2016 Volume 2016 Issue 8 Pages 75-91
This paper aims to examine how ethnicity and socioeconomic status affect the positive attitudes toward Japan’s colonial rule among different cohorts in contemporary Taiwan. Data comes from national identity module of Taiwan Social Change Survey conducted in 2003. Multi-population covariance structure analyses are used. Results show that (1) respondents’ born between 1944 and 1955 tend to evaluate Japanese colonial period more positively than mainlanders, suggesting the direct effects of ethnicity. On the other hand, direct effects of ethnicity become weaker for respondents in younger cohort. (2) For respondents born between 1956 and 1965, ethnicity affects their attitudes toward Japanese colonial period indirectly through their parents’ and their own socioeconomic status. Interestingly, mainlanders with higher socioeconomic status tend to view Japanese colonial rule positively. (3) For respondents’ born between 1966 and 1975, only indirect effects of ethnicity are shown. For those born between 1976 and 1984, while indirect effects of ethnicity are not found, respondents’ own socioeconomic status shows direct effects. Implications and future directions are discussed.
