DOCSLIB.ORG

Sharp Power, Youth Power, and the New Politics in Taiwan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sharp Power, Youth Power, and the New Politics in Taiwan SHARP POWER, YOUTH POWER, AND THE NEW POLITICS IN TAIWAN Graeme Read N 2018, the People’s Republic of countries’, particularly that deployed IChina (PRC) stepped up efforts to by authoritarian regimes to enforce isolate Taiwan and hinder its quest their objectives abroad. for international recognition. Three In the case of Taiwan, China’s countries formerly maintaining full growing use of sharp power can be diplomatic relations with the Repub- traced to the 2016 election of Tsai lic of China (ROC) — the Dominican Ing-wen’s 蔡英文 Democratic Pro- Republic, Burkino Faso, and El Sal- gressive Party (DPP) government. vador — broke these ties to establish The DPP won both executive and leg- them with the PRC, reducing Taiwan’s islative power, crystallising popular political allies to just seventeen world- dissatisfaction with the pro-China wide. Not just a matter of chequebook Kuomintang (KMT) government. At diplomacy, this represents a spike in the same time, ‘third force’ minor Beijing’s application of ‘sharp power’ parties rose to prominence, present- — a term coined in a National Endow- ing alternatives to Taiwan’s two-party ment for Democracy report in 2017, politics. In 2018, these parties, fuelled and discussed in detail in chapter 2 by young activists’ disillusionment of the report.1 Sharp power signifies with establishment politics, prepared influence that ‘pierces, penetrates, for the November elections and the or perforates the political and infor- chance to embed the politics of ‘youth mation environments in the targeted power’ into local political structures. 180 The Sunflower Student Movement law-era activism, it has since become 181 太陽花學運 of 2014, during which stu- more moderate and no longer explicit- dents occupied the Legislative Yuan ly advocates Taiwanese independence. and forced the government to suspend On paper, the NPP’s reformist agenda the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agree- and liberal-democratic values are sim- ment, was a critical moment for Tai- ilar to those of the DPP. But the NPP wan’s civil society. (see the China Story attracts both independence advocates Yearbook 2014: Shared Destiny, Forum and social activists disillusioned by the ‘Occupy Taiwan’, pp.136–145). Activists DPP. The NPP advocates progressive Sharp Power, Youth Power, and the New Sharp Power, Youth Politics in Taiwan Read Graeme proved they could effectively mobilise democracy fused with localisation: and deploy ‘people power’ outside ei- rendering Taiwan a ‘normal’ sover- POWER ther of the two major parties. From eign country, reconciling with injustic- this movement emerged what is now es of an authoritarian past, and deep- the third-largest parliamentary party: ening transparent and participatory CHINA STORY YEARBOOK CHINA STORY the New Power Party (NPP). The NPP democracy. — cofounded by heavy metal vocalist, In early January 2018, five NPP former chair of Amnesty Internation- legislators staged a hunger strike to al Taiwan, and independence activist protest the DPP’s proposed amend- Freddy Lim 林昶佐 — explicitly pre- ments to the Labour Standards Act sented itself as the direct successor of to remove protective stipulations re- the youth activist movement, heralding garding workers’ time off and rest pe- a new era of politics and youth power riods. They accused the DPP of being that sought to transform Taiwan’s gov- beholden to business interests at the ernment into one more responsive to expense of its working base. The KMT the people’s needs and wishes. stood with the NPP in criticising the Since the 2016 elections, the NPP governing DPP, disconcerting some of has distanced itself from the DPP, with the NPP’s hardcore anti-KMT support- which it once cooperated against their ers. The NPP also criticised the DPP for common enemy, the KMT. Throughout inaction on marriage equality, after 2018, the NPP broke with DPP plat- the Constitutional Court ruled current forms in both parliament and public. marriage laws invalid in 2017. The While the DPP was Taiwan’s original NPP nevertheless supported the DPP opposition party, with roots in martial government’s proposed pension re- New Power Party hunger strike outside the Presidential Office Building, Taipei, January 2018. Freddy Lim can be seen in the far left of the picture Source: 顥中 王, Flickr forms, to the ire of KMT-aligned vested voter turnout for a valid referendum. interests. The Party thus demonstrat- The minimum voting age for referen- ed an issue-based approach to policy, dums was also lowered to eighteen. rather than falling into an anti-KMT A referendum was first proposed by coalition with the DPP. Willing to chal- Thomas Liao Wen-I 廖文毅 during the lenge both major