Kierkegaard and the concept of death in the context of dark tourism.

Abstract

This article examines how Kierkegaard’s understanding of death offers a philosophical framework for interpreting the contemporary phenomenon known as dark tourism. The central argument proposes that death, for Kierkegaard, is not a rationally comprehensible object but a paradoxical reality that calls the individual to seriousness, inwardness, and authentic existence. Methodologically, the study combines textual analysis of Kierkegaard’s writings—including journals, upbuilding discourses, and Fear and Trembling—with critical engagement with modern dark tourism theory, identifying parallels between the subjective search for meaning in the face of death and the motivations of visitors to sites associated with tragedy, suffering, or disaster. The article demonstrates that while Kierkegaard views death as a universal “teacher” that demands reflection and ethical grounding, contemporary dark tourism often transforms it into entertainment or spectacle, especially when detached from the seriousness he prescribes. The objective is to show how a Kierkegaardian perspective challenges superficial motivations of thanatourists and illuminates dark tourism as a secular ritual that fluctuates between trivialization and the possibility of catharsis or existential insight.