THE IMPACT OF WESTERN CULTURE ON WOMEN"S LEISURE IN TAIWAN: leisurely women, what leisure?

The aim of this research is to explore how women in Taiwan have experienced the challenge presented by Western culture, the resulting effect of which has led to divergence with traditional Taiwanese culture and, specially the impact of Western culture on leisure experiences. In short, this study seeks to understand the changing nature of leisure activities of Taiwanese women. Furthermore, this research builds on previous work that investigated the factors constraining women"s leisure opportunities in the West. The aim is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the constraining factors, particularly changing cultural norms that have enabled and constrained leisure activities for Taiwanese women, how these are manifest in Taiwanese society, and the way in which cultural confrontation and change, particularly the challenge that Western ideologies present to Confucianism, have on the leisure pursuits of the women of Taiwan.