Visiting abandoned spaces from a perspective of emotional research

Abstract

This article interprets the practice of visiting abandoned sites and spaces abandoned by humans from the perspective of emotion research. The author first outlines the theoretical background on the topic, which centers around concepts such as "dark tourism," "deep tourism," "ecological tourism," and "stalkerism." Addressing the emotions of "abandonment," the author explains the connection between an interest in ruins and nostalgia, which always has not only a temporal but also a spatial dimension. Nostalgia near crumbling sites can be reflexive and integrated into a broader discourse on trauma, failed reforms, and crises. The desire to experience thrills in areas of decay and decline is another emotionally rooted motif of "disaster tourism." Landscapes of abandonment are imbued with the allure of anti-progress; they can shock, yet this is precisely what attracts modern city dwellers. According to the author of the article, the discussion of ruined territories, including from an emotional perspective, represents one of the current directions in urban studies, supporting the shift toward studying the city as a symbiosis of diverse subjects and places.