《芝加哥大都市區的台灣移民的認同形成和轉變之過程 (1965-2010)》

「你是『中國人』還是『台灣人』」？美國的2010年人口普查顯示美國當年有大概17,941,286個亞裔美國人，其中3,794,673個美國人認定自己是「中國人」，而230,382個美國人認定自己是「台灣人」。雖然前者比後者比較多，但後者的官方數字自從1980年以來至少每十年增長。根據美國的1980年人口普查的數據，有華人血統的人口占2億2千多萬人，而只有16,390 在「祖先」的欄位填上了「台灣人」；1990年人口普查顯示了官方數字增加到近7萬5千人；2000年人口普查顯示了官方數字增加到近14萬5千人；2010年人口普查顯示了官方數字增加到超過23萬人。至於個人動機，筆者自小便投入台灣歷史和社會的相關研究，於2013年被國立台灣師範大學的應用華語文學系碩士班錄取後，便開始反思該寫什麼論文題目，花了大概一年的時間，研究關於不同海外華人的地區，逐漸了解到東南亞地區的研究並不興趣。因為筆者是台美混血兒，故想做美國華人的相關研究。至於學術動機，筆者想要研究為什麼只有16,390位美國公民在美國的1980年人口普查認定自己是「台灣人」，但三十年後這個數字成長到230,382位美國公民。至於研究目的，本論文特別地探討下列問題：1) 台灣、美國及中國的事件和政策，如何影響到芝加哥大都市區的台灣移民認同形成和轉變之過程；2) 有多少芝加哥大都市區的台灣移民認定自己是「台灣人」或「中國人」；3) 共多少芝加哥大都市區的台灣移民，覺得台灣需要維持兩岸分治、海峽兩岸由中華人民共和國政府管轄、海峽兩岸由中華民國政府管轄或台灣宣稱獨立。本論文的主要問題如下：1) 您本來覺得您是「中國人」還是「台灣人」？現在呢？2) 至少每十年的美國人口普查顯示越來越多人認為自己是「台灣人」的原因為何？3) 至於台灣問題，請告訴筆者您的想法。至於「全美台灣同鄉會芝加哥分會」大部分會員從頭到尾認定自己是「台灣人」，而不是「中國人」，而其他會員本來認定自己是「中國人」，但後來認為自己是「台灣人」。很多於1990年代之前離開台灣而移民到美國的會員參加了某個台灣同胞或台獨協會之後，才終於學到很多在台灣發生的被中國國民黨政府掩埋的事件，因此順便認為自己是「台灣人」，而不是「中國人」。除了之外，也有很多會員在台灣自己耳聞目睹很多事件。隨著時間的推移，很多台灣同胞協會的會員說服越來越來自台灣的移民者及其後裔改變自己的認同而推動其歷史和文化。由於這個協會的百分之百會員認為自己是「台灣人」，而不是「中國人」，大部分的會員卻支持台灣政府宣稱獨立而成為一個新的主權國家。至於「芝加哥區全美台灣同鄉聯誼會」，其大部分會員從頭到尾認定自己是「中國人」，而不是「台灣人」。根據其會員對於美國人口普查的現象，大部分會員未提出意見或者未知道。雖然其大部分會員從頭到尾認定自己是「中國人」，而不是「台灣人」，但他們卻支持台灣政府繼續維持兩岸分治的現狀。本論文有一些限制。數量而言，只能找到了67個被訪者，但後來發現22個被訪者的答案和問卷並未適合本論文的研究。筆者只能深入訪談三個人。另外，「大芝加哥地區中國和平統一促進會」的社長並未信任筆者，但由電子郵件寄給筆者很多資料。大體上，「全美台灣同鄉會芝加哥分會」和「芝加哥區全美台灣同鄉聯誼會」缺乏很多一手和二手資料。因此，筆者推薦下個研究在美台灣移民或台裔美國人的學者達成三個目標：第一，研究一個更多來自台灣移民或台裔美國人居住的地方；第二，如果學者找到一些台美協會的話，那麼他可以花比較多時間提早跟這些協會的會員聯絡而安排時間見面；第三，學者應該要花更多時間使這些協會的會員信任他。筆者寫到這裡終於發現了本論文的下列重點：第一，雖然本論文未涉及百分之百芝加哥大都市區的台灣移民之答案，但是本論文卻涉及到該地區的兩個重要台灣同胞協會；第二，雖然該地區並未任何事件或法律政策影響到在美台灣移民的認同形成和轉變之過程，但有很多在台灣、美國的其他城市及中國發生的事件和法律政策卻影響到在美台灣移民的認同形成和轉變之過程；第三，不管誰自覺自己是「台灣人」或「中國人」，芝加哥大都市區並沒有一位台灣移民支持中國及台灣由中華人民共和國政府管轄。

