From Father$S to Mother$S Auto Bike--- Discussing the Social Meanings of the Transition of Motorcycle in Taiwan around World War Ⅱ.

The rate of having motorcycle in Taiwan is the highest around the world, and the export of motorcycle is in the top three in the world. However, Taiwan is not the country which invents motorcycle or scooter, key technologies and parts are restricted to home country's company. Besides, Taiwan is not potential market incubating the motorcycle industry. Why are there such great developments today in motorcycle industry in Taiwan nowadays? According to users, the motorcycle was used by the rich male in Taiwan early days, now this classical symbol already disappears. The motorcycle users spread to those who are not the main supporters of family; Part of them are married women. But, how did this change take place? How did the motorcycle transformation correspond to social structure development? After women began to use motorcycle and had more moving ability, whether can they improve their status or empower themselves in the family, as well as job? This research will combine gender studies in sociology and geography, and the meanings of objects what cultural studies concerns, by way of design history to explore the social meaning of Taiwanese motorcycle transition around World war twoⅡ. Products do not have their own lives, unlike animals and plants which can evolve by themselves. Instead of attributing design change to some kind of evolution law, design historians should locate objects into social context. Base on this understanding, this research tries to distinguish the modernization of Taiwan society through the developing of motorcycle. In addition, being not the only person who defines the meanings of the products, designers should respect how the motorcycle evolved in the society, and reflect their professional practices.

Project ID:PE9709-0240
External Project ID:NSC97-2410-H182-014