| Visiting the Shadows: Dark Tourism & its Discontents An Inclusive Interdisciplinary Conference Friday 6th May 2022 - Saturday 7th May 2022 Prague, Czech Republic Given civilisation’s collective preoccupation with death, suffering, sadness and horror, it is little wonder that the drive to personally experience sites associated with the very worst of human nature has spawned a distinct pattern of tourism. Though the term ‘dark tourism’ is a relatively recent development, the allure of visiting dark places – haunted sites, cemeteries, slums, Nazi death camps, historical battlefields, torture museums, sites of natural and human-made disasters, war zones – is hardly a new phenomenon. A fascination with history, the need to mourn, gratification of a fetish, satisfying ‘morbid curiosity’ or craving for an adrenaline rush are just some of the catalysts for dark tourism. And these motivations themselves speak to the dark side – or shades of grey – of travellers’ psyches. This raises questions about what the longevity and popularity of dark tourism says about the society in which it exists: perceptions of evil, individual and collective attitudes toward death, power dynamics around narrating and commemorating events, racial and gender biases, the power of enterprise and the profit motive….and so on. That some places are regarded as being ‘darker’ than others or more socially acceptable than others highlights the ways in which culture shapes (and is shaped by) attitudes toward dark tourism and the travellers that participate in it. While some forms of dark tourism can be said to offer educational value by highlighting the evils of the past to (hopefully) prevent them from recurring in the future, dark tourism also poses significant ethical dilemmas. After all, this is a lucrative industry that also thrives of the back of travellers that derive some form of gratification from the suffering of others. Key Topics The event offers a platform for participants across disciplinary, practices and walks of life to engage in dialogues that explore all facets of dark tourism. The organizers welcome 300-word proposals for presentations on any related subject, including by not limited to: ~ What’s in a name? Dark tourism, Thana tourism, black tourism, morbid tourism, grief tourism, etc. ~ Taxonomies of types of dark tourism and their implications ~ Ethical implications of dark tourism ~ Dark tourism and religion/spirituality (including satanic rituals) ~ Psychological motivations of dark tourism ~ Dark tourism businesses and business models ~ Dark tourism as a teaching tool ~ Ideologies of dark tourism (whose stories are told and how that narrative shapes understandings of events and practices) ~ Architecture and dark tourism (designs for museums, memorials, urban landscapes impacted by dark tourism, etc.) ~ Impact of technology on dark tourism (how technology mediates the tourist experience, disasters linked to scientific technology, etc.) ~ Dark tourism and attitudes about death ~ Crime and punishment as inspirations for dark tourism ~ Dark tourism and nature: Aokigahara forest, Loch Ness, Hoia-Baciu Forest, Romania ~ Case studies of city/national tourism boards promoting dark tourism ~ Dark tourism’s impact on local communities (e.g. slum tourism) ~ Fictional and artistic depictions of dark tourism ~ Armchair dark tourism facilitated by cinema, television, gaming, etc. (particularly in the era of COVID-19) ~ Tourism involving clandestine and illegal services and facilities There will be opportunities to undertake tours of Prague and surrounding areas as part of the dark tourism conference experience. What To Send The aim of this inclusive interdisciplinary conference and collaborative networking event is to bring people together and encourage creative conversations in the context of a variety of formats: papers, seminars, workshops, storytelling, performances, poster presentations, problem-solving sessions, case studies, panels, q&a’s, round-tables etc. Creative responses to the subject, such as poetry/prose, short film screenings/original drama, installations and alternative presentation styles that engage the audience and foster debate are particularly encouraged. Please feel free to put forward proposals that you think will get the message across, in whatever form. At the end of the conference we will be exploring ways in which we can develop the discussions and dialogues in new and sustainable inclusive interdisciplinary directions, including research, workshops, publications, public interest days, associations, developing courses etc which will help us make sense of the topics discussed during the meeting. There is an intention, subject to the discussions which emerge during the course of the meeting, to form a selective innovative interdisciplinary publication to engender further research and collaboration. 300 word proposals, presentations, abstracts and other forms of contribution and participation should be submitted by Friday 26th November 2021. Other forms of participation should be discussed in advance with the Organising Chairs. All submissions will be at least double reviewed, under anonymous (blind) conditions, by a global panel drawn from members of the Project Team, the Development Team and the Advisory Board. In practice our procedures usually entail that by the time a proposal is accepted, it will have been triple and quadruple reviewed. You will be notified of the panel’s decision by Friday 10th December 2021. If your submission is accepted for the conference, a full draft of your contribution should be submitted by Friday 8th April 2022. Abstracts and proposals may be in Word, RTF or Notepad formats with the following information and in this order: a) author(s), b) affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme, c) email address, d) title of proposal, e) type of proposal e.g. paper presentation, workshop, panel, film, performance, etc, f) body of proposal, g) up to 10 keywords. E-mails should be entitled: Dark Tourism Submission Where To Send Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chairs and the Project Administrator: Teresa Cutler-Broyles (Organising Chair): teresa@progressiveconnexions.net Claudio Zanini (Organising Chair): haunted32@yahoo.com.br Lorraine Rumson (Project Administrator): darktourism@progressiveconnexions.net What’s so Special About a Progressive Connexions Event? A fresh, friendly, dynamic format – at Progressive Connexions we are dedicated to breaking away from the stuffy, old-fashion conference formats, where endless presentations are read aloud off PowerPoints. We work to bring you an interactive format, where exchange of experience and information is alternated with captivating workshops, engaging debates and round tables, time set aside for getting to know each other and for discussing common future projects and initiatives, all in a warm, relaxed, egalitarian atmosphere. A chance to network with international professionals – the beauty of our interdisciplinary events is that they bring together professionals from all over the world and from various fields of activity, all joined together by a shared passion. Not only will the exchange of experience, knowledge and stories be extremely valuable in itself, but we seek to create lasting, ever-growing communities around our projects, which will become a valuable resource for those belonging to them. A chance to be part of constructing change – There is only one thing we love as much as promoting knowledge: promoting real, lasting social change by encouraging our participants to take collective action, under whichever form is most suited to their needs and expertise (policy proposals, measuring instruments, research projects, educational materials, etc.) We will support all such actions in the aftermath of the event as well, providing a platform for further discussions, advice from the experts on our Project Advisory Team and various other tools and intellectual resources, as needed. An opportunity to discuss things that matter to you – Our events are not only about discussing how things work in the respective field, but also about how people work in that field – what are the struggles, problems and solutions professionals have found in their line of work, what are the areas where better communication among specialists is needed and how the interdisciplinary approach can help bridge those gaps and help provide answers to questions from specific areas of activity. An unforgettable experience – When participating in a Progressive Connexions event, there is a good chance you will make some long-time friends. Our group sizes are intimate, our venues are comfortable and relaxing and our event locations are suited to the history and culture of the event. Ethos Progressive Connexions believes it is a mark of personal courtesy and professional respect to your colleagues that all delegates should attend for the full duration of the meeting. If you are unable to make this commitment, please do not submit an abstract or proposal for presentation. Please note: Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence, nor can we offer discounts off published rates and fees. Please send all enquiries about the conference to: darktourism@progressiveconnexions.net For further details and information please visit the conference web page: https://www.progressiveconnexions.net/interdisciplinary-projects/narratives-persons-communities/dark-tourism/conferences/ Sponsored by: Progressive Connexions |
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