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
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
Pinned
James Lin
@jamestwotree.bsky.social
· Apr 4
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.
www.ucpress.edu
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
Abstract concepts like imperialism sometimes can be difficult to grasp. How do officials who have never stepped foot in a place make decisions about millions of people as if it were a pawn on a chessboard with such little thought? Khan's history answers part of that puzzle.
December 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Abstract concepts like imperialism sometimes can be difficult to grasp. How do officials who have never stepped foot in a place make decisions about millions of people as if it were a pawn on a chessboard with such little thought? Khan's history answers part of that puzzle.
“There was something imperialistic about distributing territory in this casual manner—a handshake at Cairo, without any thought of what the people whose future was being decided might want” (27).
December 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
“There was something imperialistic about distributing territory in this casual manner—a handshake at Cairo, without any thought of what the people whose future was being decided might want” (27).
Though I see others have critiqued Khan for an elite-centered narrative, which I agree is shortcoming of a more traditional diplomatic history, Khan also focuses on why elite agency was crucial for Taiwan's current predicament. Take this other quote that resonated with me:
December 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Though I see others have critiqued Khan for an elite-centered narrative, which I agree is shortcoming of a more traditional diplomatic history, Khan also focuses on why elite agency was crucial for Taiwan's current predicament. Take this other quote that resonated with me:
Khan is a gifted storyteller and included some quotes I appreciated, such as one about Chinese officials who were befuddled by the public backlash following Watergate: “How was one to deal with a country where a simple burglary scandal could threaten the head of state?” (122).
December 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Khan is a gifted storyteller and included some quotes I appreciated, such as one about Chinese officials who were befuddled by the public backlash following Watergate: “How was one to deal with a country where a simple burglary scandal could threaten the head of state?” (122).
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
December 26, 2025 at 7:52 AM
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.
Reposted by James Lin
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
Friday November 28, 3pm in the Liu building's Place of Many Trees
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!
November 15, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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
Friday November 28, 3pm in the Liu building's Place of Many Trees
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!
November 12, 2025 at 6:40 PM
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!
November 12, 2025 at 6:31 PM
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
October 30, 2025 at 4:51 PM
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...
Reposted by James Lin
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
September 22, 2025 at 1:40 AM
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 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.
I 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...
Taiwan Confronts its WWII Legacy
An exploration
www.chinatalk.media
September 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
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.
Reposted by James Lin
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.
In this A&M student's righteous "Dear Leader" invocation, there was no shame felt at all.
A 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...
www.kbtx.com/2025/09/09/a...
A&M Dean removed following student complaints over curriculum
The Department of Justice has also acknowledged the situation and said it would be investigating.
www.kbtx.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
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.
In this A&M student's righteous "Dear Leader" invocation, there was no shame felt at all.
Reposted by James Lin
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
August 22, 2025 at 7:11 PM
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
Thanks for getting my book! (I assign Morris’ book in my undergrad class, and Dittmer’s edited volume has some good chapters too!)
August 23, 2025 at 1:50 AM
Thanks for getting my book! (I assign Morris’ book in my undergrad class, and Dittmer’s edited volume has some good chapters too!)
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
www.taipeitimes.com
August 20, 2025 at 8:11 PM
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...
Excited to read @heguisen.bsky.social’s new book Ghost Nation!
August 5, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Excited to read @heguisen.bsky.social’s new book Ghost Nation!
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
August 1, 2025 at 3:31 AM
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...
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...
July 15, 2025 at 7:28 PM
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...
This is a super fun wordle variant
May 19, 2025 at 3:24 AM
This is a super fun wordle variant
Reminder: I’ll be talking about my new book this Thursday!
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
May 13, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Reminder: I’ll be talking about my new book this Thursday!
You can grab my book on sale for 40% off! www.ucpress.edu/books/in-the...
May 7, 2025 at 6:17 PM
You can grab my book on sale for 40% off! www.ucpress.edu/books/in-the...
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.
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!
Development and Diplomacy
In the Global Vanguard: Agrarian Development and the Making of Modern Taiwan, James Lin, 2025.
unevenandcombinedthoughts.substack.com
May 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
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.
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
April 30, 2025 at 10:38 PM
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/...
Reposted by James Lin
