From Cultural Building, Economic Revitalization to Local Partnership? The Changing Nature of Community Mobilization in Taiwan

Li-Ling Huang and Jinn-yuh Hsu

International Planning Studies, 2011, vol. 16, issue 2, 131-150

Abstract: This paper analyses how community development was an important social parameter in Taiwan over the past two decades. Political changes occurred during and after the 1990s when the ‘community empowerment project’ enabled communities to be the new player between state and society. Various cultural contents and political manoeuvres were brought forth for empowering local society. However, soon economic concerns were introduced to community development. Community groups were encouraged to commoditize local history and develop local tourism or cultural industries to save the then marginalized local economy. Furthermore, the role of community changed dramatically under the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which ruled between 2000 and 2008. The DPP, aiming at creating a ‘well-being society’, summoned communities to become a local agent in tasks such as delivering infrastructures, modernizing administration, care and service. The community organizations were framed by this policy, functioning as the political partner in local society. Since this turn of community development was re-institutionalized by the professionals who served as mediators between community and state, this paper ends by reiterating good and bad consequences of such expert tending of governmental affairs.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1080/13563475.2011.561058

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