Legitimacy, meaning and knowledge in the making of Taiwanese identity

Abstract

Against the background of Taiwan's uncertain geopolitical future, this book offers an account of the development of Taiwanese identity through the application of contemporary social and cultural theory and detailed historiography. Working through the history of Taiwanese identity from the imperial period to the present, the book situates identity in naming and knowledge, as the contested legitimacy to speak about Taiwan, for Taiwan, or as a Taiwanese. It presents a sophisticated and self-reflexive analysis which is attentive to the multiple dicursive sites of Taiwanese identity, both in Taiwan itself and elaborated around the world.