National Identity and the Controversies Regarding the New Subject: 'Knowing Taiwan' in the R.O.C.

To understand the decision-making process of the new subject "Knowing Taiwan" in the political and historical context of Taiwan, a study collected and analyzed data through qualitative research methods, including content analysis and interviews. Methodology was based on hermeneutics and critical theory. First, meanings were interpreted and ideology was criticized regarding national identity in the new subject in both the curriculum standard and the textbooks through comparison with the ideology in other junior high school subjects. Second, data were collected regarding the political change of Taiwanese society to understand the political and historical context of the controversies related to the new subject. Third, controversies regarding the new subject were collected and analyzed. Finally, to understand committee members' thought further and to examine the accuracy and objectivity of the interpretation, some members were interviewed after the analysis of the curriculum content and political context. Findings suggest that (1) the ideology of "Chinese Identity" has been gradually replaced by "Taiwanese Identity" in curriculum development regarding national identity; (2) because of continuing controversy about Taiwan's relationship to China, curriculum content regarding national identity remains ambiguous; (3) the ideology of "Taiwanese Identity" seems to be basically constructed by the editing committee members' autonomous consciousness based on its legitimacy in current open society in Taiwan; and (4) in the interpersonal process of editing textbooks, decisions regarding the new subject were not only made based on editing committees' personal ideology, but also through arguments, negotiations, and compromises among members with different politics. Contains 50 references. (BT)