Reading
Discussion Questions Note: these questions do not by any means exhaust the discussion potential of the readings. They are intended to orient you towards some of the issues, but I encourage you to identify other issues as well. The readings today are designed to continue and deepen our discussion of the relationships between tourism and globalization. What is globalization doing to tourism? And what is tourism doing to globalization? Is tourism what Teo and Li call a "hyperglobalizer"? 1.I will probably start with the brief New York Times article by John Tagliabue about European agritourism, because it offers an interesting contrast to the case of cruise tourism that we discussed last time. There we explored how neoliberal globalization has made possible the contemporary cruise industry, and how that industry in turn provides probably the purest case we have of what a fully-globalized industry might look like. In the case of European agritourism, we see an emerging conflict between neoliberal globalization (as represented by the United States and the World Trade Organization) and this particular form of tourism. What are the issues in contention here? How is the debate over state subsidies for agritourism also about larger issues as well? How does this relate to the nature of globalization itself? (I will be putting together a PowerPoint on my preliminary research on this issue. As with cruise tourism, I believe that European agritourism raises some quite fundamental questions about the kind of globalization we should want.) 2. The two chapters by Urry discuss how the tourist gaze has become generalized and globalized. Since Urry's tourist gaze concept places particular attention on visual perception, the reconstruction of Parisian urban space in the 19th century and the invention of photography are especially important in his account. Let's draw out his key points and then think more generally how about how physical architecture (including viewing platforms) and photography continue to be at the center of the tourist gaze. (Let's plan on talking about the role of photography in our own travels--if you want to bring in pictures to share--and analyze!--that's fine.) 3. Urry comments on "theming" in everything from theme parks to malls and beyond. How does this relate to what he calls the "dedifferentiation" of the tourist gaze? What is the significance of this? How does this relate to the issues raised by Franklin in our first set of readings? 4. What has the globalization of the tourist gaze entailed? What different types of gazes exist? Would you add to the various ones that Urry discusses? How are identities increasingly global, and what role does tourism play in this? Do you agree with Urry's critics that his concept of the tourist gazes emphasizes visual perception too much? 5. The Teo and Li, Lofgren, Mintz, and Mohran articles address in different ways the issue of whether global tourism is homogenizing the touristic experience around the world. What do they focus on and what are their points of view about this issue? What do you think about this issue? Be sure to bring the readings with you; I may have us discuss particular passages.
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