Background: The development of Dark Tourism has evolved much over recent years. The term Dark Tourism is too general for a subject matter that is multilayered and complex. Aim of the Thesis and Research Question: Is to present the consistencies, vagueness, and disagreements of the different categorizations in Dark Tourism. It is my intent to provide a new understanding of the Theory and Empirical Material of Dark Tourism. What lies beyond Dark Tourism and its categorizations? Which values this phenomenon can offer to the Dark Tourists and residents of Dark Sites?  Method: In this chapter I am going to present a qualitative method with thematic analysis, hermeneutics, and criticism. Previous Research: This section should be seen as literature review, as well as a presentation and thematization of my empirical material.  Analysis: General analysis of the categorizations, highlighting the vagueness, strengths, and disagreements.  Discussion: Through utilization of a critical analysis of Dark Tourism sites in terms of their selection and interpretation I can contribute to the debate, discussion and move towards a new procedure of seeing Dark Tourism. Conclusion: Dark Tourism is not only a touristic activity. The description "dark" does not, however, adequately convey the multifaceted nature of this phenomenon.

This thesis examines the debate regarding the establishment of a memorial to the victims of a national trauma; the terrorist attacks in Norway July 22, 2011. This thesis reflects on how different interest groups are treated regarding the memorial’s design according to the groups’ own opinions and arguments.The method chosen is a qualitative text analysis where a selection of material is used to formulate answers and opinions from the interest groups regarding the memorials purpose. Constructed argumentation are identified based on the perspectives regarding the issues.  The national memorial at Utøyakaia stands to remember the deceased and wounded, but also to give reflection upon terrorism and consequences of political extremism. This purpose is debated regarding on how this retelling of history should be presented at its authentic location.The interest groups are identified through the work since everyone’s involvement is not clear to all. Different forms of power and knowledge play a key role in these negotiations, where arguments and opinions are mixed through a private and professional character.  Appearance and location are the two biggest issues. Since these are most lacking in the agreements between the interest groups. The memorial should be beautiful and have associations to the island. This definition opens up to multiple ideas regarding its design which leaves no suggestion to feel justified.Utøya today is a name that brings association to the date and the place of the massacre. Utøya is an identity that has forever changed the island, AUF and the locals living in the area. It is both an authentic historical location and a memorial grove, a tourist attraction and a place where everyday life goes on through the trauma.  This is a two years’ master’s thesis in Museum and Cultural Heritage Studies.

