A Study On The Changes Of "National Indentity" Education In Taiwan Social Studies Textbooks

In recent years,there are three large-scale "anti-China" student movements breaking out in Taiwan,"Natural independence" phenomenon and "national identity of young generation gradually become heated issues.It is generally believed that social studies are closely linked with the formation of national identity concept.In this paper,a combination of qualitative and quantitative approach is applied,using the content analysis method.Four sets of social studies textbooks of three periods within forty years in Taiwan are used to analyze the included concept of "national identity"and its trajectory.According to research findings,"national identity" in the social studies textbooks of 1975 edition highlighted "sinicization" more than"Taiwanization",and students were educated by "One China" national identity theory.In textbooks of 1993 edition,"sinicization" became relatively less shown,but the joint between Taiwan and mainland China in the aspects of culture,history,geography and so on were still emphasized,insisting the "greater China" concept of national identity.At the beginning of the 21st century,Taiwan's elementary and middle schools started to construct new curriculums of "nine-year coherent education",especially in the 2005 edition of social studies textbooks "Taiwanization," was mentioned more than "Sinicization",which highlighted the "Taiwan subjectivity".Students feel more education of "the identity concept of Taiwan" rather than that of "China".Moreover,the 2015 edition textbooks even reinforced this trend.Therefore,"De-Sinicization" is the key element of educational transition demonstrated in the "national identity" of Taiwan social studies textbooks.Then,how can "De-Sinicization" be possible?Why did such change happen to textbooks?In this paper,in-depth interview and historical research method are used,and the study found that political reform is a motive force,for the transformation of"national identity concept" in the social studies textbooks.In the early 1970s,Taiwan authorities,the kuomintang(KMT),had to face unprecedented crisis of political legitimacy,which triggered the cultural and educational dictatorship by Chiang family.And the fundamental key of 1975 edition textbooks is to "counter attack and achieve national recovery ",which has the strong "one China" connotation of national identity.As the martial law era is over,accompanied by the political democratization and liberalization,“Taiwan independence” forces continue to grow stronger,and the social atmosphere of Taiwan "national reunification and independence" has been slightly changed.Taiwan consciousness among the residents has been emerging,and the concept of “Taiwan independence” is no longer a taboo.Since the 1990s,as Chen shui-bian and Lee teng-hui successively put forward "two states theory," the “Taiwan independence” forces expanded further,and under the impetus of non-official educational reform movement,it has become a trend of emphasizing "Taiwan subjectivity" and"Taiwanese identity concept" in the textbooks has also been gradually established.Political change promoted the change of the social atmosphere,and both constitute the "external environment" which form "Taiwanese identity concept" in textbooks of 2005 edition.In addition,reconstruction of curriculum,including the rise of local curriculum,the implementation of "many textbooks on one guideline" policy,and the establishment of ability index system and so on are the direct triggering factors which generate "Taiwanese identity concept" in textbooks,which could be called "the internal environment".This study draws the following conclusions:since 1975,there has been a trend of"De-Sinicization" in the "national identity" education of in Taiwan social studies textbooks;The transition of "national identity" education in textbooks is a progressive"systems engineering",which is affected by multiple factors such as politics,society and courses;"national identity" education by social studies and the formation of the concept "natural independence" are closely linked;In light of reinforcement of"Taiwan identity concept" in 2015 social studies textbooks and the progressive cultural and educational policy of "Taiwan independence" carried out after Tsai ing-wen came to power,the amount of Taiwan young and middle-aged"independence force" groups will continue growing.