Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Netherlands
fellow
Ting-Fai Yu
2023-2024
Home institution
French Centre for Research on Contemporary China
Country of origin (home institution)
China
Discipline(s)
Cultural studies
Political Sciences
Theme(s)
Cultural Studies
Globalization
Regional Studies
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
As an anthropologist, I use ethnographic and qualitative methods to research transnational queer Chinese cultures, Sinophone media, and diasporic politics.
I am currently Associate Researcher at the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China and an adjunct faculty member at Monash University Malaysia, where I was formerly Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Gender Studies and Research Lead at the Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre. I have received research fellowships from the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (2023-24) and the International Institute for Asian Studies at Leiden University (2018-19).
I serve as Academic Editor for PLOS ONE and was previously a book review editor for the Journal of Intercultural Studies (2022-2024) and Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics (2019-2023). I hold a PhD in gender studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
In my other career, I am a DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) professional, and I help organizations cultivate a psychologically safe and interculturally competent environment for business and innovation success. Previously, I worked for Logitech as the first DEI Lead to oversee the Asia Pacific region. Now, I am an independent consulting, using evidence-based approaches to support organizations at different stages of their DEI journeys.
Research Project
Global Taiwan via Southeast Asia: Cultural Politics of the New Southbound Policy
The New Southbound Policy (NSP), introduced in 2016, is the flagship initiative of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Its primary objective is to enhance bilateral relationships with countries in South and Southeast Asia, reducing Taiwan’s economic dependence on the Chinese market. Existing research has predominantly focused on diplomatic relations and foreign governance, examining economic interactions, financial and human capital flows. However, there has been a lack of sustained scholarly investigation into the role of cultural production and creative practices in facilitating Taiwan’s ambitious outbound project for global relevance, particularly in the context of Southeast Asia.
Ting-Fai Yu seeks to address this gap by exploring the cultural dynamics and, specifically, the significance of culture and visuality in Taiwan’s integration into Southeast Asia. His research aims to examine the critical efforts that contribute to these geographical reimaginations.
Research Interests:
Cultural diplomacy; Taiwan-Southeast Asia relations; visual culture and policy; creative practices in geopolitics