SOC 235 - Anthropology of Tourism

4 Credits

1 Units

Tourism and tourist-based activities account for over ten percent of the world GDP today (source: World Tourism Organization). As more people are traveling to different places away from their homes, the level of interaction between hosts and guests has significant implications on the development of new cultural patterns and social practices in guest and host destinations. This course examines the development of tourism within the conceptual framework of anthropology and related social sciences. It encourages students to examine the impact that tourism has upon the cultures and people visited, the nature and relationship of culture to tourism, the recreation and manufacture of heritage for tourists and the performance of cultural acts through orchestrated dance, song and festivals. In the process of understanding the role of tourism and heritage in the development of modern cities and nations, students will survey how spaces are demarcated for tourism consumption, explore the role of marketing and branding of tourist destinations in shaping tourist activities and identify trends in tourism and heritage development. Furthermore, students will analyze complementary and contrasting viewpoints about cultural politics, sustainable social and economic development, and other issues related to the promotion of tourism in different parts of the world, and the challenges that host communities increasingly face in light of the presence of tourists. (M4)

Credit Type Code: Letter Grade