parties on issues of 1940s KMT era as a means of enacting national identity and social welfare, Taiwanese self-determination, and the NPP positioned itself as being more further accompanied the rise of activ- idealistic than the pragmatic DPP. ism in the 1980s and democratisation The district elections in Novem- in the 1990s.2 Rather than resolving ber coincided with several referen- the question of Taiwan’s sovereign- dums following a revision of the ty, however, referendums largely be- Referendum Act that took effect in came tools of KMT–DPP electioneer- January. The new Act significantly re- ing. The majority have failed to secure duced thresholds required to propose minimum voter turnouts, thanks to a national ballot and the minimum the parties putting up simultaneous, 182 competing proposals, as well as calls spiritual successor of the DPP, it repre- 183 for boycotts.3 Importantly, this year’s sents a new generation of Taiwanese referendums were not deployed by activists. Although the same-sex mar- either major party but by activists as riage referendums were voted down means of direct political participation. and the DPP lost significant ground in Approximately half of the proposed the 2018 elections, the NPP neverthe- referendums aimed to resolve some less won 16 council seats. Part of the aspect of marriage equality. Supported continuing processes of localisation by the NPP, activist groupings and in- and democratisation, the NPP articu- dividuals from the major parties, civil lates ‘natural independence’ 天然獨, Sharp Power, Youth Power, and the New Sharp Power, Youth Politics in Taiwan Read Graeme society is revitalising referendums as a advocating for a generation of Taiwan- POWER tool of democratisation. ese young people who embrace local The changes to Taiwan’s Referen- identity and want to realign politics dum Act have lowered barriers to with the grassroots. Working in tan- CHINA STORY YEARBOOK CHINA STORY popular political participation in an dem with a generational shift towards era of youth power. Following the Sun- Taiwan-centrism as the new socio-cul- flower Movement, a young generation tural norm, new politics delegitimis- of activists working from both within es the political hegemony of the two parliament and through civil society parties, the DPP and its ‘pan-green’ al- organisations are reframing politics lies versus the KMT and its ‘pan-blue’ as the concern of every citizen and not supporters. Advocates of this new pol- just the stomping grounds of privileged itics assume the contest over national families and established organisations. identity has already been decided, and Where the KMT opposed same-sex that there is a need for new thinking in marriage and the DPP faltered, the the political sphere. Whether the NPP NPP championed the cause. can maintain its momentum and revo- So what exactly is new about lutionise Taiwan’s political system yet the New Power Party? In a sense, the remains to be seen. This text is taken from China Story Yearbook 2018: Power, edited by Jane Golley, Linda Jaivin, Paul J. Farrelly and Sharon Strange, published 2019 by ANU Press, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. doi.org/10.22459/CSY.2019.06B.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sexual Identity and Lesbian Family Life
    Gender, Sexualities and Culture in Asia Series Editors Stevi Jackson Centre for Women’s Studies University of York York, United Kingdom Olivia Khoo School of Media, Film and Journalism Monash University Melbourne, Australia Denise Tse-Shang Tang Department of Sociology The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong The Gender, Sexualities and Culture in Asia book series provides a wel- come new forum for monographs and anthologies focussing on the inter- sections between gender, sexuality and culture across Asia. Titles in the series include multi- and interdisciplinary research by scholars within Asia as well as in North American, European and Australian academic contexts. The series provides a distinctive space for the exploration of topics of growing academic concern, from non-normative cultures of sexuality in Asia, to studies of gendered identities cross the region. The series will expand the field of Asian genders and sexualities by applying a cultural lens to current debates, including rural lives, migration patterns, religion, transgender identities, sex industry and family. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15191 Iris Erh-Ya Pai Sexual Identity and Lesbian Family Life Lesbianism, Patriarchalism and the Asian Family in Taiwan Iris Erh-Ya Pai York, United Kingdom Gender, Sexualities and Culture in Asia ISBN 978-981-10-4004-7 ISBN 978-981-10-4005-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-4005-4 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017939142 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed.
