Networking, Commoning, and Bridging: Learning from New Social Startups in Taipei

Jeffrey Hou University of Washington, Department of Landscape Architecture

The momentous Sunflower Movement of 2013 in Taiwan not only brought significant political change but also demonstrated new modes of social organizing through social media and social networking platforms in the country. In particular, a number of new startups have emerged with a focus on addressing issues of social inequality and plight of marginalized populations in the society. Distinct from conventional forms of social services and philanthropy, these new groups rely primarily on social networking, sharing/commoning, and to some extent even “branding” and “marketing” to reach out to previously untapped asset and resources, using both social media and physical events. This study examines a selection of these recent initiatives, how they operate organizationally, and the methods through which they address the specific issues of social inequality. Specifically, it examines the work of Do You a Flavor (focusing on homelessness and street people), One-Forty (focusing on services for foreign migrant workers), and 9Floor Co-living Apartment (focusing on affordable housing for students and young professionals). Each of these organizations has introduced new ways to address their adopted social issues and elevated social awareness toward these issues. For example, rather than treating migrant workers and people experiencing homelessness and housing challenge as service recipients, and rather than having the volunteers and the public serve simply as providers, the different parties are engaged as partners and participants in collective efforts. In the meantime, these social startups also provide employment opportunities for young people, an increasingly significant social challenge in the society. Together, the work of these groups offers important insights on new tools for social organizing and engagement in addressing pressing issues of social inequality. As a case study, this presentation will discuss networking, commoning, and bridging as three significant processes that are distinct from conventional forms of institutional planning practice.