As a country, Taiwan is one of the most vibrant, exciting, colourful and entrepreneurial on earth. The contributors reveal what underpins the vitality of Taiwan, examining the relevance of its democratic politics, civil society and the presence of an existential threat from China, as well as the importance of its international business nexus.

"Steve Tsang was able to bring together a group of noted Taiwan scholars... each in their own field, [describe] how the society broke through the vestiges of the old authoritarian regime, and brought about a dynamism, exuberance and creativity that was unheard of just a couple of decades ago... In all, a very valuable contribution to the understanding of where Taiwan came from, and where its people want to go." Gerrit van der Wees

Autorentext
Steve Tsang is the Director of the China Policy Institute and Professor of Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Nottingham, UK. He is also an Emeritus Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford University. He has published 15 books, of which the most recent one on Taiwan is Taiwan and the International Community (2008).

Inhalt
Forces Behind the Vitality of Taiwan; S.Tsang The Resilience and Dynamism of Taiwan's Democratic System; S.Rigger Social Foundations of Political Vitality; H.M.Hsiao Literature's Role in Breaching the Authoritarian Mindset; P.Lin The Impact of Film and the Performing Arts on Life in Taiwan; M.Harrison The Media and the Vitality of Democratic Taiwan, G.D.Rawnsley & Q.Gong Cross-Strait Tensions and Taiwan's Economic Vitality; S.L.Kastner Taishang as a Factor Shaping Taiwan's Domestic Politics; G.Schubert & S.Keng Social Network as a Source of Economic Vitality; D.Chen Innovation and Taiwan's Vitality in the Knowledge Economy; J.Wong Sustainability of Taiwan's Vitality; S.Tsang