Shaping the next generation:influences of Taiwan’s “course of history” on junior high school students’ views on cross-strait relations:take junior-high students in Taipei city as an example

• Main Authors: Li, Shu Yun, 李淑芸
• Other Authors: Keng, Shu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/81928121157233483014

碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 中國大陸研究英語碩士學程(IMCS) === 96 === Development of cross-strait relations has considerably affected Taiwan’s politics as well as economy for decades. Therefore, it plays a very significant role of people’s perspectives on political and economic issues in Taiwan. During the process of political socialization, junior high students in Taiwan mainly cultivate their views on cross-strait relations under the influences of family, mass media, peers and school education. Findings of the survey conducted for this thesis reveal that the mass media is the main source of influences on students’ views about cross-strait relations. Parents’ educational level, party identification, ethnicity and socio-economic status also affect students’ views on the same issue remarkably. Regarding influences of course of History, it ranks the third most important factor affecting students’ attitudes towards cross-strait relations. Students with higher interest in history and better grades of history tend to have more positive impressions on China (except for its democratic development) and take a more open stance toward Taiwan’s cross-strait policies. Besides, they are more enthusiastic about interaction across the Taiwan Strait. As for peers and course of Civics, they are able to affect students’ views on cross-strait relations as well, yet, not as influential as mass media, family and course of History. In addition to these factors, whether students have visited China or have family in China also influences their attitudes towards Chinese government and people. In general, mainland experience increases students’ good impressions on China along with will to have interaction with Chinese people.