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Postgraduate studies in sociology and anthropology of tourism
RESEARCH
NOTES AND REPORTS
637
Postgraduate Studies in Sociology and Anthropology of Tourism
Roehampton
Tom Selwyn Institute, UK
This note reports on the planning, development, and progress of the new postgraduate degree in the sociology and anthropology of tourism at the Roehampton Institute, London (which is affiliated to the University of Surrey). This MA course accepted its first group of students in October 1989. When members of the Institute’s Department of Sociology and Social Administration first considered the idea of convening a postgraduate course in the sociology of tourism, they were mindful of the rapid growth, throughout the world, of the tourism industry. They were also aware of the number of pre first degree and degree programs in British higher and further education, either wholly or partly concerned with tourism. Further, they recognized that many of these courses, with certain notable exceptions, such as the MA in Tourism Planning at the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham, were concerned mainly with the more practical considerations of tourism as an industry. Such programs had been designed, in the main, to focus on management, marketing, and other skills associated with the business of tourism. What seemed to be lacking was a postgraduate program which focuses principally on the sociocultural implications of tourism, and hence might interest students both from purely academic backgrounds as well as those with professional and policymaking experience. Considerable care was taken to stress to prospective students that the program was deliberately “non-vocational” (in the sense that the term is often used to imply industrial or professional training). The first aim was to offer a high level academic discussion of tourism. At the same time, however, it seemed quite clear that it was precisely the lack of proper academic consideration of the social implications of tourism which those involved with tourism policy, including members of government departments, often lacked. Moreover, as far as the team preparing the program were aware, this MA program would be the first postgraduate course in Europe, or indeed anywhere else, which concentrated exclusively on the sociology and anthropology of tourism. The program was designed in a way that would introduce all students to the main sociological debates in tourism studies, but would also allow a considerable amount of flexibility in choice of optional courses. The two required core courses are “Introduction to Tourism” (in which the study of tourism is located within the context of the global political economy, and the contributions are assessed of geographers and historians to the sociological understanding of the subject) and “Tourism and Society” (which lays down the principal frameworks for the anthropological study of tourism, relating questions of tourism research to the mainstream of anthropological theory. Having taken these, students are able to choose any two of six options. “Tourism and the Third World” considers theories of development, underdevelopment, and dependency, and the place of tourism in the economies and societies of particular parts of the Third World. “Urban Tourism” is concerned with the role of tourism in the regeneration and transformation of those cities and parts of cities associated with urban poverty. “Tourism and Pilgrimage” examines the relationship between tourism and pilgrimage, considers the theoretical debates linking or distinguishing pilgrimage and tourism, and focuses on pilgrimage shrines in Western Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and USSR. “Tourism and the Elderly” considers the new demands in the field of tourism made by the growing number of active
638
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elderly people. “The Economic and Social History of Tourism” provides an historical understanding of the development of tourism. Finally “Tourism, Ritual and Myth” is concerned with the “cultural heart” of the tourist experience itself, and discusses the symbolism of tourism. In addition, an important part of the degree consists of the preparation of a 15,000 word thesis on a subject agreed by the student and program team. The first 15 students commenced the program in October 1989. They have varied backgrounds, some purely academic (mostly from the social sciences), others more professional (including tourism policy consultancy), and yet others from backgrounds of both mainstream and tourism education. The program is offered in both full and part time modes, and the teaching has been organized to enable students simultaneously to study and work. It is too early to comment definitively about the value of the program to the students, but there are early indications that the issues discussed have already been found to be useful and relevant in other contexts. Some of those involved with tourism education, for example, have found that their involvement with the social implications of tourism in the program have influenced their own teaching. One student has recently been asked by a Third World government to write a curriculum for tourism education at secondary school level (and will be writing a thesis on how the MA is shaping that work). The general expectation is that Roehampton graduates who continue in tourism will find that their work gains a new dimension following the MA. Apart from a regular schedule of lectures and seminars, day and weekend workshops are periodically held with outside speakers from various parts of the world. Indeed, as far as this postgraduate program is concerned, the Institute is very interested in establishing as many international links as possible with others in the field, particularly in the Third World. The program organizers have aimed from the outset to attract about half the number of students in any one year’s intake from the Third World, while realizing that because of a need to establish funding arrangements this might take some time to achieve. But regardless of whether the students are from developed or developing countries, the general aim of the program organizers is to accept students with the widest possible range of academic qualifications, interests, and national backgrounds. Arguably, the subject of the anthropology and sociology of tourism is almost uniquely placed to achieve such an aim. For more information contact Tom Sewyn, Department of Sociology and Social Administration, Roehampton Institute, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PJ, United Kingdom.OO Submitted 16 April 1990 Accepted ‘23 May 1990
