Immigrant Wives and Their Cultural Influence in Taiwan

Abstract

台灣近年來女性外籍配偶的數量遽增，許多媒體以及研究者皆針對其家庭暴力等問題做報導及探討。本研究旨在透過訪問這些女性外籍配偶以及她們的家人，探討這些跨國婚姻而移民台灣的女性在台灣家庭中，甚至是廣大社會中所隱藏的角色以及其實質上的社會地位。我們也將本研究得到的結果和台灣媒體及政府機構的報導做比較。結果顯示台灣政府多半將外籍配偶的問題視為冰山中的一角，然而外籍配偶不論是對於其家庭或是整個台灣社會都有不容忽略的影響力。此外，外籍配偶不僅能促使台灣政府考慮多元文化的政策，同時亦使台灣人民有機會能接觸到不同的民族文化，同時也讓台灣社會習得全球化時代寶貴的一課。

In Taiwan, the number of immigrant wives (foreign brides) has increased dramatically in recent years. Media outlets and academic research works report family violence and other problems. This study explores immigrant wives’ “hidden” position and status within the family and wider society by interviewing immigrant wives and their families. We compare the result of our fieldwork with the reports of Taiwan’s media and governmental institutions. It is found that the Taiwanese government mostly sees the problems that are reported to them that are only a part of the whole picture. Most immigrant wives actually have strong influence in Taiwan, in their new families and in society. At the same time, they provide the stimulus for the Taiwanese government to consider multiculturalist approaches to policy-making, give Taiwanese people more cross-cultural opportunities, and provide Taiwan a lesson for globalization.