NüVoices

This week, we have prolific cartoonist and illustrator Kaitlin Chan joining the podcast to discuss her recently published graphic novel, 'Eric's Sister.' Kaitlin talks about why she wanted to focus a narrative on sibling relationships, family, creative doubt, and the importance of friendship and community. This episode was hosted by Megan Cattel and produced by Kyle Leung and Megan Cattel.

When Leta Hong Fincher’s book “Leftover Women” was first published ten years ago, it was considered a seminal work on Chinese feminism. The book outlines the structural discrimination, wholly reinforced by the government, used to demonize educated women in their late twenties and early thirties who remain unmarried. A decade later, and with Xi’s continual reinforcement of patriarchal ideals and traditional family structures, the book is more pertinent than ever. This week on the podcast, host Jessie Lau speaks with Leta about why the book is still as relevant today and what has changed (for better and for worse) since the book was first published. Leta shares the book’s origin story and how she started researching ‘leftover women’ in the first place while pursuing a PhD at Tsinghua University. Jessie and Leta also discuss whether women in China are still facing the same immense pressure to settle down, get married, and have a family. Lastly, Leta outlines how she went about rewriting this latest edition and what topics she felt were important to include in the new preface. 

Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate! To kick off the year of the dragon, we have the one and only Fuchsia Dunlop on our podcast this week. She discusses her recent book, 'Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food.' This episode is hosted by Lijia Zhang. Thank you for your interest in our bimonthly, independent podcast. To support our editorial goals and help us keep producing podcast episodes, please consider donating through our Paypal page or becoming a Patreon member. We encourage listeners to send us feedback, questions, and connect with our podcast team at nuvoices@protonmail.com. 

This week, NüVoices board members and co-hosts Jessie Lau and Lijia Zhang are in conversation with Wanqing Zhang, an independent journalist, to discuss China's feminist movement taking place online. Despite formidable challenges such as censorship, harassment, and societal pressures, these feminists continue to resist patriarchal norms, as revealed in Wanqing's recent in-depth feature for Rest of World.In the podcast episode, Wanqing shares the stories of women she spoke to regarding this latest wave of digital activism — taking place on Chinese social media platforms like Xiaohongshu. Lijia Zhang discusses how feminism in China has transformed since the early 2000s, and Jessie highlights the ongoing crackdowns on Chinese gender activism both domestically and internationally. Together, the three writers discuss how feminists are innovatively navigating recent periods of crackdowns and immense adversity.

Everyone in our NüVoices community: happy 2024! To start the new year, host Solarina Ho delves into the new captivating documentary, "How to Have an American Baby" with filmmaker Leslie Tai. An exploration of a shadow economy catering to Chinese tourists seeking U.S. citizenship for their newborns, the film unveils the fortunes and tragedies of the mothers involved.Leslie Tai, the creative force behind this documentary, is a recipient of the 2019 Creative Capital Award and an MFA graduate from Stanford University. Leslie's short films have graced prestigious platforms like Tribeca Film Festival and MoMA.Solarina and Leslie engage in a thought-provoking conversation exploring the intricate dynamics of trust-building with the women at the heart of the film. Leslie shares the challenges of maintaining detachment in the face of personal and often harrowing stories. The dialogue also navigates the evolving landscape of birth tourism post-Trump and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, unraveling the tensions between these women and the adjacent American communities.

It has been more than half a year since a Facebook post referencing the Netflix drama Wave Makers sparked a wave of #MeToo revelations across Taiwanese society. In this episode, we trace the origins of the movement, what has happened since, and where things stand going forward with guests Darice Chang and Rita Jhang. Alongside host Solarina Ho, they also share their insights and perspectives on the attitudes and conflicts over #MeToo issues, feminism, the challenges that arise when competing concerns get in the way, and the intersection of #MeToo with the upcoming Taiwan election.Darice Chang is a non-binary Taiwanese American writer, artist, activist, journalist, host, speaker, and filmmaker. They were featured in the Netflix docuseries “Midnight Asia” for their drag performance. As an activist they are concerned with intersectional trans-inclusive women’s rights, human rights, veganism & animal rights, consistent anti-oppression, climate change mitigation & ethical sustainable living. They are currently working on an independent documentary highlighting the gender non-conforming experience in Taiwan.JhuCin Rita Jhang is an activist, podcast host, and teacher. She’s a project assistant professor at the Global Health Program at National Taiwan University and a long-time gender equity and tongzhi/LGBTQ+ rights activist. Her podcast show Z Green Party Z色派對 provides social commentaries on gender, sex, sexuality, and other social issues.

