Taiwan Lives

A Social and Political History

Niki J P Alsford author Madeleine Yue Dong editor William Lavely editor James Lin editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Washington Press

Published:19th Mar '24

Should be back in stock very soon

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Taiwan Lives cover

Stories of migration, displacement, democratization, and transformation

From a cradle of Austronesian expansion to the dynamic economic powerhouse and successful democracy it is today, Taiwan is layered in colonial histories. In Taiwan Lives, Niki J. P. Alsford presents a comprehensive examination of the island nation’s rich and complex past, told through the life stories of those who have lived it.

A merchant, an exile, an activist, a pop star, a doctor, and a president are just some of the twenty-four individuals whose lives populate this people's history of Taiwan. Ranging across time, social strata, ethnicity, and political alliance, these tales offer snapshots of historical eras and illustrate the interwoven fabric of colonialism. Chapters can be read in sequence or individually. With clear and accessible prose, Taiwan Lives is ideal for undergraduate course use.

"Presents Taiwan in a unique, multifaceted fashion."

* Taipei Times *

"Widely read, this book can bring more nuance to popular western representations of Taiwan, which remain narrowly defined by sovereignty and security, and well-meaning but reductive platitudes about Taiwan's democracy. An appreciation for Taiwan's complexities – beyond the esoterica of international law and foreign relations – is seldom available to readers of English in such an accessible and enjoyable form."

* International Journal of Social History *

"Alsford's book should be commended for its nuanced and in-depth illustration of Taiwanese agency, history, and the Taiwanese quest for freedom, recognition, and identity. It should also be praised for its interpretative framework of multilayered colonialism and its biographic structure that takes a deep dive of major historiographical issues through intimate life stories, an effective narrative strategy to get the readers emotionally invested."

* Chinese Studies Internation

ISBN: 9780295752167

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 447g

302 pages