The Boundaries of Nationality in Postcolonial East Asia

2023 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 23K00868
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: オーガスティン マシュー 九州大学, 比較社会文化研究院, 准教授 (40598710)
• Project Period (FY): 2023-04-01 – 2026-03-31
• Keywords: Nationality

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

This research project examines how state authorities in Taiwan and Korea adapted colonial-era family registries to invent national identity passes, alien residency passes, and passports that strengthened their control over citizens and foreigners alike. During the first year, I conducted archival research in the United States that related to the liberation of Taiwan and Korea from Japanese colonial rule, and how that affected the issue of nationality in those territories occupied by Allied authorities after WWII. Specifically, I spent eight days between May and June 2023 examining relevant materials at Columbia University's Oral History Archives and Princeton University's special collection including the George Kennan Papers and the John Foster Dulles Papers. I also conducted archival research in Taiwan for six days in September 2023, examining administrative records related to the Republic of China's household registry and nationality laws that are located in at Academia Historica and the Institute of Modern History at Academia Sinica.

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

My research project is progressing smoothly according to the objectives outlined in my original proposal. The only change to my plans was that I decided to make a preliminary research trip to the United States, in order to ascertain the degree of importance that US policymakers assigned to the issue of nationality in postcolonial East Asia.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

In the coming year, I intend to conduct archival research on the legislation of nationality, naturalization, and migration laws of the ROK government. My sources in Seoul include historical records at the National Archives of Korea, the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Assembly Library.