This four volume collection will gather the best publications on the contemporary politics of Taiwan. With no equivalent collection currently available, this collection will fill a major gap in the market. As the most influential articles on Taiwanese politics are widely dispersed in various journals and edited volumes, this collection will be an invaluable resource for both students and researchers interested in the political processes that have shaped contemporary Taiwan. Although the articles will all be in English, they will include contributions from the leading Taiwan experts in Europe, the United States, Japan and Taiwan.The international importance of Taiwan and her politics is growing. The areas of particular academic interest include: the political economy of Taiwan's economic miracle the island's democratization and democratic consolidation Taiwan's position as the only Chinese liberal democracy Taiwan's role in US-China relations Cross-Strait relations and the danger of military conflict in the Taiwan Strait the Taiwanese versus Chinese identity debate the Taiwan independence versus unification issue Taiwan's struggle for international recognition the island's vibrant party politics and electoral campaigns Volume 1: Political History of TaiwanThe first volume of the collection is intended to bring together influential essays which provide a historical contextualization of modern Taiwan's political experience. The focus will be on political developments during the island's four decade long Martial Law period from the late 1940s through to the 1980s. Some of the principal themes addressed will be: the legacy of 50 years of Japanese colonial rule the chaotic return to Chinese rule after 1945 and the 1947 February 28 Incident The political system imposed on the island by the Kuomintang (KMT) regime local politics under Martial Law KMT party reforms KMT suppression of political opposition political economy of the economic miracle cultural politics KMT corporatism Taiwan's international position in the Cold War shift from hard to soft authoritarianism. Volume 2: Democratization and National Identity in TaiwanThe second volume addresses two of the issues that have received the most attention from political scientists working on Taiwan, namely democratization and national identity. The following areas will be covered: rise of an organized opposition movement competing explanations for Taiwan's democratic transition island's level of democratic consolidation the Taiwanese versus Chinese identity debate the Taiwan independence versus unification issue competing frameworks for analyzing identity politics. Volume 3: Taiwan's External RelationsThe essays in the third volume examine Taiwan's external relations since the end of Martial Law in 1987. The literature addresses how Taiwan's political liberalization and the changing international environment have affected the island's international status and external policy. Some of the main topics will be: cross-Strait relations relations with the United States relations with Japan and Europe battle for diplomatic recognition and to join international bodies such as the United Nations and WHO impact of democracy on external policy making external relations after September 11 and the change in ruling parties in Taiwan prospects for war or peace in the Taiwan Strait. Volume 4: Taiwan's Domestic PoliticsThe last volume will focus on salient issues in Taiwan's domestic politics. There is a growing literature addressing a broad range of aspects of the island's political development since the advent of multi-party politics in the late 1980s. Attentio