Tourism Research And The Social Sciences

Based upon a social science approach to understanding the significance of tourism in contemporary society, Andrew Holden’s fascinating book highlights tourism as a multidisciplinary area of study with rich and varied theoretical underpinnings. Here, Holden introduces social science disciplines and applies relevant theories to the understanding of tourism. He investigates how the economic and political structures of society influence the manifestation of tourism at a global level, and subsequently considers a variety of topical issues including citizenship and social exclusion, tourism as a form of trade, consumerism, the consequences of tourism, and feminism and ethics. Each chapter includes: a brief introductory summary of the discipline a critique of its main theories and concepts which have relevance to tourism a discussion of how the theories and concepts have been applied to tourism using cases and examples international case studies and examples. Punctuated with study and teaching aids, chapter summaries and ‘think points’ to encourage reflection, this excellent, broad-ranging textbook provides a wider understanding of tourism’s role in society.

This collection of key articles from the most influential journals and books in the field examines what social scientists mean by the term tourism, and what it means to be a tourist. Carefully selected and introduced by the editor, this material charts the sociological changes that have occurred in tourism, and the change from the upper-class grand tours of the late nineteenth-century to the mass tourism of the present day. The collection also assesses the economic impacts of tourism on local economies, environmental considerations, and whether the growth of tourism is sustainable in a post-September 11th world. "Tourism: Critical Concepts in the Social Sciences" is an accessible and comprehensive resource designed for academics and scholars researching in tourism, globalization, and human geography.

The theme of this book focuses on the being of tourism and knowledge construction in tourism. It discusses both ontological and epistemological issues in tourism studies. In addition to examining what constitutes tourism knowledge and how tourism knowledge is acquired, various theoretical and methodological paradigms will also be addressed.

Within the tourism industry there is a growing consensus on the need for research to investigate the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism. However, existing research methods texts are based solely on either the business approach or the social science approach to tourism. They often fail to provide real world examples of how to plan, implement or analyse tourism related research. This book aims to address this divide by integrating theory with practice through the inclusion of specific tourism research case studies alongside research theory. It considers a wide range of research issues, approaches and techniques with contributions from both experienced and new researchers.

This introductory guide offers innovative ideas and strategies to students undertaking their first social science research work. Academically rigorous yet accessible, it uses a systematic step-by-step approach to illustrate the research process and its applications to the tourism industry. Students are presented with numerous examples and case studies, linking theory with practice. The textbook provides a balanced coverage of both qualitative and quantitative methods, accompanying students throughout the process of selecting a research topic and specifying research questions, aims and objectives. A range of pedagogical features such as discussion questions, practical tips and examples enable students to review the literature, understand models and methodologies, analyse and interpret data (quantitative and qualitative) and ultimately write up their findings. Featuring contributions by a group of academics with expertise in their respective fields, the book provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to research methods. This is an essential resource to tourism students and will also be of interest to researchers in any social science subject.

This thought-provoking Handbook considers the impact and challenges that social tourism has on people’s lives, integrating case studies from around the world. Showcasing the latest research on the topic and its role in tackling the challenges of tourism development, chapters explore the opportunities presented by social tourism and illustrate the social imperative of tourism as a force for good.

This book proposes a new and original analysis of tourism employment in order to understand the multiple dimensions (economic, cultural, temporal, geographical, etc.) of this cross-cutting sector. It offers an overview of French knowledge, mainly in sociology, anthropology, geography and law, in the light of singular empirical fields. The diversity of disciplinary approaches, methods and questions allows for comparisons between various segments of the tourism employment market in France and with other countries. Based on in-depth case studies, this book will be a valuable resource for students and academics who wish to understand the specificities of tourism employment and the methods for studying them, as well as for professionals in the sector and decision-makers in European tourist destinations who wish to enrich their approaches to these phenomena.