一九九0年代曹永和受年鑑學派影響，提出臺灣島史的概念， 二十餘年來史學界在歷史地理、長時段、整體史及世界視野等方面， 多所闡揚，但同時也陷入「建構臺灣主體論述」的思辯困局。布勞岱 《法蘭西的特性》，將法國政治實體與法蘭西民族區別開來，從單元區 域地理研究中深入探索法蘭西的多樣性，從長時段歷史作用力中尋找 法蘭西之一致性’以從中定義法蘭西的特性；此一研究概念工具’對 臺灣島史研究將具更深的啟發意義，一方面可深化臺灣島内各單元區 域之研究，二方面可藉此建立島内單元區域間與科際間研究的整合平 臺，在開放的邊界中進行島内外、單元區域間研究之對話，以建構臺 灣特性研究的共同核心概念；三方面對臺灣島史研究擺脫國族認同取向的歷史詮釋紛擾’或有所助益。

In 1990, Chao Yung-He issued the concept of ‘History of Taiwan Island' as a part of maritime of East Asia to claim the subjectivity in research of Taiwan history. The historiography of Annales School, such as geo¬history, long term, total history and global view, inspired the historiography of Taiwan research, from the concept of ‘history of Taiwan Island' to the discourse of ‘Taiwan identity' after 1990s. The de-national historiography of Fernard Braudel's “The Identity of France” might give some reflections on the clarification of controversy on ‘Taiwan identity' and deepen the depth of research of regional history in Taiwan . The ‘Taiwan-centered' historiography and ‘Taiwan identity' issued from larger timescale and space- scale to define the undefined ‘identity/ character of Taiwan’ or ‘Taiwan-ness’ will be the main concern of this study.