Abstract
Taiwan is undergoing both a process of nation building and a phase of democratic consolidation, and the experience of divided government at the national level together with Taiwan’s unresolved relationship with China have further complicated matters. The end result of these developments will, therefore, have enormous political consequences both for the island, as well as for the peace and stability of eastern Asia. This special issue aims to examine two separate, but closely related, issues: the effects of an emerging national identity in Taiwan and the consequences of the island’s rapid democratization. This introduction summarizes the key arguments of this collection of articles.