Objectives and competences
Objectives of the course:
• To address tourism as a multifaceted cultural and social phenomenon.
• To explore tourism and related practices within wider socio-cultural context in which they occur.
• To present a 'critical turn' in tourism studies and newer trends in tourism research (mobility turn, performativity theory, ritual etc.) and thereby to familiarize students with theoretical concepts and applied knowledge necessary for the quality research of contemporary cultural phenomena.
Content (Syllabus outline)
• Socio-historical contextualization and transformations of tourist practices: from mass tourism to niche tourism, processes of globalization, individualization, mediation, digitization.
• The circuits of tourism (overcoming the dichotomy between economy/production and culture/consumption).
• Representations and cultural construction of tourist attractions/destinations.
• The centrality of visual and construction of a touristic gaze.
• Place and identity.
• Material culture, objects and tourism.
• Phenomenology of tourist experience.
• Post-tourism.
• New mobility paradigm.
• Tourism and the theory of performativity.
• Ritual, performance, authenticity.
Learning and teaching methods
• Lectures.
• Case studies.
• Videos and films.
• Student presentations.
• Team work with active participation/discussion groups.
• Individual study.
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
Competencies acquired by students:
• The ability to approach research and reflection of modern tourism practices and its social implications systematically and critically.
• The ability to critically reflect on complex socio-cultural processes characterizing forms of tourism in the age of globalization, individualization, mediatization and digitalization.
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
After completing the course students should be able to:
• Understand the circuits of tourism and thus the tourist practices through the dialectics of economy and culture.
• Analyze and explain the cultural construction of selected tourist attractions/destinations.
• Critically evaluate the impact of socio- cultural processes on the forms of tourism.
• Identify the research problem in the field of cultural sociology of tourism and prepare the theoretical grounded research question for independent research.
Readings
Temeljna literatura / Essential reading materials:
Richard Sharpley (2018): Tourism, Tourists and Society, 5th Edition. London, New York: Routledge.
Kevin Meethan (2001): Tourism in Global Society: Place, Culture, Consumption. New York: Palgrave.
Chris Rojek & John Urry, ur. (1997): Touring Cultures: Transformations of Travel and Theory. London, New York: Routledge.
Priporočena dodatna literatura / Recommended additional literature:
André Jansson (2018): Mediatization and Mobile Lives: London, New York: Routledge.
Tazim Jamal & Mike Robinson (2009): The Sage Handbook of Tourism Studies. London: Sage.
Elektronski viri /e-sources:
Seznam dodatnih študijskih materialov bo razdeljen študentom ob začetku predavanj. / A list of additional study materials (published papers etc.) will be distributed when the course begins.
Prerequisits
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Additional information on implementation and assessment Method (written or oral exam, coursework, project):
Written exam. 50%
Seminar paper. 50%