Uppsatsen syftar till att belysa moderna lämningar som kulturarv, i synnerhet andra världskrigets (1939-1945) bunkrar i Sverige och Norge. Bunkrar/värn syftar till anläggningar kopplade till militär aktivitet och krigsföring. En jämförande kulturarvsanalys har gjorts mellan bunkrar i Narvik samt längs Skånelinjen för att kunna diskutera ländernas tillvägagångssätt gällande kulturarvsprocesser. Vidare eftersträvades en förståelse i huruvida bunkrarna ingår i ett mörkt kulturarv och platserna i en mörk turism. Uppsatsen avser också att få en förståelse i hur allmänheten ser på värnen och dess historia och om de ingår i ett nationellt kulturarv, därför genomfördes en enkätundersökning. Fältbesök till ett flertal värn i Skånelinjen och Narvik har gjorts för att få en uppfattning om bunkrarna. Eftersom Sverige inte medverkade i kriget medan Norge var delaktiga var det av intresse att urskilja likheter och skillnader. Vidare var Narvik en intressant plats att analysera med tanke på dess stora medverkan och påverkan i kriget. Skånelinjen valdes på grund av att det var Sveriges enda försvar mot främmande makter under andra världskriget.  Studien kom att resultera i att moderna arkeologiska lämningar inte är lika skyddade som äldre lämningar i Sverige och Norge. Värnen i båda länderna är inte skyddade av någon lag men kan gå under särskilda bestämmelser. Vidare var de svenska värnen bättre bevarade, förmodligen på grund av att Sverige inte fick utstå förtryck och ockupering. Skyltar, böcker och digitala plattformar finns att tillgå om de svenska värnen. Inget liknande finns om Narviks värn. Enkätsvaren utföll i att ländernas befolkning anser att de är bevaringsvärdiga och del av ett inofficiellt kulturarv. Dessutom skulle värnen kunna ingå i ett mörkt kulturarv och mörk turism. / This study has aimed to bring light to modern cultural remains as cultural heritage, especially from World War II (1939-1945) in Sweden and Norway. Bunkers are buildings aimed to protect and attack during warfare and house soldiers and military supplies. A comparing cultural heritage analysis has been applied to the bunkers, both from Narvik and Skånelinjen to be able to discuss the countries' cultural heritage process. Furhermore, an understanding regarding if the bunkers are a part of a dark heritage and dark tourism was of interest. The thesis also aims to get the publics point of view on the bunkers and their history and if they reason the bunkers are part of the national heritage. On that note a questionnaire was sent out. A couple of field trips were made to bunkers both at Skånelinjen and in Narvik to get a bigger perspective and understanding of them. Also, because Sweden did not participate in the war and Norway did it was also of relevance to analyze if that caused any differences or similarities. Additionally, as Narvik had such a significant role in the war and participated in many battles it was of interest to discuss it in contrast to Sweden. Sweden´s only defense against any country participating in the war was Skånelinjen which made it an easy choice.  The study concluded that modern archaeological remains are not as well protected as older remains in Sweden and Norway. The bunkers in both bunkers in both countries are not protected by any law but could be protected to some extent by special provisions. The Swedish bunkers were better preserved than the Norwegian ones, probably because Sweden did not have to suffer through occupation and oppression. Signs, books and digital platforms are available for the Swedish bunkers but not for the Norwegians. Very little is established regarding the bunkers in Narvik. The answers from the questionnaires resulted in that the participants consider the bunkers worthy of preservation and that they are part of an unofficial cultural heritage. Furthermore, the bunkers are considering to be part of a dark heritage and dark tourism, but only to some extent.

Over the past century the phenomenon of thanatourism, or dark tourism, has become increasingly popular, with tourists now able to encounter death at a wide range of sites across the world. While much scholarship has focused on tourism at sites of disaster and atrocity, less research has taken place into thanatourism in a museum context. This thesis investigates how Gotlands Museum is offering its visitors a dark tourism experience by adopting thanatourism theming in its exhibitions and programmes. It explores the ways the museum presents Gotland’s dark history, asks how and why the museum has adopted thanatourism as a thematisation strategy, and considers whether this strategy is helping the institution achieve future sustainability. This study is based on in-depth interviews with current staff members at the museum, who have been involved with creating exhibitions and presenting programmes related to Gotland’s dark history. Detailed observation of the exhibitions Medieval Gotland and 1361 – The Battle for Gotland, as well as the guided city tour The Bloody Summer, also provide additional data. The study finds that Gotlands Museum has harnessed the ‘purposeful Otherness’ of death through implementing thanatourism theming in both its permanent exhibitions and public programming in order to reach new and wider audiences. It also finds that this is an example of the museum embracing new museology and adopting the customer-centric focus of the tourism industry by presenting thrilling exhibitions and programmes to attract more visitors. The study suggests that by implementing popular thanatourism-themed exhibitions and programmes, Gotlands Museum has been able to be economically, socially and culturally sustainable by attracting visitors, educating diverse groups, telling diverse stories and preserving Gotland’s history for future generations.

The following thesis will examine the links between popular culture and tourism, and their impact on collective memory. The discussed material will include films produced in modern Germany and Poland, and other cultural phenomena related to the war and post-war reality. The analysis will also address the issue of Dark Tourism, strongly associated with modern tourism. Furthermore this work will explore the strategies implied by travel agencies and museums to meet the needs of modern tourists and their potential in promoting new touristic attractions.