Abstract: Researchers have developed a brand new framework to know why individuals are fascinated by occasions centered round themes of dying, catastrophe, and struggling. These “darkish occasions” embrace every thing from historic commemorations to cultural festivals and horror experiences.
The examine highlights six key ideas that form our attraction to those occasions, akin to commercialization, public engagement, and the symbolic presence of dying. Understanding these elements might provide deeper insights into societal conduct and collective reminiscence.
Key information:
- Darkish occasions span a variety of actions, from cultural festivals to horror experiences.
- The examine introduces six ideas to research the attraction of those occasions, together with commercialization and the symbolic presence of dying.
- These occasions provide a managed method for individuals to discover themes of dying and tragedy.
Supply: College of Surrey
Understanding why the recognition of organised occasions steeped in themes of dying, catastrophe and struggling, such because the well-known Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Useless), Jack the Ripper Strolling Excursions and Remembrance Sunday, could possibly be key to a deeper understanding of society, say researchers from the College of Surrey.
In a examine printed by Annals of Tourism Analysis, researchers introduce a complete framework to analyse these occasions, drawing from fields as various as thanatology (the scientific examine of dying and the practices related to it), darkish tourism, and collective reminiscence research.
Darkish occasions embrace a broad spectrum, from historic commemorations and sports activities competitions to cultural festivals and horror experiences.
Dr James Kennell, co-author of the examine and Affiliate Professor of Occasions and Hospitality on the College of Surrey, stated:
Persons are fascinated with darkish occasions for a number of causes, embedded in psychological, cultural, and sociological facets of human behaviour. There’s a pure human curiosity concerning the darker facets of life, together with dying, tragedy, and the macabre. Darkish occasions typically present a secure and managed atmosphere for individuals to discover these themes. Dr James Kennell, Affiliate Professor in Occasions & Hospitality
The framework developed on this examine advances understanding of the evolving panorama of darkish occasions by figuring out six key ideas essential for researching darkish occasions:
- Commercialisation – how darkish occasions are marketed, consumed, and monetised.
- Views from disciplines akin to thanatology, darkish tourism, and collective reminiscence research.
- Public sphere engagement – how darkish occasions work together with the general public sphere and the way they slot in broader societal discourse – together with media protection, politics, public reactions, and the impression on social norms and values.
- Deviant behaviour – examines participant motivations, akin to thrill-seeking or taboo exploration of violence, criminality or common hurt.
- Experiential facets – analysing how darkish occasions evoke feelings akin to concern, fascination, or reflection throughout the members or viewers.
- The presence of dying – centres on the symbolic and literal presence of dying inside darkish occasions, together with: non-human dying, dying symbolism and precise dying.
Metod Šuligoj, co-author and Affiliate Professor of Tourism Research on the College of Primorska, stated:
“The fascination with darkish occasions stems from a posh interaction of curiosity, thrill-seeking behaviour, cultural traditions, psychological exploration, and the need for communal and shared experiences. These occasions enable people to have interaction with themes of dying, catastrophe, and struggling in methods which can be significant, academic, and generally transformative.”
About this psychology analysis information
Writer: Georgina Gould
Supply: University of Surrey
Contact: Georgina Gould – College of Surrey
Picture: The picture is credited to Neuroscience Information
Unique Analysis: Open entry.
“Conceptualising dark events: A new framework” by James Kennell et al. Annals of Tourism Analysis
Summary
Conceptualising darkish occasions: A brand new framework
Darkish occasions are organised occasions linked to dying, catastrophe and struggling, and this conceptual examine gives a brand new framework that can be utilized of their evaluation.
The framework has been developed via a theoretical synthesis of ideas from the area principle of thanatology, and the tactic theories of darkish tourism, darkish leisure and collective reminiscence.
Six ideas of worth for analysis into darkish occasions are recognized: commercialisation; approaches; public sphere; deviant behaviour; experiences; presence of dying.
The conceptual framework establishes a coherent conceptual footing for darkish occasion analysis, and highlights hyperlinks to established theories and strategies that may be of worth to future researchers on this novel space.
Lastly, we current an agenda for future analysis into darkish occasions.
