Research on the Autonomy of Cultural Production of "Independent Periodicals" in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Tze-Ning Hong, 洪芷寧
• Other Authors: Jen-I, Liao
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/53278078260522400587

碩士 === 國立臺北藝術大學 === 藝術行政與管理研究所 === 102 === “Independent Periodicals,” which so called non-mainstream publications(Independent publish, or zine, etc.) has not yet comes to common consensus on titles or styles.This dissertation focuses on the autonomy of cultural production through interviews with actual production systems, i.e. producers and promoters, and viewers, i.e. readers and platforms here in Taiwan, from 2011 to 2014. At this point(2014), “Independent Periodicals” still vary in the of meanings or types. Many factors determine “how independence” the publication will be. It depends on what contents producers chosen, how devoted are them, and whether their self-positioning transformed into collective values. "Independent Periodicals" differ from profitable mainstream productions in content, division, distribution, and circulation. “Objects” (the hard copies) are people’s choices, and also the key to people''s encounters. The rareness minority and non-profit characteristics, not by genres nor tastes, mutually generate both “Independent Periodicals” and its readers and communities into each other. The connections and confluences in people has overflown out of social inhabitations, independent bookstores/publishers, independent media/newspapers. When it comes to the meaning of “independence,” it changes through time. Publishing material and literature environment are always changing. The freedom of publishing bursted radically from 80s to 90s in Taiwan. After 90s, the popularisation of publishing increases more through digitisation on the internet. Styles and forms varies in “Independent Periodicals.” From text to image, or from photography or creative writing, or from personal blogs to zine, or from self-publishing to on-demand printing, etc. One could find every copy under different advocacy. Some might be personal expression or some might be community aggregations. Communities have been long existing producers in independent publishing, people gather from underground music, independent media, film critics, concerned local residents, or green agriculture farmers. They consider their actions and voices could establish a balance with tilted mercantilism in Taiwan. In this specific field of cultural production, the physical existence of “Independent Periodicals” becomes as an index, leading us to find the specific space and time, materials and views of those producers and readers. Identifying is the main factor for those to devote themselves in producing. It creates a different and random atmosphere of distribution and circulation from mainstream book or magazine publishers. There is no limitation. There is a lot of fun and self-sufficient. They do not care about scale or competitions. They are the word “diversity.” Call it “zine,” “誌,” or “紙本,” it would not fix it’s meaning on anything. “Independence,” the only belief, leads “Independent Periodicals” towards autonomy of cultural production.