Anthropology of Experience: Touring the Past at Robben Island

Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former prison where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, serves as a 'liminal space' that facilitates shared experiences of oppression among diverse visitors. This transdisciplinary study, combining anthropology and tourism research, reveals how the constructed heritage product—through guided tours and visitor narratives—dismantles racial hierarchies by immersing individuals in a collective past. The research employs narrative analysis of focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews, alongside thematic analysis of visitor entries over six months, to demonstrate that the site's design and tour structure create a dislocated experience where visitors from different life histories confront shared narratives of denial and oppression.

Naidu, M. (2013). Anthropology of Experience: Touring the Past at Robben Island. Journal of Human Ecology, 43(1), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/09709274.2013.11906611