Formosa, divided

Kim, Sanghoon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/109763 Copy

Description

Title

Formosa, divided

Author(s)

Kim, Sanghoon

Issue Date

2021

Keyword(s)

• Politics
• Taiwan

Abstract

Politics can be divisive, and the chasm might run deeper than the traditional divide between left and right. I visited Taiwan in January 2020 to understand this deep-rooted political divide, its historic origins, and its effects on ordinary citizens’ political behavior. I arrived in Taiwan five days before the presidential election, and the nation was filled with political enthusiasm across party lines. The apex of the election campaign was the two-day political rallies at the square right in front of the Presidential Palace, with the main political parties taking turns to gather their passion for their presidential candidates. The collaged picture is taken at the same spot with less than 24 hours apart with the Kuomintang (KMT) supporters on the right and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters on the left, following their ideological standpoints. The scenes from the rallies demonstrate the current divide in Taiwan, with mainly elderly KMT supporters holding the historic national flag, emphasizing their nationalistic perspective, while DPP supporters, from seniors to college students to a baby on her dad’s shoulders, filling the square with bright-colored flags, reflecting their support for diversity. My field research was full of inspiration from the very first week.

Type of Resource

Image

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/109763

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2021 Sanghoon Kim

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