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- Convenor:
-
Hazel Andrews
(LJMU)
- Formats:
- Panels
- Location:
- BP Lecture Theatre
- Start time:
- 10 June, 2012 at
Time zone: Europe/London
- Session slots:
- 3
Short Abstract:
This panel assesses the contribution of anthropology to understandings of tourism. The panel considers key areas of social life including culture, identity, development and social relations within the context of 'host-guest' relationships and the interface between industry and touristic practices. This is a second session of P19 "Anthropology and tourism".
Long Abstract:
Anthropology has been at the forefront of enquiry into tourism since the subject first entered the academic arena. Classic texts such as Smith's Hosts and Guests helped to shape the research agenda. What the papers in that particular book did was to extend the reach of existing anthropological enquiry by considering, within the context of leisured/pleasure travel, the complexities of human culture. As tourism developed and develops so did and does the scope of anthropological work in this area. Tourism is a lens on the social world and as such the focus of enquiry is necessarily broad incorporating: issues of cultural practices, representations in both material and non-material forms, power relations, constructions of identity, economic development and so forth. At the same time tourism is also a collection of industries. As such this panel invites papers from any area of the anthropology of tourism that addresses issues of touristic practice, tourism development, 'host-guest' relationships and encounters, representations of peoples and places, local voices, tourism industry practices and relations . The panel also welcomes papers that focus on the practice of ethnographic research in tourism studies.
Accepted papers:
Session 1Paper short abstract:
A systematic literature review of journal articles is performed to explore recent thematic trends in the anthropology of tourism. Thereby, it is shown that host-oriented topics, which had prevailed at the beginning of the decade, could maintain their dominance over more guest-oriented themes.
Paper long abstract:
Since its beginnings in the 1970ies, the anthropology of tourism has seen a substantial accumulation of publications. Therefore, recently, the desire to review the so far published material has become increasingly pronounced. However, extant literature reviews have been rather unsystematic. This study complements the ongoing review-efforts by systematically analyzing anthropological journal articles on tourism. In detail, a sample of papers was retrieved by querying the Web of Science online database for the 80 most cited anthropological journal articles that were published between 2002 and 2011 and that include touris* in title, abstract or keywords.
The purpose of this systematic literature review was to investigate how the contributions of anthropology to the understanding of tourism are distributed among the various research foci and to see what changes this distribution was subject to. Thereby, thematic trends of the past were identified and taken as a basis for reflecting about future challenges in the anthropology of tourism.
A key insight from the systematic review is that host-oriented topics (impact of tourism, representation, culture and identity), which had already prevailed at the beginning of the decade, could maintain their dominance over guest-oriented themes (tourist motivation, tourist experience and authenticity). In particular, an increase in anthropological journal publications on the subject "representation, culture and identity" is brought to the fore.
Paper short abstract:
Tata Somba is the most famous Beninese architectural heritage. Growing poverty was the reason for increasing abandonment of it. To find appropriate answer to it continuing loss, we conducted survey which findings underscored the need to include Tata Somba as main element of an ecotourism scheme
Paper long abstract:
To find appropriate answer to it continuing loss of the Tata somba dwellings, we conducted survey which findings underscored the need to include Tata Somba as main element of an ecotourism scheme. In the diagnostic and planning phase, ECO-BENIN team paid considerable attention to awareness raising and opinion building. First of all, we learned how social organisation worked and people who are leader for innovation facilitation. Then, discussions about which activities will be done to reduce poverty and help Tata dwellings conservation. Population had to be made aware of the technical feasibility of ecotourism but also of the risks local realities were presenting: unique attraction in process of disappearance, poor living standards, low education level, no running water and electricity. Given those facts, the only realistic option seemed to be the development of small-scale and low-budget type of tourism based on catering and housing in families (home stay), short hiking trails within the village and in the surrounding nature and day-long handicraft workshops. The presentation of this model as the most suitable and also desirable model went along with numerous village meetings, explaining again and again the idea of community-based ecotourism and expected outcomes from it. The support team invested a lot of time and work in managing ecotourism product with their cultural structures and in convincing the population that tourism is a high-risk business, that it can highly volatile with its development often depending on external factors nobody can influence.
Paper short abstract:
This paper addresses the problem of differing cultural interpretations of heritage and heritage objects between tourists and local people. The commodification of heritage can result in conflict and misunderstanding between hosts and guests of what constitutes heritage.
Paper long abstract:
In this paper we analyse the growth in heritage tourism from the point of view of the people who live in places which are marketed and sold as heritage sites. The question asked is whether the heritage portrayed for tourists is one with which local people can identify or whether two interlinked forms of heritage are emerging - tourism heritage and local heritage. If the latter is the case, and local people do not identify completely with the heritage presented to tourists how do they negotiate and create their own heritage and what consequences does this have for tourist heritage? The results of our research show that what is of importance to one cultural group may not be of importance to another, which has consequences for the presentation of heritage to tourists and the preservation of heritage for local people. Effective management of heritage at a local level therefore requires the acknowledgment of cross-cultural differences in interpretations of heritage.
The research was conducted in two case study areas: Levuka, the first colonial capital of Fiji, and the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Both places have experienced economic decline and tourism has been seen as a means by which this decline can be halted. They also have many built relics of the past, which are marketed to attract tourists. Again, in both cases, many local people are ambivalent, if not hostile, to heritage preservation for tourism as they do not acknowledge what is being preserved as being their heritage.
