| This dissertation examines how the U.S. mainstream press covered the issue of Taiwan's independence from 1996 to 2004. The stories this study examined focus on the three Taiwan's presidential elections (1996, 2000, and 2004) as well as the Taiwan Strait crises. This study employs framing theory as its major theoretical framework and uses qualitative frame analysis and the "signature matrix" method as its research methods. The selected press includes four newspapers (The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times) and two news magazines (Time, Newsweek). This dissertation argues that the issue of Taiwan's independence not only provides a platform for the international diplomatic struggle among Taiwan, China, and the United States, but also into the value debate regarding the U.S. national interest.;In 1996, the movement of Taiwan independence is considered as part of the development of Taiwan's democracy. In 2000, the framing has shifted from pro-democracy to pro-"one-China" policy. In 2004, the framing has changed from preserving "one-China" policy to promoting the status quo. First, for nearly a decade, the U.S. framing of Taiwan's independence has shifted from promoting democracy/self-determination/liberty to the "one-China" policy/peace/stability. It suggests the room for the movement of Taiwan's independence is slimmer and slimmer. Second, regarding the question of how the press constructed the identity frames and national interests of the United States, the role of the U.S. and the content of the national interest may vary depending upon the international diplomacy and domestic politics of America. Third, as to the question of how the news frames interpreted the policies and the public opinion of the United States, the framing of the U.S. press can be seen as an indicator of U.S. policy or public opinion.;Finally, the signature matrices provide a useful tool to reveal the structures of the framing. If we look at both the signature matrices and the central organizing ideas, a coherent picture can be composed regarding the framing of Taiwan's independence. |