In this special collaboration with Ghost Island Media,  host Emily Y. Wu discusses the importance of local and diverse perspectives when it comes to global coverage of Taiwan. Taipei-based journalists Silva Shih, Afore Hsieh, Wen-Yee Lee join Emily in this wide-ranging discussion.  Taiwan's upcoming election has become one of the most closely monitored  events in decades, drawing the attention of foreign press members, international scholars, and think-tank or trade delegations. This heightened interest is reflected not only in the increased number of books published about Taiwan, spanning countries such as Denmark, Germany, and the U.S., but also in the creation of numerous high-quality newsletters dedicated to Taiwan this year.As global attention on Taiwan intensifies, so does the significance of the work undertaken by domestic journalists. During a recent news forum hosted by RTI, the Chief China Correspondent of the New York Times emphasized the crucial role of local journalism, stating that the ideas shaping global news often originate from local reporting. In light of this, Emily Y. Wu, Silva, Wen-Yee, and Afore provide a glimpse into the landscape of local reporting during this period of rare foreign press attention and international curiosity focused on Taiwan. Many thanks to our panelists, Emily, and the team at Ghost Island Media for partnering with us for this collaborative episode. 

Have you ever been laughed at by family or friends when you tried speaking a new language? It's particularly disheartening when it’s the language your family speaks.In this episode,  we speak to artist and illustrator Pearl Low on the difficulties of finding safe spaces for language learning, especially for heritage language learners. Heritage language learners are people who have a certain language in their family, can understand it to a basic degree, but cannot speak it fluently.  Learning a heritage language can be especially difficult because of the immense cultural expectations, lack of resources, and the harmful legacy of assimilation and racism in many countries (where speaking a foreign language could bring great prejudice or harm.) Pearl knows firsthand the difficulties in finding an inclusive environment to learn your heritage language. That’s why they founded Cantonese Connection, a learning platform with resources to learn Cantonese in a way that feels welcoming and open — no matter one's familiarity with the language. Join host Megan Cattel and Pearl as they candidly address the delicate experiences of navigating heritage languages within one's family circle, discuss the do's and don'ts of heritage language learning, and also try to figure out why Chinese language textbooks always feature a guy named Dawei (the businessman) in all their examples.

In this week's episode, we delve deep into the LGBTQ movement in Taiwan. Our guest, Wen Liu, brings her expertise as an assistant research professor at Academia Sinica, adding valuable insights into the history and evolution of queer rights in Taiwan.Wen Liu and our host, Sophia Yan, explore the movement's origins, its pivotal moments, and the courageous individuals who paved the way for progress.Furthermore, the conversation touches on the challenges that lie ahead for the LGBTQ community in Taiwan, providing a nuanced understanding of the ongoing struggles and areas that require attention and support.

This week, Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, China reporter at Axios, joins host Joanna Chiu to dive deep into her latest book, Beijing Rules. In its pages, Bethany details China's sophisticated strategy of leveraging its economic prowess, manipulating both access and denial, to shape the behavior of individuals, governments, and companies globally.Bethany illustrates how entities are compelled not just to avoid crossing Beijing's red lines, but also to actively support the CCP's interests. Joanna and Bethany discuss the exclusive reporting covered in the book, including China's interference in a Zoom memorial for the Tiananmen massacre and the misuse of the Sister City programs. The latter reveals how an initiative meant to foster exchanges between local governments has been exploited by Beijing to undermine US interactions with Taiwan.Yet, as Bethany emphasizes, this situation isn't set in stone. With the right policies, democracies can safeguard their values while still fostering economic relations with China. She critiques the prevailing assumption that economic freedom and democratic freedom are one and the same. One suggestion is to put sanctions on Chinese companies that execute Beijing's authoritarian censorship.Don't miss this compelling episode where challenging questions are posed about democracy's relationship with commerce in an increasingly interconnected world.

Journalist Clarissa Wei and chef Ivy Chen join us this week to talk about their new book Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation. According to host Solarina Ho, Made in Taiwan is both timeless and timely, and is more than a recipe book. It's a celebration of Taiwanese culture and its people through its unique culinary identity. In this episode, we discuss how food fits into discussions around identity, common culinary misconceptions, Indigenous and Hakka influences, how Clarissa and Ivy designed the recipes, as well as the contrast between Western coverage of cross-straight tensions and the local mood and mindset. This episode is jam packed with a lot of behind-the-scenes tidbits and discussions of Taiwan's history and culture — make sure to tune in! 

We're flying into fall with new episodes two weeks in a row! Scholar and author Julia Lovell is in conversation with host Lijia Zhang about her role as chief organizer of The Hidden Century, an exhibition currently on display at the British Museum until October 8th. The exhibition is the first of its kind to pay tribute to the creative expression and individuality of the Qing dynasty – an era usually more associated with foreign aggression, violence, and turmoil than culture or artistic expression. Lijia talks to Julia about how she curated the exhibit, specific artifacts on display, and changing perceptions of the Qing dynasty. The episode also touches on Julia's academic career. About Julia Lovell: Lovell is professor of Modern Chinese History and Literature at Birkbeck, University of London. Lovell is a translator of Chinese literature, and has also written books such as The Politics of Cultural Capital: China's Quest for a Nobel Prize in Literature and The Great Wall: China Against the World 1000 BC – AD 2000. Lovell has also written articles on the topic of China for the likes of The Guardian, The Times, and The Economist.

Happy end of summer! We're continuing our Taiwan series with Yun-Ching Ko, campaign director for the Taiwan Innocence Project (TIP), the only NGO in Taiwan that's committed to exonerating the wrongfully convicted by providing legal services and working to reform the judicial system. In this episode, Ko delves into her work with host Sophia Yan and discusses cases she has worked on. Those interested in criminal justice won't want to miss this episode.  About TIP: "Taiwan Innocence Project (TIP) was founded in 2012 to address the issue of wrongful conviction in Taiwan.We provide pro bono legal services for the wrongfully convicted, work to redress the causes of wrongful convictions, and support the exonerated after they are proven innocent. We also urge to reform the criminal justice system and seek institutional changes to prevent innocent people from entering a flawed legal process in the first place.TIP only accepts post-conviction cases that claim to be innocent, either with flawed forensic evidence or severe due process violation. We also seeks to support our clients during and after exonerations.We hope to create an open and dynamic space that can spur more public discussion and the exchange of ideas to resolve the problem of wrongful conviction. We hold training workshops for attorneys, ask experts from different disciplines to give talks, and hold campus tours to share the stories of the innocent people and to show documentaries about their lives.In 2015, we officially joined the Innocence Network, and became the second member in Asia. In 2018, we, along with innocence organizations and activists from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, co-signed the “Statement of the Asian Innocence Movement Activists,” collectively devoting ourselves into addressing wrongful convictions in Asia." 

Author Abigail Hing Wen joins NüVoices to discuss her NYT best selling YA novel, Loveboat, Taipei and its film adaptation Love in Taipei, based on the summer study tour that started more than half a century ago.For the price of a plane ticket and about $400, diaspora students between 18 and 23 from the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere participated in the government-subsidized, six-week language and cultural summer program. At its peak during the 1990s, some 1,000 students descended onto Taiwan every summer to have fun, escape from parents, and connect with their roots. Nicknamed after the 1970s/80s American TV show for the lasting relationships that developed, attendees found deep and lasting bonds. There are other cultural study opportunities and programs for youths and young adults today, but the "Love Boat" as many knew it shrank and changed considerably over the last two decades along with the changing political tides in Taiwan.In this episode, Abigail discusses the program and its history, her own experiences with the tour, the legendary stories and escapades that sprang from the students' experiences, and what it was like to make a film adaptation for a new generation of diaspora youth.Love in Taipei is available for streaming now through Paramount+

This week, we’ve reached the 100th episode of the NüVoices podcast! To celebrate, we’ve brought together hosts Megan Cattel, Solarina Ho, and Sophia Yan for a panel discussion with a grab-bag of topics – from geopolitical current events to pop culture. We’ll be discussing the recent news of Coco Lee’s death, and the hosts share their favorite songs as well as what the singer meant to them. They’ll also dive into U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to Beijing during a time of worsening relations between the two countries. On a slightly lighter note, the hosts also discuss the Netflix show Never Have I Ever about an Indian-American teenager and her family reconciling the two cultures and coming to terms with the intergenerational differences within the family.We would like to take this 100th episode to thank all our listeners and especially our Patreon subscribers! NüVoices is a non-profit organization and we appreciate all your support – even if it’s just a recommendation of the podcast to your friends. 

For the next half year leading up to the elections in Taiwan, we will be bringing you a mini-series focusing entirely on the island, from domestic politics to its relationship to neighboring China.For this first installment of the Taiwan mini-series, host Sophia Yan speaks to Yu-Jie Chen, an assistant research fellow from Academic Sinica who focuses on Human Rights and International relations with a specific focus on cross-strait relations.Not only does Yu-Jie provide listeners with one of the clearest, most succinct summaries of three hundred years of Taiwanese history, but she also delves into how political and personal identities on the island have changed in the past three decades. With cross-strait tensions worsening in recent years, what does the future hold for Taiwan? Yu-Jie also explains how the ambiguity of the 1992 Consensus has caused the modern-day complexities in the region. Taiwan is so much more than the occasional headline, so make sure you don’t miss this episode!

