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Academia Sinica President Chien-Jen Chen attended the Institute of Sociology (IOS)'s Academic Advisory Committee Meeting and 30th-anniversary celebration on July 2, joining Academicians Nan Lin and Yu Xie, committee members, and distinguished scholars to review the development of sociological research and international collaboration, and to discuss future directions.

In his remarks, President Chen noted that, throughout its history, IOS has upheld academic freedom, research autonomy, diversity and inclusion, and democratic governance. It has built a strong foundation for the study of Taiwanese society, producing significant scholarship on culture, family, healthcare, history, labor, politics, religion, science, and technology. This work has deepened understanding of Taiwan while contributing critical perspectives on social change.

President Chen also noted that, amid the major social transformations driven by demographic change and artificial intelligence, sociology has a vital role to play in understanding social dynamics, informing public dialogue, and supporting policy analysis. Citing Magnifica Humanitas, an encyclical by Pope Leo XIV, he emphasized that technological development in the AI era should be guided by human dignity, the public good, care for the vulnerable, and social solidarity. He expressed hope that the Institute would further advance research on AI ethics, ethical governance, and the social impacts of emerging technologies.

Three Decades of Research on Taiwanese Society

IOS traces its origins to a Preparatory Office established in 1995 under the leadership of Academician Kwang-Chih Chang, then AS Vice President, together with fourteen scholars from the Institute of Ethnology, the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Institute of European and American Studies. On January 10, 2000, IOS was formally established. Over the past three decades, the Institute has produced a substantial body of scholarship and helped lay the foundations for sociological research in Taiwan. Its long-term research projects, including the Taiwan Social Change Survey, the Generations and Gender Programme, the Taiwan Social Image Survey, and the Taiwan Youth Project, have built important databases widely used by scholars in Taiwan and abroad.

To mark its 30th anniversary, a commemorative volume was published—Thirty Years with IOS: Reflections on the Past and Future of Academia Sinica's Institute of Sociology, in which researchers share personal reflections on the mission, contributions, and impact of sociology.

IOS Director Chih-Jou Jay Chen noted that, since its establishment, the Institute has focused on Taiwanese society while analyzing Taiwan in broader historical and international contexts. Its research has examined democratization, national identity, cross-Strait relations, social change, healthcare, labor, the environment, gender, and geopolitics, while also advancing international research and collaboration. Through these efforts, it has become one of Taiwan’s leading centers for sociological research.

In 2024, Distinguished Research Fellow Chih-Ming Ka became the first locally trained sociologist elected as an Academician of AS. His election marked both a milestone in his academic career and a recognition of the institute’s long-standing contributions to the study of Taiwanese society.

Advancing Knowledge Through Research and Mentorship

IOS has published more than one hundred scholarly books covering a wide range of subjects, including social change, ethnicity, labor, culture, and social institutions in Taiwan. Together with the Department of Sociology at National Taiwan University, it co-publishes the Taiwanese Journal of Sociology. Since its launch in 2001, the journal has published fifty issues and received the National Central Library’s Taiwan Journal Citation and Influence Award in 2024 (Long-Term Citation) in the field of sociology, underscoring its role as one of Taiwan’s leading platforms for scholarly exchange.

The Institute has also long invested in cultivating the next generation of social scientists. It jointly offers a Ph.D. program with NTU and NCU and collaborates with NTHU on the Master's Program in Contemporary China Studies. It also supports early-career researchers and students through a range of training initiatives, including its doctoral candidate development program, postdoctoral research program, and the Spring Sociology Graduate Workshop.

As it looks to the next decade, the Institute will remain guided by its core values of academic freedom, research autonomy, and democratic governance, and remain committed to its academic vision of “telling our own stories to understand who we are.” By building on Taiwan-based research and deepening its engagement with the international scholarly community, it aims to further enhance the international visibility and influence of Taiwanese sociology.Academia Sinica President Chien-Jen Chen attended the Institute of Sociology (IOS)'s Academic Advisory Committee Meeting and 30th-anniversary celebration on July 2, joining Academicians Nan Lin and Yu Xie, committee members, and distinguished scholars to review the development of sociological research and international collaboration, and to discuss future directions.