Page 227 - Dark Shades of Istria
P. 227
Concluding Remarks
fects have already been exposed, which means that in order to develop
a generally useful typology, a systematic interdisciplinary re-definition
is needed. Additional research possibilities arise also from the various
perspectives listed at the end of the previous paragraph. An interdisci-
plinary and mixed method approach unquestionably offers more com-
plex/complete results, thus also more credible and useful ones compared
to the single-dimensional perspective. Researching within the rising his-
torical sociology, the development of which has been similar to dark
tourism and memory studies in recent decades, is absolutely reasonable.
In the end, it can be concluded that the process of facing the past is a
complex, gradualist and intergenerational one. Facing the traumatic past
means swallowing our own bitter pill, confronting our own sin and the sin
of others. A responsible confrontation of desirable and unwanted heritage
or the bright and the dark past in a way that does not increase the pain
to the ‘others,’ should be an important guideline. Tourism, with public
events and media, can help, although on the other hand, this can lead to
the ‘touristification’ of memory. At dark commemorative events as well as
in the media, it is necessary to highlight peace and collaboration and look
towards the common future. In addition, a respectful dialogue is a way to
overcome old grudges, even those of previous generations. Politicisation
and excessive mythologisation certainly do not help. ‘We need to affirm
the importance of not awarding memory too much authority, too much
authenticity, too much power’ (Sturken, 2008, p. 77). This applies to the
Upper Adriatic and perhaps even more to the Balkan Peninsula, where
memorial practices are often consistent with the title Battle of Memories,
a Chinese science fiction crime thriller film from 2017 (directed by Leste
Chen). Such ‘collective or social hyperthymesia’ as a constant, irrepress-
ible stream of memories linked to social deviations, such as militarisation,
mythologisation, politicisation, manipulation, and nationalism, ‘pollutes’
the societies of the Balkan Peninsula.
227
fects have already been exposed, which means that in order to develop
a generally useful typology, a systematic interdisciplinary re-definition
is needed. Additional research possibilities arise also from the various
perspectives listed at the end of the previous paragraph. An interdisci-
plinary and mixed method approach unquestionably offers more com-
plex/complete results, thus also more credible and useful ones compared
to the single-dimensional perspective. Researching within the rising his-
torical sociology, the development of which has been similar to dark
tourism and memory studies in recent decades, is absolutely reasonable.
In the end, it can be concluded that the process of facing the past is a
complex, gradualist and intergenerational one. Facing the traumatic past
means swallowing our own bitter pill, confronting our own sin and the sin
of others. A responsible confrontation of desirable and unwanted heritage
or the bright and the dark past in a way that does not increase the pain
to the ‘others,’ should be an important guideline. Tourism, with public
events and media, can help, although on the other hand, this can lead to
the ‘touristification’ of memory. At dark commemorative events as well as
in the media, it is necessary to highlight peace and collaboration and look
towards the common future. In addition, a respectful dialogue is a way to
overcome old grudges, even those of previous generations. Politicisation
and excessive mythologisation certainly do not help. ‘We need to affirm
the importance of not awarding memory too much authority, too much
authenticity, too much power’ (Sturken, 2008, p. 77). This applies to the
Upper Adriatic and perhaps even more to the Balkan Peninsula, where
memorial practices are often consistent with the title Battle of Memories,
a Chinese science fiction crime thriller film from 2017 (directed by Leste
Chen). Such ‘collective or social hyperthymesia’ as a constant, irrepress-
ible stream of memories linked to social deviations, such as militarisation,
mythologisation, politicisation, manipulation, and nationalism, ‘pollutes’
the societies of the Balkan Peninsula.
227
