Institute of Social Research and Culture Studies

The Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies at National Chiao-Tung University was established in 2002, and originates from two schools of thought to provide both master’s and doctoral courses: Social Research (based on empirical research and critical theory), and Cultural Studies (an interdisciplinary field that draws upon local contexts). The purpose of the institute is therefore to overcome the boundaries between the humanities and social sciences disciplines, engage in deep critical thinking about social thought and cultural theories, and emphasize the analysis of history, society, and political economics in the face of current cultural issues.

The Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies currently employs 7 full-time faculty members, and 5 joint faculty members.
The Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies is run by our full-time faculty and qualified teachers in accordance with the curriculum plan of the institute. The institute’s academic program relies on "Social and Cultural Theory" as the keystone for deepening theoretical thinking. Under this heading, the institute has developed the three key directions of "Taiwanese Society and Culture," "Critical Research in Asian Societies," and "Art, Society, Action," with particular emphasis on Taiwan and it’s role in the historical processes of modernity in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia, as well as critical research on social transformations in a global context.
Starting in 2013, the Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies has continually supported the "International Master’s Program in Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, University System of Taiwan (IACS-UST)," and planned courses in "Asian Modernity and Critical Theory" in order to jointly cultivate higher education talents. The institute also leads the "Cultural Research International Center,” which combines cross-disciplinary and multinational research teams to promote international academic cooperation and foster the cross-border connection of talents. Since 2018, the "Cultural Research International Center" has hosted the Ministry of Education's Featured Areas Research Center Program’s five year plan: "Conflict, Justice, Decolonization: Critical Research on Inter-Asian Societies." Through five research projects and 31 topics, the institute has conducted research work to encourage graduate students to join in the development of academic research and education strategies in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia.

By utilizing the institute’s International Center for Cultural Studies, as well as fostering continued efforts toward internationalization, the Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies provides a substantial international research platform and teaching environment through the following means:
1. Encouragement of long-term and short-term visits, lectures, and resident English courses by internationally renowned scholars.
2. International academic and teaching exchange agreements.
3. International talent cultivation and guidance for dual thesis projects: Through academic alliances and strong campus internationalization, the institute creates international mobility opportunities for students, promotes international exchanges between teachers and students, provides students with short-term research or study abroad opportunities and advisement for doctoral theses, and establishes mechanisms for dual degree and joint degree programs.
4. Internships abroad and local internships for international students.
5. International academic workshops for winter and summer vacations, providing opportunities for domestic and foreign teachers to work together.
6. Organization of issue-oriented annual international academic workshops for collaborative teaching.
7. Encouragement for graduate students to attend international conferences and publish papers.
8. Intensive courses taught on regional social responsibility and international cooperation, which serve as a conduit for regional social responsibility and cross-border inter-Asian society.
9. Acceptance of international students to Taiwan for long-term exchanges.

So far, the Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies has had 23 doctoral degree graduates, including 7 international students. There have been 91 master’s degree graduates from both the Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies and the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Master’s Program, including 3 foreign students and 3 mainland Chinese students. Each year, 3 local students are enrolled in the doctoral program of the Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies, 8 are enrolled in the master's degree program, and about 3-4 are enrolled annually in the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies program. At present, the number of students in the Institute of Social Research and Cultural Studies doctoral program is 49 (including 13 international students and 14 mainland Chinese students), and in the master’s program, there are 45 students (including 6 international students and 8 mainland Chinese students).