英文摘要 |
This article explores the governing mechanism for lost property in contemporary Taiwanese society. The loss, pick-up and return of lost property imply a special relationship between people and objects. This relationship involves the risk of intensive movement of lost and found objects, moral debates over property rights, and questions about the governance of lost and found services. The paper first draws on questionnaire and interview research with lost-and-found service staff to examine the experience of losing and picking-up objects, the types of lost property, and the procedure for handling lost property. Media reports on the legal and moral controversies surrounding the loss, pick-up, return and embezzlement of property are then analyzed. Finally, the author reflects upon the meaning of lost objects and possible implications of this meaning for the relationship between people and things. |