Indigenous language and cultural revitalization movements and critiques Indigenous policies. Throughout her academic and professional experiences, she has focused on research examining the topic of social (in)justice linked to human rights and activism. Her research areas are Law and Society, Human Rights, Identity Politics, Global Indigenous Studies, Gender/Ethnicity/Class, Environmental Justice, Indigenous Research and Ethics.

In Asia, only Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines explicitly recognized the existence of Indigenous peoples on their territories. Yet, Taiwan is a very special and interesting case. Excluded from the UN as a state (the PRC representing China at the international level), Taiwan has nonetheless been represented by Indigenous groups at UN events for the rights of indigenous peoples. In this keynote, Professor Hsieh will speak from an advocacy perspective that responds to Indigenous (in)justice and the demands of Indigenous rights for transitional justice and reconciliation.