Taiwan Lives: A Social and Political History - Hardcover

by Niki J. P. Alsford (Author), James Lin (Editor), William Lavely (Editor)

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.

Author Biography

Niki J. P. Alsford is professor of Asia Pacific studies and head of Asia Pacific Institutes at the University of Central Lancashire. He is author of Transitions to Modernity in Taiwan: The Spirit of 1895 and the Cession of Formosa to Japan.