Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR) has held 2019 TIGCR International Conference on “Political Polarization: Perspectives of Governance and Communication” on October 25, 2019. This is a meaningful event, because it has been the first time for TIGCR to host an international conference since the foundation of TIGCR. We received many academic papers and supports of friends from the United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Philippine and Taiwan.

Group photo with all the panelists and scholars

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

The topic of this conference “Political Polarization: Perspectives of Governance and Communication” focuses on the phenomenon of public opinion polarization nowadays. By adopting the methods of public opinion poll, big data and content analysis, scholars from politics, communication and public administration shared the research results related to the issues of public opinion polarization and politics communication.

At the beginning of the conference, Professor Chi Huang, the director of TIGCR, gave the opening remarks “Governance and Communication in a Digital Age: the TIGCR Project”. Professor Huang indicated that TIGCR is devoted to connecting the government with people in the age of information overload. We hope to apply the research outcomes to political communication, social harmony, development of international politics and communication social network.

TIGCR focused on political polarization, interviewing the public and government officials last year. Professor Huang also announced that the resulted data, including TIGCR-PPS 2018 and TIGCR-TGBS 2018 would be published in Chinese and English on the same day of this conference. Because the data archive of TIGCR website has been combined with the function of Nesstar online analysis, we can not only see frequency distribution table directly on the website (https://tigcr.nccu.edu.tw/), but also use Nesstar to show cross tabulation and regression analysis.

Professor Chi Huang, the director of TIGCR, gave the opening remarks

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

There are four panels in this conference. The first panel “Political Polarization, Public Opinion & Democracy” was hosted by Professor Chi Huang. The topic “Political Polarization in Taiwan and the United States: A Research Puzzle” was addressed by Professor Cal Clark from Auburn University, Professor Alexander C. Tan from University of Canterbury and Professor Karl Ho from University of Texas, Dallas. They mentioned the increasingly serious problems of political polarization in both Taiwan and the United States recently, and discussed its influence on the election. Professor Chia-Hung Tsai from National Chengchi University (NCCU) talked about “News Sources and Partisan Polarization: A Causal Mediation Analysis.” He analyzed the effects of social media on political polarization. It turns out that new media affects political attitude significantly. Presenters Professor Yi-Ching Hsiao from Tamkang University and Professor Chen-Hua Yu from National Chengchi University delivered the topic “Polarization Perception and Support for Democracy: The Case of Taiwan”. They did the research on Taiwanese people to understand whether Taiwanese people will lose faith in democracy because of party polarization.

The discussants Professor Shing-Yuan Sheng from National Chengchi University, Professor I-Ching Lee from National Taiwan University and Professor Tsung-Han Tsai from National Chengchi University offered informative feedback, and had the fruitful discussions with presenters.

Panelists presented the research papers

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Communications between the scholars

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

The second panel “Social Media Use, Political Participation & Civic Engagement” was hosted by Professor Ang Peng Hwa from National Technological University. The topic “Political Polarization in Taiwan: Implications for Interactive Political Communication and Participation” was addressed by NCCU Professor Ching-Ching Chang, who is also the associate director of TIGCR and Postdoctoral Researcher Yen-Cheng Chen. They divided Taiwanese people into five types of political polarization, and analyzed the disparities between Taiwanese people’s participation in social media and political activities. Professor Francis L. F. Lee from The Chinese University of Hong Kong observed the behaviors of students in Hong Kong. He talked about “Social Media and Protest Attitudes during Movement Abeyance: A Study of Hong Kong University Students”, discussing how social media pushes people to protest during suspension of social campaigns. Professor Hsuan-Ting Chen from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Professor Jhih-Syuan Lin from National Chengchi University delivered the topic “How Does Political Discussion On Social Media (De)Mobilize Political Participation? The Role of Cross-Cutting and Like-Minded Discussion, Political Ambivalence and Issue Importance”. They analyzed how different political dialogues affect political participation.

The discussants Professor Ching-Hsin Yu from National Chengchi University and Professor I-Ching Lee from National Taiwan University offered their reflections on three articles from various perspectives, discussing the research outcomes with the presenters.

