| Abstract [eng] |
Former incarceration institutions are increasingly being transformed into spaces of cultural consumption, tourism, and entertainment, where the history of imprisonment becomes part of the visitor experience. The reviewed scholarly literature revealed that these processes are analysed through the concepts of dark tourism, penal spectatorship, and selective memory representation; however, most studies are concentrated on the Anglo-Saxon and postcolonial context, while the transformations of former incarceration sites in the post-Soviet space remain largely unexplored. The theoretical analysis demonstrated that the transformation of former prisons is inevitably linked to selective narrative construction, practices of penal spectatorship, and political as well as economic interests, which together produce a specific cultural imaginary of punishment. A qualitative case study analysis of Lukiškės Prison was conducted, aiming to examine what cultural meanings about punishment and incarceration are constructed through excursion practices, mass media discourse, and visitor experiences. The study drew on three data sources: participant observation in four excursions (daytime, nighttime, historical, and English-language), content analysis of 962 mass media articles (LRT, Delfi, 15min, TV3, Lrytas), and analysis of 835 TripAdvisor visitor reviews. Qualitative content analysis was applied to all sources, with initial categories formed based on four theoretical dimensions, while allowing new categories to emerge from the data. The findings revealed that although the space has been officially reclassified as a cultural centre, the prison identity remains the primary element of the site's perception, actively constructed through performative practices and media discourse. The excursion analysis demonstrated that guides reproduce prison practices, they imitate wardens' behaviour, employ commanding intonations, and draw on sensational narratives about "famous inmates," while silencing the everyday experiences of prisoners. The mass media analysis showed a dual portrayal of Lukiškės Prison: as a reborn cultural space and as a grim site with an oppressive history, in which inmates are represented through sensational headlines. The "TripAdvisor" review analysis revealed that visitors associate their experience with the prison atmosphere and the feeling of "authentic spirit," while perceiving the contrast between the former incarceration institution and the entertainment space more as a source of wonder than as prompting critical reflection. A comparison of all three sources demonstrated that different representations share commonalities in producing a space of penal spectatorship, in which incarceration is reconstructed as a consumable, entertaining, and emotionally controlled experience, distanced from the real experiences of prisoners. |
