ABSTRACT
This chapter explains ethno-demographic, political and identity developments in Taiwan up to the period of democratization, with a particular emphasis on language. It provides a historical background for the analysis of culture politics in twenty-first century Taiwan. The chapter discusses the early Austronesian settlement and traces some of the demolinguistic and cultural changes that occurred as a result of Han migration during the Qing dynasty. It also reviews language and identity developments in the period of Japanese colonization, as the colonial government implemented policies aimed at turning the native Taiwanese population into Japanese subjects. The chapter looks into language and identity changes under the Kuo Min Tang (KMT) authoritarian regime, as it attempted to (re-)Sinicize Taiwan's population by promoting Mandarin and Chinese nationalism. It also examines and assesses the impact of democratization on ethnolinguistic and national identities, with a particular focus on the Taiwanization movement that was expressed in the fields of politics and culture.
