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Taiwan’s Aim-Inhibited Quest for Identity and the China Factor

University of California at Berkeley, USA, dittmer{at}socrates.Berkeley.edu

The realization of a positive and well-integrated national identity is difficult even under the most favorable circumstances. Korea, Chechen, and the Palestinians are notorious recent examples of national identities destined, due to a combination of circumstances, to remain frustrated to some extent. Taiwan has, since relinquishing its claim to be sole international representative of ‘China’ as hopelessly unrealistic in the early 1990s, faced formidable practical problems in its quest for national identity. This article attempts to comprehend Taiwan’s aim-inhibited quest for ethnic and national identity in the context of Taiwan’s complex and delicate international environment and the cross-Strait dilemma in particular.

Key Words: ethnic identity • future of nation preference • identity crisis of divided nation • national identity

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Journal of Asian and African Studies, Vol. 40, No. 1-2, 71-90 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0021909605052945


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Dittmer, L. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?