Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading the Spring 2024 issue of the Jackson School Journal of International Studies. We are proud to showcase the exceptional work of our fellow undergraduate scholars.
The contours of our current global political climate are defined by significant turbulence and tension emerging from hegemonic competition, growing displacement, and salient human rights discourses. These challenges, though disparate, necessitate urgent globalized solutions and thus shape the focus of our latest edition.
In this issue, we explore the theme of “Equilibrium Amid Strife,” delving into critical questions that initiate thought-provoking discussions and lay the foundation for achieving actionable solutions. Our first theme centers around how Taiwan’s technological and diplomatic efforts shape its global influence. Natalie Chiu delivers an incisive analysis of the role of the TSMC in Taiwan’s diplomatic strategy, examining how the semiconductor giant employs soft power and nation branding. Meanwhile, our interview with Indo-Pacific policy analyst Bonnie Glaser situates Taiwan within the broader context of the U.S.-China competition and offers insight into the implications of Taiwan’s recent election outcome on regional dynamics as well as diplomatic relations.
Our second theme seeks to shed light on some of the most pressing contemporary human rights challenges across the world. William Brown uses new modes of analysis to investigate the link between non-Western migration and the ascent of far-right politics in Europe, utilizing Denmark as a case study. Shifting attention from migration to disability, a former U.N. independent expert Ikponwosa Ero provides illuminating commentary on positionality, solidarity, and other challenges to albinism advocacy within the global disability rights movement. This year, our journal also includes a field note from the University of Washington’s Jamaica study abroad program, featuring thoughtful reflections on global health and universal human right challenges.
We hope you find this edition both enlightening and inspiring.
Annalisa Mueller-Eberstein, Max Cheung, Taisha Bayliss, Upajna Palepu, Yvonne Pan, Jingyi (Jane) Pan
The 2023-24 Editorial Board
