3 - Activism without sovereignty? Transnational advocacy networks and migrant labour NGOs in Taiwan

A burgeoning literature on transnational politics argues that advocacy networks and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are becoming more reliant on international organisations to build coalitions and exert influence on targeted states. Some argued that activists seek support and search international allies via international organisations where targeted states are members of these organisations. This paper examines how labour advocacy networks and NGOs engage with their international partners in their transnational campaigns and strategies. However, not all nation-states are members of international organisations. Taiwan is a case in point. How have activists overcome the hurdle of Taiwan’s isolation to search for international allies? What strategies or alternative options were utilised by activists and NGOs in projecting their voices and building transnational linkages amidst Taiwan’s exclusion from international organisations? The paper will interrogate how effective and sustainable such strategy has been.