Paper short abstract:
The study is based on a representative online survey that reveals individual travel motives (conative) and country images (cognitive) as well as different attitudes towards cultural differences (affective) of 255 round-the-world travellers which presents a new research design on tourism research.
Paper long abstract:
The study under consideration is based on a representative online survey that reveals individual travel motives (conative) and country images (cognitive) as well as different attitudes towards cultural differences (affective) of 255 selected round-the-world travellers (tour operator STA Travel) which presents a new research design on tourism research.
Most of these young world travellers are well educated, they spend little money while travelling and they become only loosely acquainted with people. To go on a world tour is often regarded as a beneficial break rather than an escape from daily routine. Interestingly, the most common underlying motive displayed by world travellers is the quest for the foreign itself and the unknown surrounding oneself. Moreover, most world travellers are profoundly influenced by a prevailing attitude towards ethnorelativism. Given an appropriate amount of personal flexibility and foresight, the subjective impression of foreign cultures and the constructive dealing with the foreign can ultimately benefit the home society.
Though, prevailing preferences for certain types of countries rarely change during a trip around the world. However, a traveller's longer stay in a foreign country definitely improves his image of this particular country and its local people.
In conclusion, both tourism research in general and travel business in particular will profit from the present findings, which shall enable future travellers - and locals - to make their world travelling safer, carefree, and a long-term success.
Paper short abstract:
In this paper I intend to present some central questions to the anthropology and tourism in the contemporary world. Thus, based on the Empire Square, located in Lisbon, will explore a number of concepts at the crossroads of local identity (the square represents the national identity) displayed to a global audience (the tourist of the XXI century).
Paper long abstract:
The Lisbon Empire Square has been a symbolic center of the Portuguese capital and the country since the sixteenth century. The caravels and ships that gave new worlds to the world left from there, giving rise to the golden age of Portuguese history.
However, its importance as a central place in the nation begins to draw to the eighteenth century.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Museum of Ethnology José Leite de Vasconcelos was installed in the square. This museum was associated with another set of monuments central to the narratives of the modern nation, as the Torre de Belém and the Monastery of Jeronimos. All of them constitute the memory of the nation, turning the square into a place of memory.
In 1940, while Europe was living World War II, the square was the central element of the centenary celebrations of the Portuguese independence. Under the fascist regime of Salazar, it were constructed some pavilions to exhibit the Portuguese Empire such as built the Museum of Popular Art, as part of commemorative centennial of Portuguese independence in 1140 and the restoration of independence in 1640.
In 1985, when the square was already a major tourist destination in the capital, was signed there, the treaty of the Portuguese access to the European Economic Community.
Today, the square is a document of the Portuguese history such as the discourses associated with the Portuguese national community, displayed to a global audience, composed by millions of tourists who visit it.
Paper short abstract:
Survival of Tibetan spiritual heritage which has paramount importance in Tibetan culture and identity is at stake in exile due to socio-cultural and political reasons that can be revived through the application of `Pro- migrant tourism approach` in contemporary era.
Paper long abstract:
Tibetan art includes gtor ma, maṇḍala, thangka painting and khatag reflect their spiritual creative identity.
A study was conducted in Dharamsala, India. It was revealed that the donation and sponsorship by the tourists has changed Tibetan economy. However, exposure of other culture, mass media and restricted job opportunities influence them to immigrate abroad.
Age- old Tibetan New Year ceremony lo gsar helps to reinforce Tibetan identity. In India this tradition has become a low key affair. That causes a serious threat to religious tradition of mantra recitation and instrumental play including music, dance and opera.
Effects of migration and lack of interest for lengthy apprenticeship in Tibetan arts, crafts (which have low market value) pose significant challenge on inheritance of traditional knowledge and skills which are struggling for existence.
Most pressing issue is that Tibetan `spiritual art of well-being` has become commercialised into `cosmopolitan art of living` and has flourished as `fast life identity marker`.
It is argued that the application of `Pro- migrant tourism approach` which encompasses utilisation of donations from the tourists for the improvement of indigenous technology, training and financial support to monastic teachings, can help digitize monastic lineage based arts/ crafts techniques and broadcast recorded performances including gesar epic in order to safeguard Tibetan cultural world view. In addition, service to tourists as guides, selling of traditional cuisine, encouraging utilisation of Tibetan art/craft products, including Tibetan medicine, may generate job opportunities. That in turn, can revitalise intangible cultural heritage and ameliorate identity crisis.
Paper short abstract:
In this work, an absence of public memory becomes accountable through visual anthropology. Leaning on the power of the visual as a way to generate knowledge and study cultural meaning, urban places, spaces, and environments present opportunities to study the ways we are presented with memorable forms of people and events. By thinking of absence as not what has been erased, silenced, or removed, but through its active role, a space with its own powerful presence, absence may be "seen" to have its own voice.
Paper long abstract:
This paper looks at public memory and how it is presented in the present; further, I ask how it is present for some and not for others. What happens when historical experiences have been documented and studied, but not brought into the public sphere of memory?
Anthropology provides a way to account for the past in the present through remains and representations. My case study examines how public memory circulates in the present through an ethnographic account of the city of Thessaloniki, in the Balkan area of Macedonia, in Greece. I explore the ways cities present their past to the public through visual representations and context, working to create a public identity. Its citizens are asked to accept this presentation. I consider public memory as a form of public discourse and look at the elements of public discourse that contribute to public memory. Material artifacts act as keepers of memory, representatives of the past, and persuasive visual symbols. Intentionally left out histories remain absent from public memory, but what remains unrepresented proves equally important in creating and reinforcing memory.