    [Show full text]
  • Sunflowers and Umbrellas and Sunflowers
    Sunflowers and Umbrellas Sunflowers “A fine and welcomed collection that sheds new lights on two iconic popu - lar movements in contemporary Asia. Capturing the Sunflower and Umbrella Movements’ organization dynamics, expressive politics and political outcomes in granular details, this volume advances a much needed comparative agenda for social movement studies.” Sunflowers and Umbrellas —Ching Kwan Lee, University of California, Los Angeles “This volume showcases fascinating new work by an engaging mix of estab - lished and junior scholars of the social sciences and humanities. The book opens Social Movements, Expressive Practices, and with an exemplary introduction by the editors and is especially good at high - Political Culture in Taiwan and Hong Kong lighting the expressive and symbolic sides of struggles for change. Sunflowers and Umbrellas shows how valuable it can be to place the 2014 events in Taiwan and Hong Kong side-by-side in a way that, while acknowledging the differ - ences between the movements, points out their similarities and connections.” Gold —Jeffrey Wasserstrom, University of California, Irvine and “The chapters in this volume illuminate two important new social movements by focusing on their cultural and symbolic dimensions. Expertly edited by Veg two distinguished scholars of youth, intellectuals and political activism, this book makes an important contribution to the meaning of media and political culture in contemporary social movements.” —Guobin Yang, University of Pennsylvania INSTITUTE OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES Edited by Thomas Gold and Sebastian Veg INSTITUTE OF EAST ASIAN STUDIES CRM UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ● BERKELEY 76 CENTER FOR CHINESE STUDIES CHINA RESEARCH MONOGRAPH 76 75882cov-IEAS_Sunflowers & Umbrellas_R1 - CMYK (4-1-1-4) October 6, 2020 15:32:46 Notes to this edition This is an electronic edition of the printed book.
    [Show full text]
  • Civil Society and the State in Democratic East Asia
    PROTEST AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS Chiavacci, (eds) Grano & Obinger Civil Society and the State in Democratic East Asia East Democratic in State the and Society Civil Edited by David Chiavacci, Simona Grano, and Julia Obinger Civil Society and the State in Democratic East Asia Between Entanglement and Contention in Post High Growth Civil Society and the State in Democratic East Asia Protest and Social Movements Recent years have seen an explosion of protest movements around the world, and academic theories are racing to catch up with them. This series aims to further our understanding of the origins, dealings, decisions, and outcomes of social movements by fostering dialogue among many traditions of thought, across European nations and across continents. All theoretical perspectives are welcome. Books in the series typically combine theory with empirical research, dealing with various types of mobilization, from neighborhood groups to revolutions. We especially welcome work that synthesizes or compares different approaches to social movements, such as cultural and structural traditions, micro- and macro-social, economic and ideal, or qualitative and quantitative. Books in the series will be published in English. One goal is to encourage non- native speakers to introduce their work to Anglophone audiences. Another is to maximize accessibility: all books will be available in open access within a year after printed publication. Series Editors Jan Willem Duyvendak is professor of Sociology at the University of Amsterdam. James M. Jasper teaches at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Civil Society and the State in Democratic East Asia Between Entanglement and Contention in Post High Growth Edited by David Chiavacci, Simona Grano, and Julia Obinger Amsterdam University Press Published with the support of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
    [Show full text]
  • Taiwanese Attitudes Toward the Political Newcomers in 2016
