Exceptional States: Chinese Immigrants and Taiwanese Sovereignty

Synopsis

Between 10% and 20% of marriages in Taiwan involve the union of a Taiwanese national with a Chinese immigrant, with as many as 13,000 cross-Strait couples registering new unions each year. Exceptional States examines new configurations of marriage, immigration, and governance emerging in an increasingly mobile Asia where Cold War legacies continue to shape contemporary political struggles over sovereignty and citizenship. This book poignantly and respectfully documents the struggle of these immigrant Chinese women as they seek belonging, acceptance, and recognition in their new land. The women's experiences parallel Taiwan's own desire to receive recognition from the international community as a sovereign nation-state. By tracing these political parallels, the book shows how Chinese marital immigrants are affected by Taiwan's own uncertain political status in relation to China in ways that marital immigrants from other Asian countries are not. Exceptional States illustrates the social, political and subjective consequences of immigrants who are living with this exceptional status. The book concludes with a discussion of how Chinese spouses' efforts to create a sense of belonging for themselves across the fluid waters of the Taiwan Strait offer possible insights into solving Taiwan's current sovereignty challenges--Provided by publisher.