Geographies of Tourism

Catalog description

This course will focus on geographic concepts such as place, space, and scale and their applications in tourism research. We will also cover spatial analysis techniques and their uses in tourism studies. The course will begin with an introduction to geography and its importance in tourism studies. Next, background on concepts and theories developed within the field of geography will be provided. From there we will begin to discuss ideas of space, place, landscapes and scale. In our discussion of scale we will focus on the politics of scale and ideas of globalization and the global-local nexus. This will lead into a discussion of networks and flows as they apply to tourism. We will also explore political geographies and gendered landscapes as they apply to tourism. Finally, we will explore some spatial analysis techniques used by geographers studying tourism. The course materials will be structured to give students information on how each topic is conceptualized by geographers, current theoretical debates relating to the topic and its applications in tourism research. The course will rely heavily on current literature, mainly from peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. Students will be expected to engage with these concepts through the literature in writing and discussion. Level: Graduate