    Nowa Polityka Wschodnia 2020, nr 1 (24) ISSN 2084-3291 DOI: 10.15804/npw20202403 s. 42–73 www.czasopisma.marszalek.com.pl/pl/10-15804/npw A NN A R UD A KOWSK A Tamkang University ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5107-5788 Taiwanese Attitudes toward the Political Newcomers in 2016 Taiwanese Attitudes toward the Political Newcomers in 2016 Abstract Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan (LY) is commonly seen as an institution comprised of career politicians. In fact, candidates without prior experience in elected seats of the island’s political structures are no strangers to the LY. Moreover, in the 2016 parliamentary elections, the political novices enjoyed unprecedented support and achieved relative success. The New Power Party (NPP), which only formed in early 2015 and popular mainly due to the several debutants it fielded, including Freddy Lim, Hung Tzu-yung and Huang Kuo-chang, emerged as the LY’s third-largest party. Although it garnered only five of the 113 seats (4.4%), it was a great win for the fledgling party, ranking it third behind the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which have reigned over the island’s political scene for the past several decades. This article examines the phenomenon of Taiwanese novices. It looks at them from the voters’ perspective. It surveys the demographic profiles and political preferences of Taiwanese who support the newcomers’ engagement in the political process, and compares them with citizens who express negative attitudes toward the newcomers. Keywords: Taiwan, newcomers, personal stories, political communication, elections 2016 ANNA RUDAKOWSKA TAIWANESE AttITUDES TOWARD 43 Тайваньское отношение к политическим новичкам в 2016 году Аннотация Законодательный Юань Тайваня (LY) обычно рассматривается как институт, состо- ящий из профессиональных политиков.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessing the Outcomes and Implications of Taiwan's January
    CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES CHINA POWER PROJECT & THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION CENTER FOR EAST ASIA POLICY STUDIES ASSESSING THE OUTCOMES AND IMPLICATIONS OF TAIWAN’S JANUARY 2016 ELECTIONS Center for Strategic and International Studies 2nd Floor Conference Room January 19, 2016 Washington, D.C. [Transcript prepared from an audio recording] * * * * * ANDERSON COURT REPORTING 706 Duke Street, Suite 100 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone (703) 519-7180 Fax (703) 519-7190 Assessing the outcomes and implications of Taiwan’s January 2016 elections 1 Center for Strategic and Internationals Studies and the Brookings Institution January 19, 2016 Welcome and Introduction: RICHARD BUSH Chen-Fu and Cecilia Yen Koo Chair in Taiwan Studies Senior Fellow and Director, Center for East Asia Policy Studies The Brookings Institution Keynote Speaker: JOSEPH WU Secretary General Democratic Progressive Party Moderator: BONNIE GLASER Senior Advisor for Asia Director, China Power Project The Center for Strategic and International Studies Assessing the outcomes and implications of Taiwan’s January 2016 elections 2 Center for Strategic and Internationals Studies and the Brookings Institution January 19, 2016 P R O C E E D I N G S MS. GLASER: Good morning everyone. Great to see such a terrific turnout on such a cold day on Washington, D.C., but we are very warm in here, we are going to give you all the warm welcome and shortly give a warm welcome to our speaker. I'm Bonnie Glaser; I'm Director of the China Power Project here at CSIS. And it is our custom here to make a brief safety announcement at the beginning of our events.
    [Show full text]
  • Lessons from Taiwan's 2016 National Elections
    13th Annual Conference on “The Taiwan Issue in China-Europe Relations” Shanghai, China October 9 – 11, 2016 A workshop jointly organised by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs / Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Berlin and the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), Shanghai. With friendly support of the Friedrich-Ebert- Stiftung (Shanghai Office). Discussion Paper Do not cite or quote without author’s permission Lessons from Taiwan’s 2016 National Elections Dafydd Fell Department of Politics and International Studies School of Oriental and African Studies University of London Lessons from Taiwan’s 2016 National Elections Dafydd Fell In the aftermath of major elections academics, journalists and politicians attempt to learn the lessons of the campaign. As nine months have passed since the January 2016 elections, we have had some time to reflect on what we have learnt from this election. I thought that this would be an interesting topic to provoke discussion and to get a sense on the diverse ways academics in Europe, Taiwan and China understand these potentially critical elections. This theme is one that I have published a number of articles on in the past, so it is always nice to update and revisit a topic that I have enjoyed writing on. My earlier writings considered both how the KMT and DPP responded to disastrous defeats.1 Another advantage of this topic is it has endless scope for comparative analysis. How do parties tend to respond to election results? It would seem rational to assume that where parties win, then they will feel vindicated and then follow a similar set of appeals in the next round of elections.
    [Show full text]
  • Combatting and Defeating Chinese Propaganda and Disinformation a Case Study of Taiwan’S 2020 Elections
    POLICY ANALYSIS EXERCISE Combatting and Defeating Chinese Propaganda and Disinformation A Case Study of Taiwan’s 2020 Elections Aaron Huang PAPER JULY 2020 Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Harvard Kennedy School 79 JFK Street Cambridge, MA 02138 www.belfercenter.org This paper was completed as a Harvard Kennedy School Policy Analysis Exercise, a yearlong project for second-year Master in Public Policy candidates to work with real-world clients in crafting and presenting timely policy recommendations. Statements and views expressed in this report are solely those of the authors and do not imply endorsement by Harvard University, Harvard Kennedy School, or the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Cover photo: A traveler on a train from Kaohsiung to Taipei watches the news about Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s re-election on Sunday, January 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Copyright 2020, President and Fellows of Harvard College Combatting and Defeating Chinese Propaganda and Disinformation A Case Study of Taiwan’s 2020 Elections Aaron Huang COMBATTING AND DEFEATING CHINESE PROPAGANDA AND DISINFORMATION: A CASE STUDY OF TAIWAN’S 2020 ELECTIONS Aaron Huang1 Master in Public Policy (May 2020) Harvard Kennedy School of Government Policy Analysis Exercise2 April 7, 2020 Faculty Adviser: Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns Seminar Leader: Professor Dara Cohen Client: US Department of State 1 This Policy Analysis Exercise reflects the author’s views only. It should not be viewed as representing the views of the US State Department, nor Harvard University or any of its faculty. 2 This Exercise is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Public Policy.
    [Show full text]
  • Popular Music in Taiwan: Language, Social Class and National Identity
    Durham E-Theses Popular Music in Taiwan: Language, Social Class and National Identity HSIN, MEI,FEN How to cite: HSIN, MEI,FEN (2012) Popular Music in Taiwan: Language, Social Class and National Identity, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3473/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk Popular Music in Taiwan: Language, Social Class and National Identity By Hsin Mei-fen PhD thesis, 2012 Abstract This project explores how longstanding conflicts in Taiwanese society have been reflected in the development of popular song in Taiwan in the period of martial law from the late 1940s to the late 1980s, and in the light of the periods of colonisation experienced by the country (i.e. Japanese colonial rule from 1895-1945, and the rule of the Chinese Nationalists from 1945-1987).
    [Show full text]
  • On the State's Registration Of
    A POSTCOLONIAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE STATE’S REGISTRATION OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS By Chun-Chi Hung Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 1 Statement of Originality I, Chun-Chi Hung, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: Chun-Chi Hung Date: 2019/06/12 Details of collaboration and publications: NA 2 Abstract This thesis draws upon postcolonial theory to examine to what extent the state’s registration system is an appropriate approach to protecting indigenous people’s traditional cultural expressions (TCEs). It specifically includes a case study on the performance of the state’s registration system in Taiwan in accordance with Taiwan’s Protection Act for the Traditional Intellectual Creations of Indigenous Peoples.
    [Show full text]
  • Was 2016 a Realigning Election in Taiwan?
