Ambiguity and dilution in Kazakhstan’s Gulag heritage

Lennon, J. J. and Tiberghien, G. (2022) Ambiguity and dilution in Kazakhstan’s Gulag heritage. Tourism Recreation Research, 47(5-6), pp. 470-482. (doi: 10.1080/02508281.2021.1875681)

Abstract

Kazakhstan is the location of some of the most important Gulag heritage from the Soviet period of domination. However, commemoration, conservation and interpretation of Gulag sites is at best partial, visitation low and the attitude to this element of Kazakh history is ambiguous. This paper considers key heritage sites and museums in Kazakhstan and a qualitative case study approach is adopted based on a combination of interviews with twenty-four key stakeholders involved in the development and operation of Gulag tourism. Direct observations and qualitative document analysis of the major national Gulag museums and other important Gulag heritage sites was also undertaken. This research questions the orthodoxy inherent in the supposed attraction of dark tourism sites and seeks to ascertain why domestic and international visitation remains low given the scale and importance of the Gulag narrative.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by British Academy [grant number SRG\170063].
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Tiberghien, Dr Guillaume
• Authors: Lennon, J. J., and Tiberghien, G.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social & Environmental Sustainability
• Journal Name: Tourism Recreation Research
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 0250-8281
• ISSN (Online): 2320-0308
• Published Online: 09 February 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Tourism Recreation Research 47(5-6): 470-482
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
302036		Authenticity, interpretation and ideology; the case of Gulag Tourism in Kazakhstan	Guillaume Tiberghien	British Academy (BRITACAD)	SRG\170063	IS - Interdisciplinary Studies