Political Science and Taiwan`s Domestic Politics: The State of the Field

Abstract

In the past twenty years, social scientists have produced a substantial literature in English on Taiwan`s domestic politics. In a review of more than 150 books, articles, and chapters, this article traces the development of that literature and identifies its main themes and topics-including political economy, social change, critical Taiwan studies, ethnicity and national identity, democratization and democratic consolidation, constitutional issues, institutional development, election studies, political parties and coalitions, and policymaking. The article finds the field of Taiwan politics divided into area studies, theoretically-driven work, and policy-oriented research. The author advocates more integration of these approaches as well as more cross-fertilization between qualitative and quantitative work, and between US.-based and Taiwan-based researchers. The author also identifies topics in need of additional research, including partisanship and party realignment, institutional reform, legislative politics, bureaucratic politics, and pre-1945 political development.