Before the Light: A discussion with Ian Rowen on the making of Transitions in Taiwan and translating narratives of the White Terror Period

How can literature shed light onto the violence of the past? More specifically, how does Taiwanese literature in translation participate in shaping narratives of recollection of the White Terror Period in light of Taiwan’s contemporary commitment to transitional justice and global positioning as a defender of human rights? In this interview, Coraline Jortay discusses these questions with Ian Rowen, the editor of Transitions in Taiwan: Stories of the White Terror. This anthology of short stories was published in the spring of 2021 as part of the Cambria Literature in Taiwan Series, in collaboration with the National Museum of Taiwan Literature, the National Human Rights Museum and National Taiwan Normal University. The conversation touches upon the making of Transitions in Taiwan in the context of contemporary narratives of the White Terror Period and transitional justice initiatives and broader issues of positionality in translation and geopolitics.