Dr. Amélie Keyser-Verreault 何梅俐
Postdoctoral Fellow, European Research Center on Contemporary Taiwan (ERCCT)
Research Focus
Dr. Keyser-Verreault is an anthropologist researching body politics and gender with a focus on the family, migration and resistance in East Asia. She also has a deep interest in qualitative art-based, decolonial and intersectional methodologies.
She is currently working on three research projects. Firstly, in the context of an ultra-low birth rate and hyper aging population, she analyzes the reluctance of young Taiwanese to start a family. Secondly, she is working on the emergence of postnatal care centers in Taiwan and the resulting technologization and digitization of the postnatal period. Thirdly, she is conducting an exploratory research project with highly-skilled Taiwanese migrants in Japan on the impact of intimacy in their migratory journeys.
At Tübingen University, she is the lead of the BMBF Taiwan als Pionier research project and also collaborate on the Intimacy-Mobility-State Nexus Project. Dr Keyser-Verreault has spent several years doing fieldwork in Taiwan and Japan and and she returns to conducting fieldwork every year.
Fields of specialization: political anthropology; gender inequalities; sexualities; family; migration; fat studies; beauty studies; aging; resistance; intersectionality and postcolonial feminist approaches and methodologies; art-based methodologies; cultural studies; Foucauldian theory; neoliberalism; Taiwanese Studies; Chinese Studies.
Academic Career
- 2022 Fully funded Postdoc Fellow, Global Asia Research Center, National Taiwan University
Research Title: From Fat discrimination to queering Fat in contemporary Taiwan
Supervision: Dr. Lan Pei-Chia (Full Professor, Department of Sociology and Director of the Global Asia Research Centre, National Taiwan University)
Funding: Postdoctoral Scholarship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
- 2021 Fully funded Postdoc Fellow, Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University
Research Title: “Your fat is garbage!”: Anti-fat-shaming activism in Taiwan
Supervision: Dr. Geneviève Rail (Distinguished Professor Emerita, Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University) and Dr. Rachel Berger (Associate Professor, Department of History and Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University).
Funding: Postdoctoral Scholarship, Quebec Research Funds—Society and Culture
- 2020-2021 Postdoc Fellow, Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal
Research Title: Importance of the recognition of sexual expression among older people in palliative care
Supervision: Dr. Isabelle Wallach (Full Professor, Department of sexology, University of Quebec in Montreal)
Funding: Grant appointment (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada)
- 2018 PhD in Anthropology (Mention of excellence for the best thesis in anthropology for the 2018-2019 academic year, Faculty of Social Sciences)
Research Title: The care of beauty: Entrepreneur of the self in Taipei, Taiwan
Funding: Doctoral Scholarship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Joseph-Armand Bombardier
- 2014 Visiting Fellow, Department of Political Sciences, National Taiwan University
- 2011 M.A. in Anthropology
- 2010 Visiting Fellow, Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica
- 2009 B.A. in Anthropology
Major Publications
Refereed Journal Articles
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2024). Gender, neoliberal rationality, and anti-aspirational temporality: Women’s resistance to the quest for beauty in Taiwan. Asian Anthropology, (Impact Factor 1.06) https://doi.org/10.1080/1683478X.2024.2331267
Keyser-Verreault, A., & Demers, G. (2023) Transgender and non-binary athlete needs: Challenges and best practices / Besoins des athlètes Trans et Non-binaires: enjeux et bonnes pratiques, Canadian Journal of Women Coaching, Avril 2023, Vol. 23, No. 2
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). Embodied ambivalence: Taiwanese fat women’s negotiation and subversion of their hyper(in)visibility. Journal of Gender Studies 32:8, 861-874. (Impact Factor 2.53). https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2023.2191314
Keyser-Verreault, A., & Rail, G. (2023). Gender, beauty and the future of neoliberalism: Aesthetic labour and women’s (anti)aspirationalism in Taiwan. Chinese Sociological Review 55:5, 564-590 (Impact Factor 3.7) https://doi.org/10.1080/21620555.2023.2189577
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). On ne naît pas belle, on le devient: devoir maternel et formation transindividuelle de l’entrepreneure esthétique à Taiwan (One is not born beautiful, one becomes beautiful: Motherly duty and transindividual transformation of the esthetic entrepreneur in Taiwan). Enfances, Familles, Générations. (In French) https://journals.openedition.org/efg/15019
