Page 180 - Dark Shades of Istria
P. 180
Istrian Memories in the Dark Tourism Context: The Qualitative Analysis
the anti-fascist as well as in the regionalist context. Communism was not
even mentioned, which means that that red star, the image of Tito, the
Titovka/Triglavka, partisan songs and some flags can be understood as
symbols, particularly in an anti-fascist context; religion was completely
excluded from the event scenario. Nevertheless, the event had a strong
commemorative connotation, with a great degree of respect and grateful-
ness expressed to the victims; the educational aspect was not neglected
at this event. Moreover, the programme also supported the traditional
Istrian trans-border collaboration and convivenza, tolerance and friend-
ships between different nations and cultures. Consequently, the (dark)
tourism connotation of the event was also clearly visible.
8.6 Discussion on History-Centric Dark Commemorative
Events in Istria
Based on the observed cases of dark commemorative events in Istria, an
illustrative comparison is made in this final sub-chapter. A temporal anal-
ogy, or path-dependent sequences, where the past is linked and/or ex-
trapolated from the present, are simultaneously incorporated as an ad-
ditional characteristic of approach for the historical sociology. If we rely
on Aminzade’s (1992) concepts of time that have been used in recent his-
torical social sciences, then duration, the amount of time elapsed over
the given event or sequence of events, pace, trajectory and cycles, are not
overlooked in this research. Following these directions, we avoided the
danger of the ahistoricity of the whole chapter or study. In addition, com-
ponents of the death system (see Table 2.1) are also reasonably used.
In connection to the three research questions posed in sub-chapter
6.5 ‘Discussion and Chapter Conclusion,’ the answers/findings are sys-
tematically outlined here in a comparable and contextualised manner. In
relation to the first question (rq 1), we established that the dominating
group of visitors at all locations were the middle- and late middle-aged
to elderly attendees. If deliberately ignoring the dark commemorative
event in Kućibreg, where the children of some North-Istrian elementary
schools actually participated in the cultural programme, all other organ-
isers almost completely ignored this target group and youth in general;
this was particularly evident at all observed events in Pula, Lanišće and
Buje. Consequently, the intergenerational transfers of memory practices
as identified by Misztal (2003, p. 17) or Wolff (2006, p. 115) are endan-
gered. Some kind of memorial discontinuity has been identified in post-
socialist Croatia by Pavlaković and Perak (2017), Lebhaft (2013; 2016)
180
the anti-fascist as well as in the regionalist context. Communism was not
even mentioned, which means that that red star, the image of Tito, the
Titovka/Triglavka, partisan songs and some flags can be understood as
symbols, particularly in an anti-fascist context; religion was completely
excluded from the event scenario. Nevertheless, the event had a strong
commemorative connotation, with a great degree of respect and grateful-
ness expressed to the victims; the educational aspect was not neglected
at this event. Moreover, the programme also supported the traditional
Istrian trans-border collaboration and convivenza, tolerance and friend-
ships between different nations and cultures. Consequently, the (dark)
tourism connotation of the event was also clearly visible.
8.6 Discussion on History-Centric Dark Commemorative
Events in Istria
Based on the observed cases of dark commemorative events in Istria, an
illustrative comparison is made in this final sub-chapter. A temporal anal-
ogy, or path-dependent sequences, where the past is linked and/or ex-
trapolated from the present, are simultaneously incorporated as an ad-
ditional characteristic of approach for the historical sociology. If we rely
on Aminzade’s (1992) concepts of time that have been used in recent his-
torical social sciences, then duration, the amount of time elapsed over
the given event or sequence of events, pace, trajectory and cycles, are not
overlooked in this research. Following these directions, we avoided the
danger of the ahistoricity of the whole chapter or study. In addition, com-
ponents of the death system (see Table 2.1) are also reasonably used.
In connection to the three research questions posed in sub-chapter
6.5 ‘Discussion and Chapter Conclusion,’ the answers/findings are sys-
tematically outlined here in a comparable and contextualised manner. In
relation to the first question (rq 1), we established that the dominating
group of visitors at all locations were the middle- and late middle-aged
to elderly attendees. If deliberately ignoring the dark commemorative
event in Kućibreg, where the children of some North-Istrian elementary
schools actually participated in the cultural programme, all other organ-
isers almost completely ignored this target group and youth in general;
this was particularly evident at all observed events in Pula, Lanišće and
Buje. Consequently, the intergenerational transfers of memory practices
as identified by Misztal (2003, p. 17) or Wolff (2006, p. 115) are endan-
gered. Some kind of memorial discontinuity has been identified in post-
socialist Croatia by Pavlaković and Perak (2017), Lebhaft (2013; 2016)
180
