Ho Ming-sho 何明修

From Streets to Ballots: Civil Society Mobilization in Taiwan’s Bluebird Action and Recall Campaigns

Time: Tuesday, 14 July, 17:00–19:00 s.t.
Place: RUB, Building MB, 3rd floor, Room 126

As democracy faces new pressures worldwide, Taiwan has become a key battleground for civic action. This lecture explores how ordinary citizens fought back against the legislative power grab and shrinking democratic norms. With original survey data, I will examine two major movements: the Bluebird Action of 2024, which brought crowds back to the streets by reviving the spirit of past protests, and the Great Recall Campaign of 2025, a grassroots effort to remove dozens of lawmakers from office. While these events show that people can organize quickly and creatively, they also reveal a tough reality. Despite huge volunteer efforts, the recalls largely failed to change the balance of power. In the end, Taiwan's experience shows that even the most creative civic movements can struggle to turn public energy into lasting political change in a polarized society.

Everyone interested is warmly welcome!

Ho Ming-sho is a professor in the Department of Sociology, National Taiwan University. He studies social movements, labor and environmental issues. He is the author of Working Class Formation in Taiwan: Fractured Solidarity in State-Owned Enterprises (2014), Challenging Beijing’s Mandate of Heaven: Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement (2019), and Be Water: Collective Improvisation in Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Protests (2025).