An Analysis of the Shifting Gaze on the Children of Southeast Asian Marriage Migrants in Taiwan

07/12/2017 (Thursday) 13:00-14:00 E21-2001

In recent years, the media and governmental discourses in Taiwan have promoted the Second Generation of New Immigrants’ advantages of Southeast Asian cultures and languages. Their mothers, the marriage migrants from Southeast Asia, are encouraged to teach their children Southeast Asian languages and cultures, so that the children can be the best help for Taiwanese business. While public discourses appear positive, this is a drastic shift from previous discourse. This talk will analyze the shift of discourse about the children of marriage migrants from Southeast Asia and why legal changes contradict a seemingly positive discursive shift.