The Theoretical State of the Art in the Sociology and Anthropology of Tourism

Bibliographic Data

ID5780461
AuthorsGraham M S Dann (corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume10
Issue1
Pages3-15
Publication date2005-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueTourism Analysis (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1083-5423 • E-ISSN: 1943-3999
PublisherCognizant Communication Corporation (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.3727/1083542054547903
OpenAlexW2074986140
LanguageEN
Citations received12

After referring to a number of state-of-the-art conferences and to those sociologists and anthropologists who have undertaken similar appraisals in relation to tourism theory, this article concentrates on a number of issues recently raised by Brown, Meethan, and Seaton. These redesignated themes are treated under the following queries: Literature reviews or mindless trawls? Eureka moments or regurgitation? Eclecticism or monoideism? Black holes or topic avoidance? Maturity or infancy? Cumulatively they act as a framework for the discussion that follows. Separately they expose several uncomfortable trends and pose some awkward questions. Tourism scholars are entitled to ask, for instance, whether reviewing the literature has become too much of a ritual activity associated with a Teutonic treatise syndrome and tendencies towards ethnocentrism and autocitation. They may legitimately reexamine claims to originality by inspecting the provenance of ideas of leading commentators. They can evaluate the respective merits of a micro-pick-and-mix approach when contrasted with grand theory. They can point to those areas in tourism research that have been overlooked and ask why they have been neglected. In such a manner, they are able to confront the final dilemma as to whether advances in the field are genuine or spurious

Eclecticism · Polish-Jewish Holocaust Memory Studies

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub