Thanatourism: Case studies in travel to the dark side

Abstract

Thanatourism, or dark tourism, is an increasingly pervasive feature of the contemporary tourism landscape. Travel to have actual or symbolic ‘encounters with death’ is not a new phenomenon and is now one of the fastest growing areas for debate and research in the study of Tourism. Thanatourism is an important new overview of the growing field. It introduces more rigorous scholarship, new philosophical perspectives and a wealth of empirical material on the contemporary and historical consumption of death with case studies designed to stretch and challenge current discourse. Contexts presented in the book will include- well known religious sites battlefield locations genocide camps lesser known exhibition centres and a plague site. It takes a broad methodological approach and discusses both research and teaching approaches in thanatourism as well as acknowledging its emotive nature. It is an essential new resource for all those who research or teach in the area as well as for upper level students.