The International College of Innovation (ICI, NCCU) participated in the public program of the Taipei Biennial at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, collaborating with the Taiwan STS Association and five other academic institutions to co-design and plan an innovative pedagogical approach known as “Negotiation Theatre.” This semester, the course “Technology, Society, and Culture” partnered with wpd Taiwan Energy to present a final performance using the “Negotiation Theatre” format. The project was led by Assistant Professor Chih-Yuan Yang, art director I-Hua Lin of the Shan-Yeh Project, and playwright Pin-Jung Chen of Bu-Er-Rong Theatre Studio. The topic was “Offshore Wind Power Negotiation for the Taoyuan Wind Farm.”
Negotiation Theatre, or negotiation simulation, emphasizes the concept of “strategic political alignment and negotiation,” and draws on Science and Technology Studies (STS) approaches to investigate, document, and reflect on how scientific knowledge and technological choices are deeply intertwined with society. It highlights the political nature of technology and the need for technical decision-making to account for its social implications—such as methods for ecological assessments in environmental impact reports, or rethinking coexistence models in fishery rights negotiations. Rather than simply criticizing, Negotiation Theatre stresses the importance of establishing institutional frameworks and standards to guide negotiations. These involve complex interactions among technologies, experts, and local contexts, where critiques and proposals must be grounded in detailed understanding. The Theatre aims to function as an experimental and public platform—opening up the often opaque and technical “black box” of science-policy discourse to broader participation.
As a teaching method rooted in experiential cases, Negotiation Theatre immerses students in real-world complexity. Through role-play and negotiation, participants explore conflicts and contradictions among stakeholders, where compromise is sometimes necessary to move discussions forward. The format combines innovation, engagement, and effective communication, making it a compelling educational tool. Its primary objective is to cultivate students’ skills in performative communication, debate, and negotiation within the context of technological controversies, guiding them to explore contested issues and develop provisional, workable solutions. This is a continuing performance—a theatre piece that invites the imagination of a shared political future.
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Original article (Chinese): NCCU Campus News
