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Paper short abstract:

This paper examines Taiwan’s indigenous Austronesian peoples whose historical exclusion under colonialism and the current effort to incorporate them by the mainstream society. The case of Taiwanese Austronesians illustrates the impacts global historical and politico-economic processes are having on indigenous peoples around the world.

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines Taiwan's indigenous Austronesian peoples, who constitute approximately 2.2% of the national population. Among the Taiwanese indigenes, there has been a development trajectory of rising ethnic consciousness and identity formation that clearly reflects the social discrimination suffered in the past and the current effort to integrate them by the mainstream society. This paper reviews major policy changes over the past quarter century (1983-2008) and their consequential developments—both the positive improvements in general well-being and the persistence of ingrained problems among these marginal groups. Employing both qualitative and quantitative research methods, this study canvassed the entire island during 2006 and 2007. Major findings indicate that the increasing tempo of globalization has resulted in two contradictory trends among Taiwanese Austronesians. On the one hand, the rise of national consciousness has engendered renewed interest in their cultures and supported efforts to preserve and restore selected indigenous customs and practices, such as ritual healings, age-grade systems, and annual harvest festivals. The opposite trend is a continuous outflow of the indigenes from traditional tribal communities to urban centers for better employment, education, or health care. Their increasing urbanization also contributes to mixed marriages and the loss of indigenous languages and practices. The case of Taiwanese Austronesians illustrates the impacts global historical and politico-economic processes are having on indigenous peoples around the world.