臺灣的客家族群，在過去很長一段時間，被稱為社會的「隱形族群」，語言文化長期遭邊緣化，終致客家認同漸趨消逝、語言大量流失、文化傳承出現斷絕危機。及至1980年代末期，隨著臺灣政治民主化、本土化的情勢發展，客家人歷經幾波「去隱形化」的族群運動，進佔影響國內政黨競爭的關鍵地位，逐步建構出全臺的客家認同意識，並以集體力量爭取維護族群生命、保障語言文化永續發展之制度性機制。藉由這段客家族群意識啟動、發揮與轉化的過程，客家人追求集體權利的訴求終獲得國家的肯認，客家事務成為政府必須處理的重要公共政策項目，最後促成中央級客家行政專責機關的設立。
國際間，1960年代以來，全球普遍產生「族群意識復甦」現象，少數族群紛紛開展自覺性的權益抗爭，引起西方學界重視並展開多元文化論述，探討各種解決少數族群問題之可能途徑；各國政府也體認族群問題的重要性，各項多元文化與權利保障的政治制度安排應運而生。
在此國內外政治潮流變遷的背景下，本論文著眼於當代多元文化主義思潮下的族群議題，以臺灣的客家族群為研究主體，透過對客家族群過去及現階段之發展困境的瞭解，分析客家運動的意義、客家委員會法制化後的功能與影響，進而探討如何在多族群國家的環境中，建構肯認差異、維護少數群體之尊嚴與主體性的政治制度。
本研究參酌國際理論與經驗，爬梳Iris Marion Young的「差異政治」、Charles Taylor的「肯認政治」、Will Kymlicka的「多元文化公民權」，以及強調權力分享的「協商式民主」模式，申明賦予少數族群特殊權利以保障其生存發展的民主精神；並以比利時、西班牙和中國大陸等三個國家的制度為參考，分析各該國家之族群問題與制度性解決途徑，再與臺灣現階段的族群關係相互參照。以國際視野的比較分析，著重政治制度的改革試驗，為臺灣客家族群之永續發展提出合理的策略建議。關切焦點包括：(1)在憲政層次上，應建立國內各族群共同為國家主人的制度安排，以族群平等、政治權力分享原則，落實多元文化主義之精神。(2)在法律層面強化對弱勢族群語言文化之保障，彰顯多族群國家對全體族群的承認與尊重。(3)主張在地方自治的合理範圍內，試行「客家文化基地」。
The Hakka Ethnicity in Taiwan was referred as an “invisible ethnicity” which resulted in the elapse of Hakka identity, the loss of language and the gap in the cultural heritage. With the democratization of politics in Taiwan and the rise of localization in the late 1980s, the Hakka experienced the ethnic movement of de-invisibility, played a key role in the rival of political parties, built up the identification with Hakka ethnicity itself step by step over the island and strived for the ethnicity with the collective strength in order to make a framework securing the development of language and culture. The appeal to pursuing the collective rights was eventually recognized by the nation with the awakening and transition of Hakka ethnicity. The Hakka affairs became an important public policy which led to the institute of Hakka Affairs Council.
The awakening of ethnic identity was aroused in the international community since 1960s. The ethnic minority started to fight for its own rights which caught the attention of the western scholars and had the discourse on multiculturalism and discussed the possible solutions addressing the issue of ethnic minority. The governments also came to realize the significance of ethnic issues and established political system protecting the rights of ethnic minority.
With the political transition at home and abroad, the thesis focuses on the ethnic issues inspired by multiculturalism and the Hakka Ethnic Group in Taiwan as the research subject and analyzes the significance of Hakka Movement and the function as well as the influence of the legitimatized Hakka Affairs Council. How to construct the recognition politics and uphold the esteem of ethnic minority and the subject of political system are also further discussed.
The Politics of Difference by Iris Marion Young, The Politics of Recongition by Charles Taylor, Multicultural Citizenship by Will Kymlicka and the Consociational Democracy conferring on the ethnic minority rights to secure their lives are referred to the research. Also, the systems of Belgium, Spain and China are referred while analyzing the solutions of each country and compared with the current ethnic issues in Taiwan. The thesis attempts to provide a strategy for the continued development of Hakka Ethnic Group in Taiwan with the analysis of international comparative study and the concentration upon the experiment on the political system.
The focal point includes: 1. In terms of constitution, the power of state should be based and shared by each ethnic group equally in order to implement the multiculturalism. 2. In terms of legitimacy, the language and culture of inferior ethnic group should be secured in order to demonstrate the recognition and respect on all ethnic groups. 3. Setting the Hakka culture base within the reasonable extent of home rule.
