Paper short abstract:

Through investigating the concept of citizenship regarding how a female marriage immigrant from Mainland China to Taiwan can become a member of Taiwanese society, we can see the way gender located in national projects.

Paper long abstract:

Gender is an inextricable aspect for Mainland spouses who are marriage immigrants from Mainland China to Taiwan. Also, in the case of economically upward social mobilization, it is not rare to see gender expectation imposed on marriage immigrants. However, in Mainland spouse case in Taiwan, gender expectation of describing them as subordinate wives and reproductive mothers are embedded in the law regulating their affairs and status: Act Governing Relations between Peoples of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland China Area.

For Mainland spouses, the delivery of citizenship, the qualification of becoming a member of the society, is determined by their matrimony and breeding capability. Here, nation and paternity develop a conspiracy in the way which national arrangements are exercised by paternity and paternity is deepened by national construction. When traditional paternity culture and Taiwanese nationalism cooperate with each other, gender equality is absorbed into the national issue. This assimilation turns to oppress Mainland spouses' consciousness and resistances and there is little room given to their own voices, desires and agency as new citizens.

Therefore I seek to discuss, Mainland spouses as the convergent point of nation, gender and economic inequality deteriorated by globalization, how their rights are restricted and how they have resisted against the dominant discourse of stigmatize them in many ways. Through investigating the concept of citizenship regarding how a female marriage immigrant from Mainland China can become a member of Taiwanese society, we can see the way gender located in national projects.