The Museum of White Terror, Taipei: 'Children, don't talk politics'

The Museum of White Terror is a former political prison turned National Human Rights Museum in Taipei. We visit here as a group of international law students viewing the museum as a transnational legal actor of sorts. The literary genre this chapter engages with is that of the museum, specifically the museum guided tour. We view the guided tour as a moment of encounter in which the museum presents its carefully designed story. We contend that where the international legal status of Taiwan remains uncertain, the museum takes ownership of Taiwan’s past in pursuit of an alternative diplomacy. We thus view the story of this museum as a plea for Taiwanese sovereignty and ultimately independence.