國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Abstract / Chinese PDF Download

From a postcolonial critical perspective, I argue that the notions of science, China  studies,  civic  culture  and  sovereignty  are  historically  and  conceptually intertwined.    The  history  of  science  and  colonialism  developed  together.   After they came to China, the Chinese people struggled to learn the doctrine of science  in  order  to  counter  colonialism.    China  became  an  objective  field  of study once the Chinese accepted the notion of state sovereignty and turned their culture  into  a  piece  of  territory.    Since  the  key  to  the  rise  of  contemporary Western  sovereign  states  is  their  liberal,  civic  culture,  China  studies  typically focus also on the evolution (or the stagnation) of Chinese civic culture.    This civic  approach  to  China  studies  naturally  defines  China  in  an  inferior  position and is supported by a liberal science which the Chinese “Western” state has no conceptual means to refute.    Consequently, all Taiwanese work on China must also  take  this  Western,  scientific,  liberal  position  and  alienate  the  researchers from  their  subject  of  study.    Politically,  this  compels  them  to  create  a sovereign,  civic  illusion  for  themselves  in  order  to  understand  China  from  an objective, outside position.