Dark tourism: The “heritagization” of sites of suffering, with an emphasis on memorials of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi of Rwanda

A growing global trend sees sites of war, genocide, and massacres being recognized as cultural heritage, a process known as 'heritagization.' This phenomenon, coupled with the rise of 'dark tourism'—where visitors seek out locations of mass suffering—is examined in a study focusing on the memorials of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The research reveals how these sites, once symbols of atrocity, are now being framed as heritage destinations, drawing both academic and public interest. The study employs qualitative analysis to explore this shift, highlighting its implications for memory, tourism, and the preservation of traumatic histories.

Becker, A. (2019). Dark tourism: The “heritagization” of sites of suffering, with an emphasis on memorials of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi of Rwanda. International Review of the Red Cross, 101(910), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1017/s181638311900016x