Friday, January 8, 2010: 2:50 PM
Gregory A (Hyatt)
Abraham Lincoln in Taiwan:
An American President and the Republic of China’s Contest for Identity
Joseph Eaton, PhD
National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
wjeaton@hotmail.com
Abraham Lincoln occupies a disproportionate position within Taiwanese understandings of American history. A “Lincoln and Democracy” conference, the first academic conference dealing specifically with Abraham Lincoln held outside of the United States, convened in Taipei in November 1989. A book, The Universal Lincoln, comprised of fifteen papers from the conference and edited by Ambassador Lew, Daniel Yu-Tang, appeared in 1995. An “Abraham Lincoln Society,” comprised of prominent business leaders and academics, has been active in Taipei since 1984.
The extraordinary role of Lincoln within Taiwanese historical understanding is significant, especially considering the slight attention that American history usually attracts in East Asia and in Taiwan in particular. I believe that Taiwanese understandings of Lincoln are self-referential and provide a valuable window into the larger ongoing contest over Taiwanese identity. Taiwanese interpretations of Lincoln’s democratic spirit and anti-secessionism are relevant to understanding how an influential segment of Taiwanese society understands their democratization. The promoters of Lincoln use this great advocate of democracy against the Taiwan independence movement. My primary sources include the Universal Lincoln volume and Chinese language writings about Lincoln written by Taiwanese scholars.
In keeping with the theme of the 2010 American Historical Association Annual Meeting, I believe that my paper offers an important case study of a historical personage crossing national boundaries, with very specific understandings given by local readers. As we mark the end the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth, it is instructive to understand how debates over politics and identity shape the historical memory of America’s sixteenth president overseas.
An American President and the Republic of China’s Contest for Identity
Joseph Eaton, PhD
National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
wjeaton@hotmail.com
Abraham Lincoln occupies a disproportionate position within Taiwanese understandings of American history. A “Lincoln and Democracy” conference, the first academic conference dealing specifically with Abraham Lincoln held outside of the United States, convened in Taipei in November 1989. A book, The Universal Lincoln, comprised of fifteen papers from the conference and edited by Ambassador Lew, Daniel Yu-Tang, appeared in 1995. An “Abraham Lincoln Society,” comprised of prominent business leaders and academics, has been active in Taipei since 1984.
The extraordinary role of Lincoln within Taiwanese historical understanding is significant, especially considering the slight attention that American history usually attracts in East Asia and in Taiwan in particular. I believe that Taiwanese understandings of Lincoln are self-referential and provide a valuable window into the larger ongoing contest over Taiwanese identity. Taiwanese interpretations of Lincoln’s democratic spirit and anti-secessionism are relevant to understanding how an influential segment of Taiwanese society understands their democratization. The promoters of Lincoln use this great advocate of democracy against the Taiwan independence movement. My primary sources include the Universal Lincoln volume and Chinese language writings about Lincoln written by Taiwanese scholars.
In keeping with the theme of the 2010 American Historical Association Annual Meeting, I believe that my paper offers an important case study of a historical personage crossing national boundaries, with very specific understandings given by local readers. As we mark the end the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth, it is instructive to understand how debates over politics and identity shape the historical memory of America’s sixteenth president overseas.