Wallach, I., Keyser-Verreault, A., Brisson-Guérin, M., Beauchamps, J., Malta, S., Durivage, P., et Sussman, T. (2022). Palliative Care Professionals’ Perceptions and Communication About Sexual Expression of Older Adults at End of Life: How Biases Compromise Holistic Care. The Gerontologist 63(2), 318-327 (Impact Factor 5.27). https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnac150
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2022). “Your fatty bum is really ugly!” Fat-shaming and beauty-related tensions in contemporary Taiwanese families. Journal of Family Studies (Impact Factor 2.072). https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2022.2132984
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2022). The continuum of regaining one’s body: Childbirth and reproductive choice under beauty pressure in Taiwan. European Journal of Cultural Studies (Impact Factor 1.66). https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494221104145
Kriger, D., Keyser-Verreault, A., Joseph, J. & Peers, D. (2022). The Operationalizing Intersectionality Framework. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology (Impact Factor 1.27). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2021-0069.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2022). Toward a non-individualistic analysis of neoliberalism: The stay-fit maternity trend in Taiwan. Ethnography (Impact Factor 1.29) https://doi.org/10.1177%2F14661381211054027
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2020). “I want to look as if I am my child’s big sister”: Self-satisfaction and the Yummy Mummy in Taiwan. Feminism and Psychology, 31: 4, 483-501 (Impact Factor 3.37) https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353520973572
Keyser-Verreault, A. (何梅俐) (2018). 「恢復自信美體」：美學經營主義下的母性主體與懷孕生產, (Recovering a self-confident body: Pregnancy and childbirth under aesthetic entrepreneurship). Journal of Women’s and Gender Studies (女學學誌), 43(2): 37–88. (In Chinese) https://jwgs.psc.ntu.edu.tw/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/43-2.pdf
Keyser-Verreault, A. (何梅俐) (2018). 追求美貌與變成母親的兩難:以高文憑的都會女性為例 (Quest for beauty and becoming a mother: A painful paradox for highly educated urban Taiwanese women). Taiwan Journal of Anthropology (台灣人類學刊), 16(1): 97–158. (In Chinese) https://ianthro.ioe.sinica.edu.tw/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/TJA16-1-02.pdf
Books
Keyser-Verreault, A., Perkuhn, J-M., Fliss, T., Hsu, YY.,(eds), (forthcoming 2025), Handbook of Taiwan Research: New Perspectives & Innovative
Métivier, A-A., Keyser-Verreault, A. and Rouillier, A-M, (forthcoming 2025) Entre sciences et expériences : regards sur les vécus des parents et l’organisation de la famille en contexte de neurodiversité.
Keyser-Verreault, A., St-Pierre, M., et Brière, S. (2024). Equity, diversity and inclusion in sports organizations. University of British Columbia Press.
Keyser-Verreault, A., & Pasche-Guignard, F. (Eds) (2023), Maternités académiques et COVID-19: lieux, temps et réseaux entre pressions et résiliences - Perspectives francophones internationales, Presses de l’Université du Québec. (In French)
Keyser-Verreault, A., St-Pierre, M., et Brière, S. (2023). Équité, diversité et inclusion dans les organisations sportives. Presses de l’Université Laval. (In French)
Brière, S., Auclair, I., Keyser-Verreault, A., Laplanche, L., Pulido, B., Savard, B., St-George, J. et Stockledd, A. (2022). Biais inconscients et comportements inclusifs dans les organisations, Presses de l’Université Laval. (In French)
Special Issue Editing
Demers, G., Keyser-Verreault, A., & St-Pierre, M. (Eds) (2024). Gender, feminisms and sports. Recherches féministes, 35(2). (In French) https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/rf/2023-v36-n1-rf09036/
Keyser-Verreault, A. & Mercier, É. (Eds). (2022). Bodies, aesthetic and politics. Recherches féministes, 34(1). (In French) https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/rf/2021-v34-n1-rf06678/
Book Chapters
Keyser-Verreault, A. (forthcoming 2025). Emotions at stake in the lying flat phenomenon: Looking at alternative life choices among Taiwanese youth, In Lee, PH, Tseng, YC and Martinez-Lacabe, A (Eds), The Politics of Emotions in Everyday Taiwan.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (forthcoming 2025). Beauty, gender and parenthood. In Kuipers, G & Sarpila, O. (Eds) Handbook of Beauty and Inequality. Springer
Keyser-Verreault, A., (forthcoming 2025), The futurality of aesthetic labour: Interpersonal and time-related dimensions in Taiwanese women’s quest for beauty during the maternity. In Dalmia, K., Kukuczka, A. & Grisard, D. (Eds), The life of beauty – Locations, experiences, methodologies. Zurich: Seismo Publishing.
