Dark Heritage Sites and Host Communities’ Wellbeing

In this PhD project, researcher Jiaqi Liang investigates the interactions between dark heritage sites, such as the Memorial Hall of the Victims of Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders (Nanjing Massacre Victims Memorial/NMVM) and the Memorial Hall of Datong Coal Mine Mass Graves (Datong Mass Graves Memorial Hall/DMGMH), and the well-being of local communities associated with such sites. Despite the growing interest in dark tourism, research focusing on its effects on the “host” communities is insufficient. This study aims to explore how dark heritage sites' presence and development affect local communities' well-being.

This project employs a mixed-method approach, including interviews and questionnaire surveys, initially focusing on the aforementioned dark heritage sites in China. The findings from this phase may pave the way for a comparative study involving European sites in subsequent stages. By emphasising community-led heritage research and addressing core issues regarding the community’s well-being, the project is expected to provide an academic framework for comprehending the development of, and community engagement with dark heritage sites. Additionally, this research is anticipated to provide insights that can be extrapolated to other places having undergone comparable periods of strife.