Panelists presented the research papers

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Communications between the scholars

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

The third panel “Digital Governance, Big data & Algorithm” was hosted by Researcher Chung-li Wu from Academia Sinica. Professor Ang Peng Hwa from Nanyang Technological University addressed the topic “The Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence”. He talked about Artificial Intelligence and moral issues based on the essence of ethic. The topic “Professor Trisha T.C. Lin from National Chengchi University delivered the topic “News Framing and Sentiment Analysis of Go Green with Nuclear during 2018 Taiwanese Referendum”. She pointed out how selection mechanism of algorithm affects political participation of the public by representing heterogeneous points of view. Eventually, the topic Professor Charles Erize P. Ladia from University of the Philippines Diliman shared with us is “Crafting Presidential Exigences: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Exigences Narrated by President Rodrigo Duterte in Shaping Public Opinion on Philippines’ Federal Shift”. He analyzed how the President of the Philippines’ rhetoric influences and shapes public opinions. We invited Professor Francis L. F. Lee from The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Professor Chih-Hui Lai from National Chiao Tung University to be our discussants. They shared their research experiences in the communication field with presenters.

Panelists presented the research papers

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Communications between the scholars

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

The fourth panel “Civil Servants, Bureaucratic Assessment & Trust” was hosted by Professor Alexander C.Tan from University of Canterbury. Professor Hsiang-Te Liu from Ming Chuan University and Professor Don-Yun Chen addressed the topic” Can Public Service & PSM neutralize Political Polarization? A Comparative Study on Taiwan's Citizen and Public Servants”, and talked about how the citizens’ and government officials’ perspectives on pension reform and racial ideology affect polarizing policies. Professor Hsiang-Kai Dong from National Chengchi University and Professor Chung-An Chen from Nanyang Technological University delivered the topic “How Regret the Civil Servants Are? The Impacts of Civil Service Pension Reform on Public Servants’ Morale”, revealing the pension reform’s influence on the motivation of public service and different levels of government officials. Finally, Professor Zhou-Peng Liao from National Open University addressed the topic “Bureaucratic Values and Responsiveness: An Empirical Assessment”. He demonstrates how bureaucratic values affect cognition, discretion and bureaucratic responsiveness. Director Chi Huang, Professor Lung-Teng Hu from National Taipei University and Professor Kuan-Chiu Tseng from National Taiwan Normal University were invited to be the discussants. They discussed three articles with presenters, providing educated comments.

Panelists presented the research papers

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Lastly, Director Chi Huang’s closing remarks drew 2019 TIGCR International Conference on “Political Polarization: Perspectives of Governance and Communication” to a perfect end. He announced that 2020 TIGCR International Conference on “Political Polarization: Perspectives of Governance and Communication” would be held on October 30^th, 2020, and TIGCR committee is looking forward to seeing every guest again.

Group photo with the panelists and scholars

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Group photo with the panelists and scholars

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR) and Center for Survey Research, RCHSS, Academia Sinica held 2019 International Conference and Workshops on Survey Research Methodology in Research Center For Humanities and Social Science from August 7^th to 9^th. The conference focuses on research methods, offering international exchange opportunities for survey research. However, the conference in the morning of August 9^th was cancelled due to typhoon, and the workshop was proceeded online.

Group photo after the conference

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

During the three-day conference and workshops, Scholar Norbert Schwarz, Michael Link and Brady T. West were invited to delivered speeches. In the first workshop “Total Survey Error: A Guiding Framework for High-Quality Survey Design”, Professor Brady T. West from University of Michigan combined theories with examples to teach students how to reduce errors in surveys by high-quality survey research.

Professor West shared how to reduce errors in surveys

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

Group photo after the workshop

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

Provost Professor, Norbert Schwarz, from University of Southern California shared his experiences assessing the behaviors of subjects in cognitive research. Vice President of Abt Associates, Michael Link, who used to serve in U.S. Public Investigation Center discussed about the evolution and future development of data research, and provided suggestions for the latest survey research.

