Experiencing Repression in a Gulag Camp: A Challenging Integration of Historical Archaeology, Pedagogy, and Virtual Reality

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The Gulag camps represent unique archaeological sites; due to their remoteness, dozens of them are preserved in Siberia in exceptional quality – with still-standing buildings, interior furnishings, and numerous artifacts often found as de facto refuse. Together with a rich collection of prisoners' memories, it provides detailed documentation of everyday life in the camp. Archaeological and historical research outcomes have been employed to develop an effective educational tool in virtual reality. This tool thus allows a journey through time – a deep immersion into selected life situations in a camp. They consist of interactions with fellow inmates and guards, or even a working activity, all in reconstructed, authentic backdrops. In this way, users gain personal experience and a strong impression of the camp life, which will help them better understand the fundamental aspects of the repressive apparatus and the nature of totalitarian regimes.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow