參與、表演與募資──臺灣文化外交的民主參與

Participation, Performing, and Crowdfunding: The Democratic Engagement of Cultural Diplomacy in Taiwan

本文探討臺灣公民社會在文化外交中的參與模式，並批判性地檢視這些參與是否構成文化外交的民主化。透過分析二〇一七年全國文化會議、外交部青年大使計畫以及羣眾募資案例，本研究指出臺灣公民參與文化外交的三種可能方式：政策制定歷程參與者、文化交流專案的表演者，以及專案贊助者。
研究發現，儘管民主化及科技發展促使文化政策制定有機會從由上而下的模式轉向混合式的共治模式，公民藉參與機制表達意見，但公民參與並不自然而然等同於民主化。二〇一七年全國文化會議運用資訊科技擴大公民參與，體現了審議民主的潛力。國際青年大使交流計畫延續了臺灣長期以來透過表演藝術進行文化外交的方式，但也反映出國家工具化與公民能動性之間的張力。羣眾募資案例則顯示，在面對外交孤立與政府預算限制時，公民社會能夠主動發起文化外交行動，透過社羣媒體動員集體力量。
本文指出，「讓世界看見臺灣」已成為跨世代的共同意識，促使公民積極參與文化外交實踐。然而，真正的民主化需要的不僅是參與，更需要制度改革以確保透明度、問責制度，以及文化政策決策的包容性。臺灣的經驗說明了公民參與文化外交的可能性與限制，突顯建立具韌性的制度框架以保護文化倡議免受政治波動影響的重要性。

This article examines the participatory model of Taiwanese civil society in cultural diplomacy, with a particular focus on the role of the people and their methods of engagement. Through analyzing the 2017 National Cultural Congress, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’International Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program, and the We TAIWAN crowdfunding campaign, this study identifies three primary roles of citizen participation in Taiwan’s cultural diplomacy: participants in policy-making processes, performers in cultural exchange projects, and sponsors of diplomatic initiatives.
The research reveals that while democratization and technological development have enabled cultural policymaking to shift from a top-down model toward a hybrid co-governance approach, citizen participation does not automatically equate to democratization. The 2017 National Cultural Congress utilized information technology to expand civic participation, demonstrating the potential of deliberative democracy. The International Youth Ambassadors Exchange Program continues Taiwan’s tradition of conducting cultural diplomacy through performing arts. Yet it also reflects tensions between state instrumentalization and citizen agency. The crowdfunding cases demonstrate that when facing diplomatic isolation and government budget constraints, civil society can proactively initiate cultural diplomacy actions by mobilizing collective power through social media.
The article argues that“making Taiwan visible to the world”has become a cross-generational shared consciousness, motivating citizens to actively participate in cultural diplomacy practices. However, true democratization requires more than participation—it demands institutional reforms that ensure transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making in cultural policy. Taiwan’s experience illustrates both the possibilities and limitations of citizen engagement in cultural diplomacy, highlighting the need for resilient institutional frameworks that protect cultural initiatives from political volatility while ensuring equitable access and strategic coherence.