Vice President of Abt Associates, Michael Link discussed the evolution and future development of data research

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

On the second day of the conference, TIGCR Director Chi Huang host the panel discussion and TIGCR planning committee Professor Justin Bullock, Don-yun Chen, Zhou-Peng Liao, Chia-Hung Tsai and Tsung-han Tsai published their research results. Professor Justin Bullock analyzed survey research data in public administration, demonstrating the testing model of forecasting reliability. Professor Zhou-Peng Liao illustrated the differences among emotional analysis, comparative artificial function, automation and online crowdsourcing. Finally, Professor Chia-Hung Tsai and Tsung-han Tsai showed sample attrition in tracking survey and the impacts of weighting as well as multiple imputation. The event has attracted many scholars to join a heated discussion.

TIGCR Director Chi Huang in TIGCR panel

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

TIGCR research fellow Professor Justin Bullock in TIGCR panel

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

TIGCR research fellow Professor Zhou-Peng Liao in TIGCR panel

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

TIGCR research fellow Professor Tsung-han Tsai in TIGCR panel

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

Professor Brady T. West was invited to the workshop “Survey Weighting: Everything from Basic Concepts to Advanced Applications” on August 9^th. He talked about the influence of subjects on research and the application of weighing in survey research. Because of Typhoon Lekima, the workshop was proceeded through online video. 2019 International Conference and Workshops on Survey Research Methodology held by Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research and Center for Survey Research, RCHSS, Academia Sinica have ended successfully.

The visiting scholar of Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR) -- Professor Justin Bullock, Assistant Professor of Public Service and Administration Department, Texas A&M University delivered a public speech on “Creating Artificial Bureaucrat” on July 31^st, following the topic “The Impacts of AI (Artificial Intelligence) on Government Policies”. Professor Justin Bullock focuses on how to apply AI to the bureaucratic system and its future development. The speech is hosted by Professor Zhou-Peng, Liao from the Department of Public Administration at National Open University who is also the Deputy Director in Taiwan E-Governance Research Center.

Professor Liao chaired the speech

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

Based on the last speech focusing on applying AI to assisting government discretion, Professor Bullock deeply analyzes the complicated AI system. Learning from Comprehensive AI Systems (CAIS) launched by Drexler, Professor Bullock offers suggestions to the current research of public administration and its future.

Professor first mentions the impacts of fast-developing technology on the development of AI. Due to the assistance of AI, public administration, including decision-making and discretion becomes more flexible and efficient. In the long-term development, the reason why AI can surpass Information Communication Technology which helped officials before rests on its keep-learning ability that can transcend human’s limited storage systems, process data more efficiently and continue to improve the decision-making behaviors according to its learning experiences.

Professor Bullock's speech video

(Video credit: TIGCR)

Professor Bullock delivered a public speech

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

He then refers that for many public servants, there are three functions of AI they care the most. Firstly, systematically building pictures, words or data to help AI learn thereafter. Secondly, using the identification mode of big data to analyze or predict whether the input data can become trends. Thirdly, whether the current human resources can be replaced in the automatic way. According to Professor Bullock, although the learning capability of AI can help it handle data in the efficient and systematic way, there are many factors we need to consider when we create artificial bureaucracy.

Professor Bullock points out that AI owns strong problem-solving capability and can learn new techniques as well as complete missions through complex scientific structures, but as far as we know, disparity exists in understanding the ability between AI and human. Humans can understand their own behaviors deeply, while AI cannot achieve it. When deciding the civil service system should use AI or artificial methods to make decisions, Professor Bullock thinks it depends on whether the official business requires the administrator to have the understanding ability.

Professor Bullock answered the question

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

Because of the bureaucratic characteristic of AI system, Professor Bullock provided advices for current artificial bureaucracy, based on Comprehension AI service (CAIS) given by Drexler (2019). The intelligence of CAIS has improved. It featured on mission-centered characteristic different from the previous AI. When introducing the model in the future, we should decide the assignment of missions by considering the risks and complexity of missions thoroughly.

Professor Bullock answered the question

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

Professor Bullock concluded that AI has become a measurement tool for every field gradually. We should conceive the AI strategy carefully. Like other systems, AI is composed of complicated bureaucratic structure. We can refer to Drexler’s structure to improve the subsystems.

