Contested Tracks to Modernity: Negotiating Narratives at Taiwan's Railway Department Park

This essay looks at the exhibitions of Taipei's Railway Department Park, a museum exhibiting Taiwan's "railway culture." It explores how the history of the island's railway system and the Railway Department as the symbol of modernity have been intricately linked to contested interpretations of Taiwan's history, which is shaped by wars, Japanese imperialism, and Chinese nationalism from the nineteenth century to the present day. It also reviews how the contents of the exhibitions may appeal to the general public, invoking shared memories of railway travel and creating a sense of community in a time when bickering over history has strained relationships among the Taiwanese people.