Mirrors of power: a critical discourse analysis of the case of a Tsou indigenous elite in Taiwan's transitional justice

This study employs critical discourse analysis to explore the evolving narratives concerning a Tsou indigenous leader, unjustly executed during Taiwan's authoritarian era. It contrasts the Chinese Nationalist Party's portrayal of the leader as a corrupt insurgent during the period of martial law, with the post-2016 recharacterization of him as a pioneer of indigenous rights. Through analysis of government propaganda from 1952, a 2020 preface from a National Human Rights Museum publication, and interviews with 10 influential stakeholders, this study reveals shifting perspectives on indigenous rights and within the broader discourse of transitional justice in Taiwan. The findings encourage critical reflection on indigenous transitional justice, warning against an elite-centered discourse and highlighting the potential for hidden hegemonies within democratic frameworks.