After the speech, in response to the invitation of Professor Chi Huang, Director of TIGCR, Professor Bullock agreed to become one of our members. Hopefully, we can have closer cooperation and interaction in the future. With the consent of Professor Bullock, this speech is fully recorded. Everyone is welcome to review his speech on our official website.

Group photo after the speech

(Photo credit: TIGCR)

On July 2, 2019, the TIGCR Planning Committee visit Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) of Nanyang Technological University (NTU). We were very appreciated to be warmly welcomed by the Director, Prof. Charles Salmon, and the research fellow, Prof. ANG Peng Hwa, Prof. MAY O. Lwin, Associate Prof. Shirley HO Soo Yee, Associate Prof. Alton Chua and Dr. Lee Chu Keong.

TIGCR Planning Committee visit  (WKWSCI) of Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

On behalf of the WKWSCI, Associate Prof. Alton Chua first introduced the current development and future blueprint of the school. WKWSCI valued the connection between communication and technology, thus, it not only owned the latest equipment such as AR, VR, AND fMRI, but trained talented researchers expertizing in the field of big data. Regarding the research domains, with the communication-based research such as media effect, public opinion, health communication and virtual reality, coupled with the data-based research like human-computer interaction, digital construction, message recognition and access, WKWCI had great advantage in cross-domain integration.

Afterwards, Prof. Trisha Lin represented TIGCR to deliver a presentation on the introduction of TIGCR and the polarization phenomenon of politics and communication in Taiwan. The presentation covering the research focuses of TIGCR, current survey progress, big data analysis, international collaboration with overseas scholars and the annual policy report, received high recognition and interest from the fellow of the WKWSCI.

Prof. Trisha Lin represented TIGCR to deliver a presentation on the introduction of TIGCR

（Photo credit: TIGCR）

Apart from paying attention in discussing the challenge and solutions of conducting surveys, members from TIGCR and WKWSCI also explored recent issues in both countries. There were several similar issues existed in both countries that was worth for investigating, including health, family, energy, and so on. Associate Prof. Shirley HO Soo Yee had conducted surveys questioning public opinions on the use of nuclear power. Given the likeliness on the issue and survey approach, both sides were looking forward to the future cooperation.

In response to TIGCR’s presentation on annual policy report, members from the WKWSCI was curious about if or not TIGCR inclined to certain parties. Director of TIGCR, Prof. Huang replied that TIGCR insisted to maintain academic neutrality. If there is a tendency towards any party, the credibility of the academic performance will be questioned. Furthermore, TIGCR intended to analyze the phenomenon of Taiwan society in a neutral standpoint, meanwhile, strived to accomplish the goal: alleviating the political polarization.

After the meeting, WKWSCI hosted members from TIGCR with passionate hospitality and tasty local snack. Within the pleasant atmosphere, the both sides promised each other for future cooperation and academic exchanges. Members of WKWSCI then provided TIGCR team a guided tour for several advanced labs, including the Media CoLab, Cognition and Behavioral Sciences Laboratory, Communication and Informatics Research Laboratory Asia, COOL ASIA and the professional studios of the Department of Radio and Television Studies. Fruitful harvest for both WKWSCI and TIGCR!

Artificial Intelligence (AI), one of the leading technologies having huge influence around the globe, is applied in various fields and departments. The visiting scholar of Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR) -- Professor Justin Bullock, Assistant Professor of Public Service and Administration Department, Texas A&M University delivered public speech on “Artificial Intelligence, Discretion, and Bureaucracy”. Combined two of his research domains: Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, Bullock focused on how government applied AI on decision making and the possible impact. This speech was chaired by Professor Calvin Liao, Associate Professor of Department of Public Administration at National Open University, Deputy Director of Taiwan E-Governance Research Center.

This summer (from May to September), Taiwan Institute for Governance and Communication Research (TIGCR) is honored to invite Professor Justin Bullock, Assistant Professor of Public Service and Administration Department, Texas A&M University, as visiting scholar. His research domain includes, but not limited to public administration, artificial intelligence (AI), and political communication. During the 3 months scholarly visiting, TIGCR will have more chances collaborating with Professor Bullock with several public academic events to be held.