    1 Was 2016 a Realigning Election in Taiwan? Cal Clark, Auburn University Alexander C. Tan, National Chengchi University & University of Canterbury Karl Ho, University of Texas, Dallas Prepared for presentation at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Chinese Studies, University of Washington, October 4-6. 2 The January 2016 presidential and legislative elections in Taiwan certainly produced a dramatic and unprecedented victory for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) over its long-time rival the Kuomintang (KMT). While Chen Shui-bian had captured the presidency in 2000 with 40% of the vote and in 2004 with 50%, in 2016 Tsai Ing-wen swept to victory with a decisive 56% majority over the KMT’s Eric Chu (31%) and the People First Party (PFP)’s James Soong (12%). The DPP’s victory in the Legislative Yuan represented even more impressive gains. The DPP had never had a parliamentary majority before 2016, either alone or in a coalition with smaller allied parties. In 2016, in dramatic contrast, it increased its number of seats from 40 in 2012 to 68 in the 113-member Legislative Yuan, as KMT membership collapsed from 64 to 35. One seeming contribution to the DPP triumph was that a substantial number of KMT voters, in particular those residing in China, stayed home, leading to a significant decline in the overall turnout rate from 74% in 2012 to 66% in 2016. Furthermore, while receiving lesser notice, the 3 New Power Party (NPP) won 5 seats, marking the first electoral success in Taiwan politics of a “protest party” not associated with a defecting faction or leader of one of the two major parties (Copper, 2016; Fell, 2016; Hsieh, 2016; Templeman, 2016; Wu, 2016).
    [Show full text]
  • Anniversaries Caught Between Political Camps in Taiwan in 2017
    ISSN 2464-9929, Global Politics Review 4, no. 1, April 2018: 67-77. A Tinted Politics of Memory: Anniversaries Caught between Political Camps in Taiwan in 2017 Simon Preker* ABSTRACT: Thirty years after Taiwan lifted martial law in 1987, Taiwanese society today is open to a re-evaluation of its authoritarian past. Following the beginning of the Tsai presidency in 2016, Taiwan’s quest for a national identity has become more perceivable in its memory culture. The year 2017 marked the 70th anniversary of the February 28 Incident as well as the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Sino–Japanese War. Questions of whether and how to commemorate the 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident, as well as the search for historical equivalences are overshadowed by the two large political camps and their respective allies. Third parties such as the CCP or Japan also offer conflicting narratives and seek to influence Taiwan’s historiography, which will ultimately shape Taiwan’s future. More than just vying for the prerogative of the interpretation of memory, these issues also led to a more fundamental question: What should be considered Taiwanese history? Keywords: Taiwan, February 28 Incident, Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Politics of Commemoration, National Identity, Chthonic, Tsai Ing-wen. Received: February 7, 2018. Accepted: March 28, 2018. Published: April 30, 2018. fter Qing China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Taiwan fell under Japanese rule. Japan began numerous imperialist policies, focusing Aprimarily on infrastructure and construction, but also education. Starting in 1937, “Japanization” efforts intensified under the sloganKōminka .
    [Show full text]
  • The Visual Politics of Taiwanese Nationalism: Contested National Identities in the Imagery of the Sunflower Movement
    The Visual Politics of Taiwanese Nationalism: Contested National Identities in the Imagery of the Sunflower Movement Robin Verrall A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate program in Political Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario March 2021 © Robin Verrall, 2021 ii Abstract This dissertation explores how national identity is constructed and contested in visual media by analyzing the use of national symbols in the visual materials produced by the 2014 Sunflower Movement in Taiwan. Through comparison with imagery published by the government’s Mainland Affairs Council, I examine different conceptions of national identity circulating in contemporary Taiwanese society. I also consider how visual materials contribute to the construction and reproduction of national identities. My analysis of the imagery produced by the Sunflower Movement indicates a reformulation of Taiwanese national identity. While these images frame Taiwan primarily in opposition to a Chinese identity promoted by the ruling Nationalist Party (KMT), they also selectively appropriate symbols typically associated with Chinese identity. This re-signification indicates the need for fine-grained, contextual analyses of the construction and contestation of conventionally ‘national’ symbols. I develop a method of visual analysis based on social semiotics, demonstrating its usefulness in analyzing the visual reproduction of implicit attitudes and beliefs, including national identity. I apply this method to a range of visual materials produced by participants in the Sunflower Movement – photographs, drawings, paintings, and posters – and compare these with government imagery. Chapter 2 presents the rationale for a visual analysis of national identity.
    [Show full text]