That's Debatable

There are endless debates and discussions on AI (artificial intelligence) tools, AR and VR technology and their application. In this episode, we’re welcoming back a wonderful returning guest, Sasha Dees to discuss more with us. Sasha Dees is an independent writer, curator, and researcher from the Netherlands. Her work touches on decolonization, art of Indigenous communities all around the world, a...

Today’s episode is the final part of my conversation with Omar Alshogre. Make sure to listen to the previous 2 episodes. Omar is among the few people who survived Syria's prisons after being arrested for participating in anti-government protests against the authoritarian Bashar al Assad regime. In this episode, he’ll share with us his “execution,” how he got out out of prison, and messages of...

Hey you, this is the full version, all 3 parts, of my interview with Omar Alshogre. Thank you for tuning in! Omar is among the few people who survived Syria's prisons after being arrested for participating in anti-government protests against the authoritarian Bashar al Assad regime. Omar is now the Director for Detainee Affairs at the Syrian Emergency Task Force. He is also a public speaker, a...

Today, we are continuing our conversation with Omar Alshogre. Make sure to check out the previous episode if you haven’t.  Omar is among the few people who survived Syria's prisons after being arrested for participating in anti-government protests. In today’s episode, Omar shares with us the brutality, injustice, and darkness of his time in prison, in total of 3 years, where he lost his loved...

Do you remember the beginning of the Arab Spring (I certainly hope you do!)? A wave of pro-democracy uprisings that began in 2010-2011 in the Middle East and North Africa, challenging their authoritarian regimes. When the Arab Spring started, I was 15 years old, exactly the same as my guest today, Omar Alshogre. He was born in al-Bayda, Syria in 1995. Omar is among the few people who survived Syri...

Today, we’re picking up where we left off with dress historian Kenna Libes. Make sure to check out the previous episode “ Corsets are not what you think ”if you haven't. Alright, have you heard of another term “stays?” Which one comes first, corsets or stays? We’re kicking off today's episode with this question and talk more about why wearing the right undergarments in portrayals of specif...

Have you ever wondered how “accurate” the portrayal of historic dress is in movies and TV shows? For example, in well-known shows and films like Bridgerton and different Jane Austen adaptations, do they show a good portrayal of historic dress? One piece of garment – the corset, with the way it’s usually portrayed in movies and shows, has gathered an infamous reputation of being a piece of “torturo...

Hello there, it’s your host Sharon. Welcome back to That’s Debatable. Today’s episode is part 2 of my interview with Dr. Anna Kaminsky, the director of The Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Eastern Germany. Go check out part 1 if you haven’t. Today, we’re picking up where we left off. What are some ways students in Germany learn about the history of East Germany out...

Hi there, welcome to another episode of That’s Debatable. For today’s show, I sat down with Dr. Anna Kaminsky, the director of The Federal Foundation for the Study of the Communist Dictatorship in Eastern Germany. Dr. Kaminsky led a delegation from Germany to Taiwan during early October this year for an exchange on approaching transitional justice. How much do you know about the history of the Com...

Do you have something you’re passionate about that you’ll spend time doing because it brings you so much joy? On your path, have you encountered doubts, questions, judgements from people (but you still love what you do)? This episode is for you. Today I sat down with jazz musician Roger Lin, to chat about our experiences being creative people and surrounding the themes “How to stay true to yoursel...

Hi there, welcome to another episode of That’s Debatable. Have you wondered what it is like attending a vocational school in Taiwan? What are some differences between the experience to that of attending a high school? What are some stereotypes people in Taiwan have about students going to vocational schools? Today, I’m joined by Jim who attended a vocational school in Taiwan for a chat. Also, what...

For today’s show, I sat down with my friend Jim Shih, who’s been living in Germany for nearly 6 years. While I used to live on the east coast of the United States for 3 years. Today, we’re chatting about our experiences living abroad as young adults from Taiwan. What was our impression of Germany and the U.S. respectively before and after we spent some time there? How to introduce ourselves and ou...

