Economy and technology can improve the standard of living momentarily, but only culture and art can build up national identity and confidence—a distinct phenomenon especially observed in an immigrant society. 

When immigrants leave their home country for a brand new land due to economic, political, religious, or other reasons, they usually bring their customs and rituals, religion, language, culture, and arts along with them. They also try to gain acceptance in their new country by blending in with local society, speaking the local language, adapting to native foods, and learning local arts and culture. They work hard to build a cultural identity that belongs to the immigrant. 

Dr. Tsai will attempt to compare the immigration process of early Chinese immigrants in Indonesia to recent Indonesian immigrants in Taiwan, exploring what role performance arts plays among these immigrants and how it is used to construct their cultural identities.