Biopolitics of the Women’s Gulag and “Dark Tourism” in Kazakhstan: The “Camp” as Biopolitical Paradigm of Modernity
Biopolitics of the Women’s Gulag and “Dark Tourism” in Kazakhstan: The “Camp” as Biopolitical Paradigm of Modernity

Summary/Abstract: This paper explores the concept of dark tourism through the lens of a visit to the ALZHIR Museum and Memorial Complex in Kazakhstan, which was once a notorious Soviet women’s camp. The authors, who toured with guides in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, discuss their experiences in the two major cities of Astana and Almaty, and their day trips to the steppe and wetlands, as well as the stunning Charyn Canyon National Park. The paper highlights the history of Kazakhstan, from its nomadic beginnings to its independence from Soviet Russia in 1990, and the Russian occupation and the imposition of Russian schooling on the Kazakhs. The authors also touch upon the extensive process of collectivization imposed by the Soviet regime, which resulted in the death of an estimated 1.5 million Kazakhs from starvation. The main focus of the paper, however, is the ALZHIR Museum and Memorial Complex, which serves as a chilling reminder of the horror of the Gulag system. The authors discuss the ethical implications of dark tourism and argue that tourists have a responsibility to educate themselves about the culture and history of the places they visit, to promote historical understanding and cultivate a memorial experience that draws attention to what is commemorated by whom and for what reasons.

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