關鍵字

芝加哥大都市區；台灣移民；認同；形成和轉變之過程；中國人；台灣人

並列摘要

“Are you ‘Chinese’ or ‘Taiwanese’”? The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau reports that there were approximately 17,941,286 Asian-Americans, among them were 3,794,673 American citizens who self-identified themselves as “Chinese”, whereas 230,372 American citizens who self-identified themselves as “Taiwanese”. Although the former is more than the latter, the latter’s official number has grown every 10 years ever since 1980. According to the 1980 U.S. Census Bureau, there were 2.2 million American citizens who were of Chinese descent, though only 16,390 people under the category “ancestors” wrote down “Taiwanese”; the 1990 U.S. Census Bureau showed that this number increased to nearly 75,000 people; the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau illustrated that this number increased to nearly 145,000 people; the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau showed that this number increased to well over 230,000 people. In regards to my personal motive, ever since I was little I have always delved into the research concerning Taiwanese history and society. After being accepted into National Taiwan Normal University’s Department of Applied Chinese Language and Literature’s Graduate Studies in 2013, I began spending about a year thinking over what topic I am going to write for my thesis. During that time, I researched topics concerning numerous overseas-Chinese areas throughout Southeast Asia. Overtime, I realized that these areas were of little interest to me. Given that I am half Taiwanese and half white, I eventually decided to research a topic relative to Chinese-Americans. In regards to my academic motive, I started wondering why the 1980 U.S. Census Bureau only recorded 16,390 Taiwanese-Americans, yet this number increased to 230,382 Taiwanese-Americans 30 years later. In regards to the purpose of my research, this thesis specifically analyzes the following questions: 1) How the incidents and policies of Taiwan, the United States and China affected the Chicago metropolitan area’s Taiwanese immigrants’ identity formation and transformation process; 2) the number of Taiwanese immigrants in the Chicago metropolitan area who view themselves as either “Taiwanese” or “Chinese”; 3) the total number of Taiwanese immigrants in the Chicago metropolitan area who feel that Taiwan needs to maintain the status quo, that both sides of the strait should be governed by the government of the People’s Republic of China, that both sides of the strait should be governed by the government of the Republic of China or that Taiwan should declare independence. This thesis had its limitations. In terms of numbers, I only found 67 respondents, yet discovered that 22 respondents’ answers and questionnaires were not suitable with my research. I only found 3 people to whom I could conduct in-depth interviews. In addition, although the president of the “Chinese American Alliance for China’s Peaceful Reunification” did not trust me, he did send me a lot of information via email. Overall, both the “Taiwanese Association of America, The Greater Chicago Chapter” and the “Taiwan Benevolent Association of America of Chicago” lacked a lot of 1st and 2nd hand sources and information. Hence, I suggest that the next scholar who decides to research Taiwanese-American immigrants or Taiwanese Americans achieve 3 goals: first, research an area that consists of more Taiwanese-American immigrants or Taiwanese Americans; second, if a scholar finds several Taiwanese-American associations, then he/she should quickly take the initiative to contact and schedule a time/place to meet with its members; third, he/she should spend more time to allow these associations to trust him/her. At this point, I have finally concluded the following main points of my thesis: first, although this thesis did not include 100% of the Chicago metropolitan area’s Taiwanese-American immigrants’ answers, this thesis at least included two important Taiwanese-compatriot associations; second, although the area I researched did not have one important event or policy that impacted its Taiwanese-American immigrants’ identity formation and transformation process, I did find many events and policies occurring in Taiwan, other cities in the United States and China that, in fact, did affect it; third, whether someone identified themselves as “Taiwanese” or “Chinese”, the area I researched did not have one Taiwanese-American immigrant that supported both Taiwan and China to be ruled by the People’s Republic of China’s government.