The aim of this thesis is to contribute theoretical development in the field of dark tourism, an academic field that has been introduced to tourism studies in recognition of the increasing human interest in exploring the dark side of our past (Lennon, 2010). To achieve this, an understanding of human motivation is used as the focus of this research. Moreover, this is placed in a non-Western, specifically Chinese, social context, which offers an exciting opportunity to explore both motivational differences and their underlying influences. This research adopts a relativist epistemology that emphasises the diversity of the environment in shaping the ways people know and experience the world. As a result, this research adopts an interdisciplinary approach that demands a unified philosophical basis, which leads to the development of an integrated conceptual framework. Using this conceptual framework, the research carefully mixes both quantitative and qualitative research through " deploying a case study approach focusing on the memorial to the victims of Nanjing Massacre. During the course of a four-month period of fieldwork 795 visitor questionnaires were completed and 50 semi-structured interviews were carried out. The research shows that visiting sites such as the Nanjing Massacre memorial is not driven by voyeurism, as has frequently been speculated, but rather is motivated by a strong desire to rationalise history and to achieve a suitable relationship between the self and the world, especially in the Chinese social context which has been undergoing swift modernisation. Furthermore, this research highlights one of the fundamental differences that characterise the Chinese society - her emphasis on interdependence and relationships whereas the ideas of independence and individuality are valued in the West.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:554310 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Wei, Du |
| Publisher | Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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