In case you didn’t know, human activities have a great impact on the ocean. Furthermore, many aspects of our lives and well being depend on the ocean. Today, I sat down with marine biologist, Dr. Aziz J. Mulla to learn more about how we are affecting the ocean and how we could help protect it. Dr. Aziz J. Mulla has been a postdoctoral scholar at Academia Sinica and is currently working at National...

We’re back with Sophie Don, the Associate Director of the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation (PHRF) to talk more about Holocaust education in the United States. Make sure to listen to part 1 of the interview in case you missed it. Why does learning about history in a physical space, like a memorial plaza, matter? What role could art, especially public art, play in the education of impor...

How could we approach dark historic events, for example, the Holocaust? How could we approach education in nuanced ways? Today, I sat down with Sophie Don, the Associate Director of the  Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation  (PHRF) to talk more about Holocaust education in the United States. The PHRF maintains, operates, and organizes educational programs for the first public Holocaust mo...

A world heavily impacted by climate change is not a distant future, it’s impacting us right now. Tuvalu is at the forefront of climate change. It is disappearing because of rising sea levels. What are some measures Tuvalu has been taking and plans to take to preserve its culture and way of life? What about actions from the international community? How do young people in Tuvalu approach the impact...

You might have heard people saying that “Why go see a play when you can see a movie?”  When was the last time you stepped into a theater and watched a play? Or perhaps you’ve never done it before? What about movies? Are you a movie-goer? In general, going to the movies has been significantly more popular among people. Why do people often compare the two? Today, I’m joined by actor Ruei-Siang Chen...

Hello there, it’s your host Sharon. Today I’m back with Chris to talk more about voting in Taiwan. How plausible is it to set up remote voting in Taiwan? Who benefits from the current in-person voting system? Make sure to check out part 1 of the show if you haven’t. This is a topic I’d love to revisit. Any researchers, professors, experts on voting systems in Taiwan, feel free to reach out. You ca...

Hey you, it’s Sharon Lin. Today we will be discussing voting in Taiwan. Do you know what a typical voting day is like in Taiwan, and what you have to bring with you? A big debate that has been going on is: Why couldn’t we vote remotely? This topic has raised so many other questions, such as Taiwan’s Household Registration system. Today, I’m joined by my colleague Chris Gorin to chat more, and rais...

Hey you, it’s your host, Sharon Lin. Today, we’re continuing our chat with Allen and Elyse about ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Make sure to check out part 1 of our interview if you haven’t! What is the spark for Allen and Elyse to share their journeys with ADHD? How important is it to build a community and find your support system? And, why is it important that all of us know so...

Hey, it’s your host Sharon. On today’s That’s Debatable, I’m joined by Allen and Elyse to talk about ADHD. Have you heard of ADHD before? ADHD stands for “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” Allen and Elyse both have ADHD themselves, and they’ve also been advocates of ADHD awareness. What are some challenges you would likely face in school, at work, and in your daily life if you have ADHD?...

When thinking about Australia, what comes to mind? Kangaroos, koalas, giant spiders, or the Sydney Opera House? What is daily life like there? Do one state differ from another? Has the makeup of residents in Australia changed? Today, we’re chatting with Eric Wang, an old friend of mine who’s been living in Australia for almost 20 years, to see how much of these are myths, and how much are actually...

Hey, Sharon here. Today we’re continuing our chat on all things travel planning. Also, have you solo traveled before? (I have!) Why or why not? Why do we enjoy traveling? Today, both Issy and I will share more with you, and places we hope to travel to in the future. Make a cup of tea, or any beverage of your choice. Let’s chat. 

Window seat, or aisle seat? Check out a vibrant city, or go on a tranquil hike? Meet up later, or stick together? Yes, of course you can do both and find a balance. Yet, how to communicate your needs with your travel companions? Travel planning is a lot of work, especially if you’re traveling with others. There are countless items on the list that could potentially spark arguments since everyone h...

The current scene of the art world is still predominantly White. From educational spaces, museums, to research institutions, and more, there is still much to be desired when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Today, my guest and friend, Emily, and I, are here to share with you our experiences navigating in the art world as international students and young professionals. What are some common disc...