Achieving Good Governance for Indigenous Self-government: Some Challenges in Taiwan
Chih-Tung Huang*, Li-Yi Hsu**
Abstract
In 2016, President Tsai Ing-wen issued an official apology to the Taiwanese indigenous peoples. This apology soon started heated debates on the progress of indigenous self-government. Most of the debates focused on political issues, such as financial supports, jurisdiction, and territory. This article, however, adopts a PA-approach (public administration) by arguing that indigenous self-government and good governance should go hand in hand, as governance and accountability are safeguards of public interests. Given that, it also argues that there are two forms of accountability in indigenous governance. Government accountability is a concept for all contemporary governments; indigenous accountability, however, is a culturally appropriate view for indigenous governments/organizations. It is stressed that PA researchers should stay culturally sensitive. We further argue that as an ever-expanding discipline PA could definitely learn from the experiences of indigenous self-government.
Keywords: indigenous peoples, autonomy, accountability, governance, good governance
* Chih-Tung Huang, Associate Professor, National Open University, e-mail: cthuang@mail.nou. edu.tw.
** Li-Yi Hsu, Professor, National Open University, e-mail: firstman@mail.nou.edu.tw.