Keyser-Verreault, A. & Kriger, D., (forthcoming 2025). “I know my body way better with the utilization of this app”: The politics of tracking athletes’ menstrual cycles and sport performance. In Scala, F., & Smith, L. (Eds), Northern blood: The politics of menstruation in Canada. McGill-Queen’s University Press.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (forthcoming 2024). Taiwan’s LGBT+ movement. In Schubert, G. (eds) Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Taiwan, 2nd edition, London. Routledge.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2024). Gender, self-transformation, and digital performance: Female Taiwanese international students’ mediated communication with their parents. In B. Zani and I. Cheng (Eds.), Living Across Connectivity: Intimacy, entrepreneurship and activism of East Asian migrants online and offline. Anthem Press.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). Autoethnographie d’une parentalité académique queer inscrite dans des trajectoires de migrations en temps de pandémie. In Keyser-Verreault, A., & Pasche-Guignard, F. (Eds), Maternités académiques et COVID-19: lieux, temps et réseaux entre pressions et résiliences - Perspectives francophones internationales, Presses de l’Université du Québec. (In French)
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). Maternité et grand-maternité en période de pandémie : solidarité intergénérationnelle, temps, espace et réseaux. In Keyser-Verreault, A., & Pasche-Guignard, F. (Eds), Maternités académiques et COVID-19: lieux, temps et réseaux entre pressions et résiliences - Perspectives francophones internationales, Presses de l’Université du Québec. (In French)
Pasche Guignard, F. & Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). Remarques conclusives. In Keyser-Verreault, A., & Pasche-Guignard, F. (Eds) (forthcoming, 2023), Maternités académiques et COVID-19: lieux, temps et réseaux entre pressions et résiliences - Perspectives francophones internationales, Presses de l’Université du Québec. (In French)
Pasche Guignard, F. & Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). Introduction. In Keyser-Verreault, A., & Pasche-Guignard, F. (Eds), Maternités académiques et COVID-19: lieux, temps et réseaux entre pressions et résiliences - Perspectives francophones internationales, Presses de l’Université du Québec. (In French)
Kriger, D., & Keyser-Verreault, A. (2022). Chapter 4: What is gender?. In Kerr, G. (Ed.), Gender-based violence in children’s sport (pp.24-30), London: Routledge.
Auclair, I., St-George, J., Brière, S. & Keyser Verreault, A. (2022). Partie 1 : Les biais inconscients dans un contexte d’équité, de diversité et d’inclusion. In Brière, S., Auclair, I., Keyser-Verreault, A., Laplanche, L., Pulido, B., Savard, B., St-George, J. & Stockledd, A., (Eds.), Biais inconscients et comportements inclusifs dans les organisations, Presses de l’Université Laval.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2021). Eating as a way of performing gender: Intersection of food, gender and human capital in Taiwan. In Rhee, J., Nagayama, C. & Li, E. (Eds), Gender and food in contemporary global East Asia (pp. 183-202). Washington: Lexington Books.
Fournier, P.-S., Brière, S., Pellerin, A. & Keyser-Verreault, A. (2019). Women’s retention and progression in traditional male employment sector: What can we learn from the Inspectors’ case? In Brière, S. (Ed.), Women in traditional male employment sector (pp. 211–228). Quebec: Presses de l’Université Laval. (In French)
Academic Journaling
Keyser-Verreault, A. & Hsu Yu-Yin (2024). The modernization of postnatal care tradition: History, features, and challenges of Taiwanese postpartum nursing centres.Taiwan Insight
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2024). 【移民工故事集】身為一位在日本的外國媽媽與職業女性，我得付出比別人更多的努力.
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2024). I didn’t have the choice but to be strong. International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden, Netherlands
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). 【移民工故事集】台日跨國婚姻及我的多重日本生活. https://opinion.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/554/article/14312
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). Finding a community changed my experiences as a Taiwanese spouse in Japan. International Institute for Asian Studies, Leiden, Netherlands https://blog.iias.asia/migrants-biographies/finding-community-changed-my-experiences-taiwanese-spouse-japan
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2023). From tradition to institutionalisation: The development of the postnatal care centers industry in Taiwan. Taiwan Insight https://taiwaninsight.org/2023/07/03/from-tradition-to-institutionalisation-the-development-of-the-postnatal-care-centres-industry-in-taiwan/
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2022). Fat-shaming and beauty related tensions in contemporary Taiwanese families. Taiwan Insight https://taiwaninsight.org/2022/04/14/fat-shaming-and-beauty-related-tensions-in-contemporary-taiwanese-families/
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2022). Modernizing postnatal care: Taiwan as pioneer in the professionalization of the traditional yuezi in Taiwan: Melting pot and innovation Hub https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/oaw/slc/taiwan/taiwan_melting_pot_and_innovation_hub_third.html
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2021). ADS+ as a prerequisite for greater equality. In Chair for Women in Science and Engineering in Quebec, Equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education and research: From diverse teams to more innovative research.
English version:
https://cfsg.espaceweb.usherbrooke.ca/resources-for-implementing-edi-in-research/
French version: https://cfsg.espaceweb.usherbrooke.ca/outils-pour-ledi-en-recherche/
Keyser-Verreault, A. (2021). Maternity, a bitter transition, an empowering continuum or both? Childbirth and the practices of yuezi under beauty pressure in Taiwan. Taiwan Insight https://taiwaninsight.org/2021/05/10/maternity-a-biter-transition-an-empowering-continuum-or-both-childbirth-and-the-practices-of-yuezi-under-beauty-pressure-in-taiwan/