The independent nation-state of Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa, has been colonized over the past centuries by the Dutch, the Spanish, various Qing-era Chinese warlords, and imperial Japan. And throughout it all, Taiwan has welcomed immigrants, travelers, adventurers, and refugees, rendering it one of most multicultural places on the planet, a living laboratory of mixed languages, intermingled cultures, crisscrossing markets, international media flows, and political intrigue—it is the poster child of hybridity in an age of globalization. Hsin-i Cheng offers her insights into how citizens create senses of belonging amidst this miracle of complexity and possibility. Cultivating Membership in Taiwan and Beyond: Relational Citizenship will therefore appeal to students and scholars of intercultural and international communication, globalization studies, and debates about community and citizenship in an age of contested nationalisms.

Stephen J. Hartnett, University of Colorado Denver

Cultivating Membership in Taiwan and Beyond offers an important contribution to the interdisciplinary study of citizenship as a contemporary political practice and social force. This book invites readers to consider practices of citizenship in their multiplicity and diversity. Focusing on the case of Taiwan, Cultivating Membership in Taiwan and Beyond articulates a perspective emphasizing culture, connection, and fluidity. Readers learn how discourses of citizenship encourage residents of a polity to reflect on issues of membership and belonging. Drawing attention to a region of the globe too often neglected in studies of citizenship, this book offers larger lessons that may illuminate practices of citizenship across contexts and cultures.

Robert Asen, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Cheng’s study of relational citizenship has a grand attempt to engage in scholars of intercultural communication, critical cultural studies, and critical racial theory. Cheng explores how relations are gradually created, challenged, and solidified by a case study of immigrants in Taiwan. With a thick description of Taiwan’s history, nation-building process, and voices of immigrants, Cheng’s conclusion and critique offer insights for other societies to rethink their immigration policies and border management.

Hsin-I Sydney Yueh, Northeastern State University