Abstract
The title of this book may raise red flags for those with reservations about the moral and ethical dimensions of dark tourism, that is, touristic visits to sites of tragic historical events often involving violence and death. Dark tourism as a controversial topic, however, receives appropriate consideration in the course of this book. Morrison provides both a practical and theoretical framework for larger study-abroad issues and program planning as well as specific, theme-focused coursework, class discussions, and activities. Leading an effective study-abroad program can be complicated, and those undertaking this exciting and challenging role will find this book both thoughtful and helpful.
The book is organized so that nuts-and-bolts program planning takes up the first two chapters. Subsequent chapters consider current key ideas and buzzwords as frameworks for teaching and understanding Jack the Ripper as an historical event. For example, Morrison reflects on Victorian periodical press coverage of the murders that includes elements of what we now might call fake news. Other topics include how historical reenactment (and specific activities that might qualify as such) might add experiential dimension to Victorian studies; how to teach effectively at “dark sites” themselves; and how modern terrorism’s threats might disrupt not only the physical safety of students abroad but also their intellectual complacency about times of terror in historical terms. The final chapter considers how a program like this might work in differing institutional contexts because some colleges provide more on-site personnel and support than others.
On the practical side, Morrison offers good advice about effective program planning in the areas of recruiting students, finding student financial support, and helping both undergraduate and graduate students be successful in mostly short-term study-abroad programs (3–6 weeks in duration typically). This advice, based on his own extensive experience, ranges from the intricacies of appropriate course numbering for maximum student transcript flexibility to setting up reading assignments that maintain academic rigor while allowing students time to explore new cultures while abroad.
On the theoretical side, Morrison considers the problems and controversies raised by sensational topics such as Jack the Ripper as a focus of study. Acknowledging that there are ghoulish and unsavory dimensions to such a focus, Morrison situates this topic within its historical framework and makes the case that what might begin as an appeal to sensationalism focused on the serial killer might be reshaped by shifting that focus to his victims. Investigating the social conditions of Victorian London’s east end and the historical issues of race and gender create a context that humanizes the Ripper’s female victims. Archival work in London’s record offices as well as such rich resources as the British Library and other special collections libraries provide plenty of opportunities for research activities abroad. In addition, however, Morrison does the legwork to find the obscure gravesites of the Ripper’s targets, and his reports about taking his students to these memorial sites provide a counterpoint to the popular and sensationalized Ripper walking tours offered by several London tour companies. While there is a certain amount of voyeurism involved in everything connected with Jack the Ripper, learning to see and openly acknowledge both the legendary and the personal dimensions of tragedy problematizes the human impulse for mere thrill-seeking and can have an impact on the way students understand such events.
The strengths of this book are many and make it a worthwhile read, especially for faculty who may be leading a study-abroad program for the first time, though veterans will find many topics of interest as well. The book provides anecdotal evidence from Morrison’s many experiences as well as student feedback and evaluations of coursework and program experiences. Morrison also demonstrates his abilities as a Victorian scholar, providing context and resources for the study of London in the 1880s. The book is not about study-abroad only; it suggests areas for scholarly investigation for those who are working from their home campuses too. Students who are working on literary or historical projects in this era will find the contexts and insights Morrison provides useful. Study abroad is clearly an exciting way to investigate Jack the Ripper and his victims in person, but the topic on its own provides a compelling glimpse of human defects and the limits of our civil society. This readable book argues that, as study-abroad programs play an increasingly important role in academia, innovative coursework that confronts complex topics like this can help shape global citizens who see past the lurid scandal and into the human struggle.