NOTES AND REPORTS
637
Postgraduate Studies in Sociology and Anthropology of Tourism
Roehampton
Tom Selwyn Institute, UK
This note reports on the planning, development, and progress of the new postgraduate degree in the sociology and anthropology of tourism at the Roehampton Institute, London (which is affiliated to the University of Surrey). This MA course accepted its first group of students in October 1989. When members of the Institute’s Department of Sociology and Social Administration first considered the idea of convening a postgraduate course in the sociology of tourism, they were mindful of the rapid growth, throughout the world, of the tourism industry. They were also aware of the number of pre first degree and degree programs in British higher and further education, either wholly or partly concerned with tourism. Further, they recognized that many of these courses, with certain notable exceptions, such as the MA in Tourism Planning at the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham, were concerned mainly with the more practical considerations of tourism as an industry. Such programs had been designed, in the main, to focus on management, marketing, and other skills associated with the business of tourism. What seemed to be lacking was a postgraduate program which focuses principally on the sociocultural implications of tourism, and hence might interest students both from purely academic backgrounds as well as those with professional and policymaking experience. Considerable care was taken to stress to prospective students that the program was deliberately “non-vocational” (in the sense that the term is often used to imply industrial or professional training). The first aim was to offer a high level academic discussion of tourism. At the same time, however, it seemed quite clear that it was precisely the lack of proper academic consideration of the social implications of tourism which those involved with tourism policy, including members of government departments, often lacked. Moreover, as far as the team preparing the program were aware, this MA program would be the first postgraduate course in Europe, or indeed anywhere else, which concentrated exclusively on the sociology and anthropology of tourism. The program was designed in a way that would introduce all students to the main sociological debates in tourism studies, but would also allow a considerable amount of flexibility in choice of optional courses. The two required core courses are “Introduction to Tourism” (in which the study of tourism is located within the context of the global political economy, and the contributions are assessed of geographers and historians to the sociological understanding of the subject) and “Tourism and Society” (which lays down the principal frameworks for the anthropological study of tourism, relating questions of tourism research to the mainstream of anthropological theory. Having taken these, students are able to choose any two of six options. “Tourism and the Third World” considers theories of development, underdevelopment, and dependency, and the place of tourism in the economies and societies of particular parts of the Third World. “Urban Tourism” is concerned with the role of tourism in the regeneration and transformation of those cities and parts of cities associated with urban poverty. “Tourism and Pilgrimage” examines the relationship between tourism and pilgrimage, considers the theoretical debates linking or distinguishing pilgrimage and tourism, and focuses on pilgrimage shrines in Western Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and USSR. “Tourism and the Elderly” considers the new demands in the field of tourism made by the growing number of active
638
RESEARCH
NOTES AND REPORTS
elderly people. “The Economic and Social History of Tourism” provides an historical understanding of the development of tourism. Finally “Tourism, Ritual and Myth” is concerned with the “cultural heart” of the tourist experience itself, and discusses the symbolism of tourism. In addition, an important part of the degree consists of the preparation of a 15,000 word thesis on a subject agreed by the student and program team. The first 15 students commenced the program in October 1989. They have varied backgrounds, some purely academic (mostly from the social sciences), others more professional (including tourism policy consultancy), and yet others from backgrounds of both mainstream and tourism education. The program is offered in both full and part time modes, and the teaching has been organized to enable students simultaneously to study and work. It is too early to comment definitively about the value of the program to the students, but there are early indications that the issues discussed have already been found to be useful and relevant in other contexts. Some of those involved with tourism education, for example, have found that their involvement with the social implications of tourism in the program have influenced their own teaching. One student has recently been asked by a Third World government to write a curriculum for tourism education at secondary school level (and will be writing a thesis on how the MA is shaping that work). The general expectation is that Roehampton graduates who continue in tourism will find that their work gains a new dimension following the MA. Apart from a regular schedule of lectures and seminars, day and weekend workshops are periodically held with outside speakers from various parts of the world. Indeed, as far as this postgraduate program is concerned, the Institute is very interested in establishing as many international links as possible with others in the field, particularly in the Third World. The program organizers have aimed from the outset to attract about half the number of students in any one year’s intake from the Third World, while realizing that because of a need to establish funding arrangements this might take some time to achieve. But regardless of whether the students are from developed or developing countries, the general aim of the program organizers is to accept students with the widest possible range of academic qualifications, interests, and national backgrounds. Arguably, the subject of the anthropology and sociology of tourism is almost uniquely placed to achieve such an aim. For more information contact Tom Sewyn, Department of Sociology and Social Administration, Roehampton Institute, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PJ, United Kingdom.OO Submitted 16 April 1990 Accepted ‘23 May 1990