The development of sports nationalism in Taiwan 1990-2023: A study of news coverage and social media comments : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University

Abstract

With the democratisation and political and economic liberalisation of Taiwan, “Taiwanese” has replaced “Chinese” as the predominant national self-identification. However, sports as a cultural field, which embodies nationalist ideology, has not undergone corresponding changes. For example, terms such as “Chinese Taipei”, “Chung-Hua (中華/ Chinese) athletes”, and the “Chung-Hua (中華/ Chinese) team” are still widely used, and the name rectification referendum of 2018, which proposed that national teams compete under the name Taiwan, was voted down. Thus, this study aims to examine the interrelationship of sports nationalism and nationalist transformation. The research data for this study comprised sports news articles from Taiwanese newspapers and social media posts concerning three key topics: international baseball competitions from 1990 to 2023, the name rectification referendum, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Using the theoretical frameworks of imagined communities, invented traditions, and banal nationalism, along with thematic analysis and critical discourse analysis, this study examines these research materials to explore their underlying nationalist narratives. Thematic analysis identified themes within the texts, while critical discourse analysis was employed to investigate how content use in sports media strengthened or opposed nationalist ideologies. The findings indicate that Taiwan’s sports nationalism evolved from ethnic nationalism to the Republic of China (ROC) civic nationalism, and ultimately to Taiwanese nationalism. The findings further explain that the referendum’s defeat can be attributed to the Taiwanisation of the ROC and Chinese Taipei. Further, the findings from the analysis of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games indicate that sport functions as a mechanism for reaffirming Taiwan’s nation-statehood and national identity by linking the ROC’s national significance to Taiwan, thereby nationalising Taiwan. This study argues that these changes are driven by the interaction of sport, democratisation, and Taiwanisation. Theoretically, the contribution of these findings lies in offering an alternative theoretical framework to better understand the transformation of Taiwan’s sports nationalism. Methodologically, while previous studies have primarily focused on how political and cultural elites shape national identity—a top-down approach, this study addresses how the public interacts with nationalist narratives. By incorporating social media posts, this research integrates individuals and grassroots society into the analytical framework of nationalism, providing a bottom-up perspective. The findings reveal that social actors do not merely accept top-down indoctrination but actively interpret, negotiate, and even reshape nationalist narratives. This challenges the traditional view that nation-building was elite-driven by demonstrating that the public can be a driving force in redefining national identity. These findings and this approach offer broader insights into contemporary nationalism in the digital era. In conclusion, sports news articles link national significance to sporting events, athletes, and spectators, constructing a “new tradition” that demonstrates how “banal” sports narratives contribute to the formation of an “imagined community.” Overall, this study highlights the role of sport in nation-building, offering a broader perspective and deeper analysis of the development and transformation of Taiwanese nationalism.