台灣的瑞士天主教白冷會對台東的宗教與社會褔利有深遠貢獻與影響。此德語系天主教團體在地理上位置處於台灣政治與經濟的邊陲台東，在文化上卻處在漢文化、阿美族、排灣族、卑南族、雅美族、布農族與魯凱族的交會中心，本研究希望透過文獻分析與田野調查，探討台白冷會與台灣其他族群在宗教、教育、社會服務、語言與政治上的各種碰撞、交流與創新的成果。本研究進一步將藉傅柯（Michel Foucault）討論形塑個人的「馴順(discipline) 」與「自我主體技術(care of the self) 」兩種模式，探討神父、修士與教友間，在個人權力關係層面上馴順與自我主體技術的運作，在群體層面探討白冷會在台灣與全球的天主教會系統中「被治理」與「自主」的程度。本研究最後將探討白冷會在台灣與中國的宗教地緣政治決策。
The Bethlehem Mission Society (BMS) in Taiwan has influenced and made an important contribution to religion and social work in Taidong. This German-speaking Catholic missionary society is located in Taidong, which is the political and economic periphery of Taiwan but is the cultural center of many different ethnic groups, including the Chinese, Amis, Paiwan, Puyuma, Yami, Bunun, and Rukai. Through document analysis and fieldwork, this research aims to explore the result of the confrontation, exchange, and innovation between the BMS and other ethnic groups. Further, based upon Michael Foucault’s discussion of two modalities of constructing individuals, namely ‘discipline’ and ‘care of the self,’ this research will analyze the ‘discipline’ and ‘care of the self’ mechanisms of and between BMS Fathers, Brothers, and Church followers at the scale of individuals. At the scale of groups, the ‘autonomy’ and ‘been governed’ of the BMS in relationship to the Catholic Church in Taiwan and the world will also be examined. The final part of this research will investigate the geopolitics of the BMS in Taiwan and China.
