國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

This article investigates the institutional logics and patterns of cross-strait popular religious exchanges. It adopts a meso-level institutional logics perspective and views cross-strait religious exchanges as functions of inter-institutional dynamics. Based on a historical analysis of Chinese official publications and data collected from participant observation and in-depth interviews, the article develops a conceptual framework of endogenous and exogenous religious exchanges situated in cross-strait differences in political and religious governance. The endogenous logics of action draw their sources of legitimacy and authority from the decentralized popular religious institutions; the exogenous logics are driven by Chinese Communist party’s political and economic governance. The article finds that since 2005 the policy structure of cross-strait religious exchanges has shifted from being primarily driven by local state management to being driven by central state initiatives. Taiwanese participants are able to segregate and utilize the contradictions between the endogenous and exogenous institutions, limiting the effect of the Chinese Communist Party’s religious united front work. Their agency, however, also helps increase the complementarity between the two institutional orders, hence regenerating the logics of participation.