"Commercial dating agencies that facilitate marriages across national borders comprise a $2.5 billion global industry. Ideas about the industry are rife with stereotypes—younger ... brides being paired with older Western men. These ideas are more myth than fact, Monica Liu finds in Seeking Western Men."This week, NüVoices host Solarina Ho speaks with sociologist and assistant professor Monica Liu about her new book, Seeking Western Men, which explores the phenomenon of global internet dating and cross-border marriages, particularly among middle-aged, divorced women in China. She discusses the grievances women in China have with society and their own failed marriages, and why some believe a better life exists through this route. But reality is often very different. Liu explains why, and how the experiences of these women challenge scholars and others to rethink conventional notions of race and class. She also shares her experiences as an academic doing research in China and how that has evolved over the last decade.

This week, NüVoices co-host and editor of the podcast, Megan Cattel speaks to Charlotte Ming and Beimeng Fu, two founders of the Far & Near Substack newsletter. Far & Near aims to depict China in all its complexity by shining a light on the country's visual journalism and showing the human side of some of the biggest headlines coming out of the country. At a time where in-depth, on-the-ground reporting on China is becoming all the more stripped down, Far & Near is a much-needed glimpse into the everyday reality for people living in China.Beimeng and Charlotte can sometimes spend up to 45 hours working on a single issue. The newsletter has covered topics from the residents living in the apartment blocks that were abandoned during constructions due to the real estate crisis, to the nation's outrage over the Chained Woman last year. During the A4 protests, they provided a guideline for foreign journalists to help protect the identities of protestors, which became a popular document used by newsrooms worldwide. During the course of the episode, Beimeng and Charlotte talk about their work for the newsletter as both a labor of love  and a much needed perspective from inside China. With more magazine and newspaper closures in recent days, Beimeng and Charlotte are determined to do all that is necessary to increase readership and make the newsletter a project for the long-term.

Chinese millennials are fed up with the 996 grind (working from 9 AM until 9 PM, 6 days a week) and are going remote. Office workers across the country are freelancing, consulting clients, and starting their own businesses from their laptops; some are traveling to neighboring countries and regions with cheaper living costs. To shed light on this trend, Jing Daily's senior editor, Crystal Tai, is on the podcast to discuss her reporting on this subject. The rise of China's digital nomads coincide with a number of factors: first, the 996 work schedule. Then, the Covid-19 pandemic. Lastly, the cost of living crisis and widespread burnout from a competitive schooling and high-pressure work environments. Together with host Megan Cattel, Crystal discusses all these converging factors — and how many countries around the world are grappling with similar issues when it comes to overwork. Today is the last day of #AsianHeritageMonth to shop for great books on House of Anansi and have 10% of book sales go to NüVoices! Visit this link to learn more: https://bit.ly/41uEsOX

This week, NüVoices host and co-founder Joanna Chiu speaks to Canadian journalist and author Jan Wong. Jan was one of very few foreigners able to travel to China during the Cultural Revolution where she talked herself into studying at Peking University before working as a news assistant in the New York Times’ first Beijing bureau. Back then, the “office” consisted of two rooms in the Peking Hotel, one for the journalist and one that Jan shared with the driver and an interpreter. Jan Wong details how she then went on to hone her journalism skills at Columbia’s School of Journalism, eventually working as a business reporter for the Wall Street Journal and The Globe and Mail. When an opportunity came up to work as a foreign correspondent at The Globe and Mail’s Beijing Bureau, Jan made it her mission to get the role. After landing the job, Jan describes what it was like reporting from China during the 1980s, a bubbling tension that eventually culminated in the Tiananmen Massacre which Jan not only reported on but witnessed from a hotel overlooking the square. Joanna speaks to Jan about life as a student during the Cultural Revolution and her journey into journalism, as well as the advantages of being a Chinese-Canadian when reporting from China. They also delve into the current relations between China and Canada, and the alleged secret police stations that the CCP has been setting across Canada and the United States.May is Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Canada and the United States! This month, we’re partnering with House of Anansi, Canada’s leading indie publisher. Throughout the month of May, 10% of book sales on HouseofAnansi.com will be donated to NüVoices. Check out their online shop to support independent publishing and our work too! Thank you so much to House of Anansi for partnering with us.