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Dark tourism, selfies and moral outrage

All In The Mind

Hosted by Sana Qadar

29m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

This episode explores the complex, centuries-old phenomenon of dark tourism, examining why people visit sites of death, disaster, and suffering, and how social media and digital technology have transformed the practice. Host Sana Kadar speaks with tourism management researcher Craig White, digital heritage researcher Nicole Basaraba, and museum curator Mariko Smith about everything from battlefield tours in Ukraine and selfies at Holocaust memorials to virtual ghost-hunting channels on YouTube and colonial history sites. The guests explain that while some travelers seek morbid thrills or thoughtlessly chase social media clout, many others visit out of historical curiosity, educational motives, or a desire to pay respects. They also debate the ethics of memorial etiquette, the role of living memory in defining a dark site, and whether terms like dark tourism marginalize Indigenous histories.

  • Recognize that motivations for visiting dark tourism sites are often mundane, ranging from architectural interest to following standard tourist itineraries. 6:50
  • Understand that public shaming of social media selfies at memorial sites often depends heavily on the user's age, gender, and photographic style. 10:48
  • Consider digital storytelling apps and virtual tours as alternatives that provide accessible, multi-perspective historical engagement without requiring physical travel. 17:20
  • Reflect on how living memory shapes the ethical boundaries of a site, separating recent tragedies from ancient historical ruins. 22:48
  • Incorporate truth-telling frameworks and First Nations agency to reframe colonial histories respectfully rather than relying on lurid entertainment. 25:47

Chapters

  1. 0:04
    Podcast Intro and Host Introduction

    The episode opens with the host Sana Kadar introducing herself and setting the stage for a discussion on dark tourism.

  2. 0:35
    Archival Episode Hook and Tour Incident Preview

    Sana hints at an archival episode and introduces the shocking story of a battlefield tour company in Ukraine.

  3. 1:59
    Defining Dark Tourism and Its Historical Roots

    The conversation turns to the definition of dark tourism, its history, and examples from past and present.

  4. 4:09
    The Problem of Self‑ie Culture at Dark Sites

    The hosts discuss how social media and selfie culture can lead to disrespectful behavior at sites like Auschwitz and Chernobyl.

  5. 4:46
    Motivations Behind Dark Tourism

    Researchers explain the varied motivations—curiosity, education, remembrance, and the allure of the macabre—that drive visitors to dark sites.

  6. 10:46
    Research on Self‑ie Disrespect and Context

    Craig White’s study on Instagram comments reveals that context, pose, and gender influence how selfie‑taking is perceived at Holocaust sites.

  7. 17:02
    Digital Storytelling and Virtual Dark Tourism

    Nicole Basaraba introduces digital tools—apps and YouTube channels—that enable virtual experiences of dark heritage sites.

  8. 20:26
    Ethical Concerns of Online Dark Tourism

    The discussion turns to how online content creators sometimes disrespect sites, raising questions about tastefulness and cultural sensitivity.

  9. 24:21
    Reframing Dark Tourism in Australia

    Mariko Smith argues for rebranding dark tourism as truth‑telling histories to empower First Nations voices and avoid exploitative narratives.

  10. 27:50
    Balancing Value and Ethics in Dark Tourism

    The episode concludes with a debate on the moral value of dark tourism, highlighting its potential to educate and prevent future atrocities while acknowledging ethical pitfalls.

Highlights

Quotes

  • “We have social media. We have selfies. So today, why we engage in dark tourism?”
    Sana Qadar · 2:59
  • “I think people vote with their feet. And unless you're going along there to kind of, you know, be disrespectful, then I think that Auschwitz Museum would welcome all visitors.”
    Unnamed speaker · 8:53
  • “If it's tasteful, if it serves a good purpose, and perhaps if some of the income that comes from dark tourism is being used in responsible ways, then there's, there's nothing wrong with this at all. And in fact, it's quite a virtues thing.”
    Unnamed speaker · 28:37

About this episode

Since the days of gladiator battles and public hangings, dark tourism — our attraction to places linked to death and despair — has been a part of human behaviour. But there's something in the 21st century that's causing debate… Selfies. Digital media isn't all bad though. It's also creating opportunities for authentic storytelling. Today, we examine what dark tourism is, if it's ethical, and when it is (and isn't) appropriate to snap a selfie. This episode first aired in June 2024. Guests: Dr Craig Wight, Associate Professor, Business School, Edinburgh Napier UniversityDr Nicole Basaraba, Assistant Professor, School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies and Centre for Digital Humanities, Trinity College DublinDr Mariko Smith, Head of First Nations Collections & Research, First Nations Division, Australian MuseumCredits: Presenter/Producer: Sana QadarProducer: Rose KerrSenior Producer: James BullenSound engineer: Beth StewartOther information: The Australian Museum's Unsettled exhibition https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/unsettled/To read the transcript from this episode, head to its original webpage https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/allinthemind/dark-tourism-selfies-moral-outrage/103924164. To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Transcript

0:00
29:33

4,880 words · 8 speakers

Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

Topics

  • Auschwitz
  • Instagram
  • Chernobyl
  • Berlin Memorial
  • YoloCost
  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Trinity College Dublin
  • Australian Museum
  • Visit Ukraine
  • TikTok

Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated