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Staged Authenticity Today
Abstract
This chapter reviews the staged authenticity in cultural arrangements beyond tourism and the implications of this relocation, also exploring the fragile membrane guarding the back as described by Erving Goffman, some consequences of its violation by tourists, and the social and human impacts of its putative removal across the board. Goffman was meticulous in explaining how much of humanity hangs on the separation of front and back. An examination of the tourist gaze from the double perspective of Goffman/Michel Foucault reveals emergent paranoid structures at the level of society, or at least the so-called postmodern variants of society. Jeremy Bentham believed that the design of the prison should guarantee visibility of the whole of the prison to the whole of the outside world. It is noted that prisons are actually more crowded, violent, and disease ridden than they have ever been.
... The word materiality in this context refers to the broad range of items, including tourist infrastructures, souvenirs, vehicles, and material cultures. Authenticity issues in sociology of tourism (Bruner, 1994;Cohen, 1988;Grünewald, 2002;Hillman, 2007;MacCannell, 1973MacCannell, , 2008Olsen, 2007;Wang, 2017;Xie, 2010) Tourists have the potential to experience both material and spiritual experiential authenticity if they fully appreciate and take pleasure in the diverse traditions of the community group. By participating in various local tourism activities, visitors have the opportunity to experience the authentic local way of life. ...
... Thirdly, authenticity, which entails some forms of national culture, can be developed and transformed by other nationalities or investments, such as folk music performances, folk dancing and other forms of entertainment displayed in the scenic area. This is so-called 'staged authenticity' (MacCannell, 1973(MacCannell, , 2008Olsen, 2007). Cohen (1988) argues that the commodification itself does not necessarily destroy the core value of ethnic cultural values, but merely inputs and creates new embeddedness into the old ones. ...
This study reviews the conceptual and epistemological tensions of the current sociology of tourism research. Adopting a narrative theoretical discussion approach, this paper synthesises the existing theoretical literature of recent decades in sociological theories in tourism. It focuses on themes with current theoretical trends: socio-economy, psychology, materiality, authenticity, and mobility. The research indicates that the field of sociology of tourism has evolved to include the intrinsic essence of tourism, which is the experience of both physical and psychological emancipation within an unconventional setting. As such, the current paper has reference value for the establishment of the tourism discipline system and the promotion of the tourist industry's well-being and sustainable growth. ARTICLE HISTORY Highlights 1. It reviews the progressing tensions in tourism sociology. 2. It examines contemporary philosophical understandings of the sociology of tourism. 3. It examines current trends of resiliency in tourism.
... Further, today these practices may be learned in their original locales or elsewhere, from people who travel from those places or from those who have not. A significant portion of global tourism is thought to be driven by the search for authenticity (MacCannell, 1973), reifying and rationalizing culture as location-based, intertwined with entrepreneurship. A main component of tango -the training of novice dancers -sees people travel to Buenos Aires and Montevideo for this purpose, as well as learn in schools and from dance professionals around the world. ...
The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO to enshrine and preserve exemplars of the intangible heritage of humanity – practices, traditions, and cultural expressions – on a global register. In our view, this convention highlights a tension between the valorization of cultural diversity on one hand and the universal relevance and value of masterpieces of intangible heritage to all humankind on the other. We introduce the term rationalized authenticity to refer to processes by which this tension is mitigated through simultaneous 1) fostering of a diversity of ways that heritage may be expressed or understood and 2) translation into rationalized forms that demonstrate the transnational relevance of cultural heritage. Based on a comparative analysis of three diverse examples of heritage on UNESCO's list from outside the core of the cultural world system – tango from Argentina and Uruguay, acupuncture and moxibustion from China, and the Kodály concept from Hungary – we show how rationalized authenticity encourages the adoption of alternative definitions of cultural heritage and also facilitates the transnational spread and transformation of select masterpieces of intangible heritage.
... In this context, the use of the patxohã language has an important role because it establishes a coercive situation of regency of the spectacle (and of construction of reality), whose meanings cannot be completely understood by the audience. Nevertheless -or perhaps for this reason -the audience becomes the arbiter of the "staged authenticity" (MacCannell 1973) in this arena. ...
This paper frames the baptism rite conducted at the Aragwaksã ceremony as a performance of the Pataxó Indians undertaken in an inter-cultural arena. Using ethnographic data, the article highlights the participative and creative interaction of Indians and tourists in the execution of the event. Attention will be drawn to the functions of the performance and its semiotic possibilities, but especially to the experiential fact. The ritual has multivocal potential, and the article focuses on how meanings emerge. Culture and indigenous identity are important topics and here the rite is perceived in terms of the communion that it provides, as it involves players and audience in the construction of the authenticity of ethnic and potentially traditional elements among the Pataxó.
... Dos quintais às prateleiras (NORONHA, 2015a) narra o fluxo dos artefatos como consequência de processos socioculturais que pude identificar em campo. A conversão de produtos utilitários em souvenires para que os turistas "levem o quilombo para casa", como costumam dizer as mulheres que trabalham com o 1 O encontro entre nativos e turistas é objeto de análise de diversos autores do campo da Antropologia do Turismo (MACCANNELL, 1989; COHEN, 1998; VAN DEN BERG, 1994). Neste artigo, trago a categoria chegada do turismo com um fenômeno em andamento, que ainda precisa ser problematizado. ...
Uma reflexão sobre a produção do conhecimento e as negociações entre os detentores de saberes acadêmicos e os detentores de saberes tradicionais: esta é a discussão proposta neste capítulo que analisa o contato entre artesãos, designers e turistas, nas disputas discursivas pelo denominado artesanato do quilombo, sua construção material e simbólica, e investiga como cada ator social envolvido impõe a sua forma de falar sobre artefatos e sobre identidade cultural.
... 12 The assemblages of houses, palm trees, tools, household items, boats, and the performers themselves successfully produced exotic atmospheres and spectacular scenes in which people dwelt "just like us"-yet differently. A "staged authenticity" (MacCannell 1989(MacCannell , 2008 was produced connoting the South Seas to a German public. ...
The paper explores the mutual impact of Pacific houses and people in diasporic relationships. Tracing the fates of several whare and fale now located in Europe, it explores changes over time that resulted from different degrees of closeness or distance between the people gathered around them. Three houses feature prominently in the paper: Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito in Clandon Park (close to London, UK); Rauru at the Museum für Völkerkunde (Hamburg, Germany); and a fale from Apia at the Tropical Islands Resort (close to Berlin, Germany). They enjoy and have historically enjoyed different degrees of connection with their source communities, which, I suggest, directly impact their role and state of being in their current locations. What their stories show is that identities and angles of vision change in particular ways during processes of colonization and globalization. These changes are relevant for local and global cultural developments and their role in cultural tourism, but also for the consideration of global identities generally. Together, Pacific notions of generative (rather than objectifying) relationships between people, and Benjamin’s notion of a performative relationship between present and past opening new angles and future possibilities, suggest that present and past relationships can be redeemed.
... Debates have emerged about what staging authenticity means and how to study it (Cook, 2010;Lacy and Douglass, 2002;MacCannell, 2008;Spracklen et al., 2013). Staged authenticity refers to displays curated or designed to appear as if they are an entrance into a back stage or authentic world, when these are contrived, front-stage performances. ...
Literature on penal tourism has examined meanings of imprisonment and punishment communicated in infamous American (e.g. Alcatraz, Eastern State Penitentiary), Australian (e.g. Fannie Bay Gaol, Port Arthur) and South African (e.g. Robben Island) sites. Yet such research has not extensively drawn from academic debates on authenticity and heritage that have become prominent in tourism research. This article examines the staging of authenticity in lesser-known penal history museums located across Canada. Whether large and aesthetically impressive or small and dingy, the existence of museums in original heritage penal sites raises questions about authenticity and how it is staged. Based on an analysis of field notes and interviews from visits to 45 penal history sites in Canada, we present four strategies (preservation, restoration, importation and creation) used by staff and volunteers at penal history museums to draw attention to four types of authenticity (architectural and spatial, tactile and visual, existential and narrative) that reinforce claims about the purported realities of incarceration found therein.
... Nevertheless, in terms of staged authenticity and commodification of cultures (MacCannell 1973(MacCannell , 2000(MacCannell , 2001, this research also reveals high potential risks of 'staged-ness' of cultural performance in further development of rural cultural tourism in this village. Interestingly, of the 73.2% of the respondents who are reportedly capable of singing 'yin ge' (funerals songs) and 'hun ge' (prostitute songs, and dating or love songs), 73.1% expressed a willingness to sing in front of the outsiders or visitors if requested. ...
Tourism has a penetration effect, especially in developing economies and/or rural communities where options for development are limited. This research adopts the observation and survey approach to look at villagers' perceptions of traditions in the context of rural cultural tourism. Development and impacts of rural cultural tourism are examined in a case study of folk song traditions conducted in Lujiahe Village, located in the northwest of Central China's Hubei Province. This rural community is known as ‘the first folk song village of the Han Chinese’. The history, unique tradition and current practice of its villagers singing folk songs on various ceremonies and occasions have recently been exploited as cultural performances and attractions for visitors. Survey results indicate that, at the initial stage of development, villagers generally hold a welcoming attitude towards tourism-induced impacts and a high willingness to accept possible socio-cultural changes in their community. It is argued that rural cultural tourism should be planned with caution for sustainable development. The study concludes with a component framework that encompasses the dimensions and issues that should be considered and incorporated in community-involved planning and development of rural cultural tourism.
... As a case in point, he mentioned the Quilombo of Pedra do Sal, describing the plaintiffs as "squatters" trying to obtain real estate. Much has been written about the current use of the term "authenticity," discussing the ideas of truth, genuineness and intimacy that it evokes (Benjamim 1994, MacCannel 1976, Handler 1985, Gonçalves 1988, Clifford 1994. Whether referring to works of art, tourist destinations or the cultural goods that comprise so-called national heritage assets, many scholars question the use of "authenticity" as something inherent to the object itself. ...
This paper discusses the creation of an arena for political and moral recognition stirred by the "revitalization" of Rio de Janeiro's Port Zone: the landmarking of Pedra do Sal as a "historic and religious Afro-Brazilian monument" by residents who claimed legal ownership of several properties in the area, affirming that it is an "ethnic territory" and the site is "a remnant quilombo community." The Quilombo of Pedra do Sal became one of the most controversial battles for ethnic recognition in Brazil, because it explored possibilities for broadening the constitutional concept of a quilombo. These possibilities would include, the plea for recognition of an ethnic territory in an urban context; the construction of a history of territorial occupation based on mythological narrative; and a territorial demarcation based on a cultural heritage conceived as the remnant symbol of a generic "black city" and, therefore, without presumed heirs.
... Various motivation theories or concepts have been proposed to explain tourist behavior. For instance, MacCannell (1973MacCannell ( , 1999 suggested that tourists travel to other destinations to seek authentic opportunities when their usual environments lack such an experience. Plog (1974Plog ( , 2001 allocated tourists into an allocentricepsychocentric continuum in which tourists were categorized according to their personalities toward novelty-seeking and implied that personality was one of the basic sources of travel motivation. ...
The purposes of this study were to develop a measurement scale for motivation to cruising and to examine the role of cruising motivation on intention to cruise. The motivation measurement scale was developed by following the procedures recommended by Churchill (1979). The scale was tested and found to be both reliable and valid. The role of cruising motivation on intention to cruise was tested with an online panel survey and it was found that cruising motivation has a positive influence on cruising intention. Based on the study results, some marketing implications were provided to the cruise industry.
This study, conducted as part of the 'RETOU' research project, aims to provide a holistic understanding of adaptive reuse 11 in the context of transforming heritage buildings into creative tourist accommodation units. To achieve the objective set for the 12 current research, the methodology involved an in-depth exploration of the conceptual and theoretical evidence within the scholarly 13 literature, followed by a SOAR analysis. The results have identified current strengths, and opportunities, as well as future aspirations 14 and results specifically associated with adaptive reuse initiatives leading to tourist lodgings. The findings of this research endeavor 15 contribute to the expanding body of literature on the adaptive reuse phenomenon. They provide valuable insights into the prevalent 16 notion and understanding, particularly in the context of a tourist-centric urban destination. Furthermore, this research lays a solid 17 foundation for sustainable policy measures planning, and practical implementation strategies development towards a circular 18 economy transitioning action plan, well-serving objectives promoted by the agenda for sustainable urban development. 19
Under the contemporary circumstances of symbolic consumption, multiculturalism, and accelerated globalization, ethnic cultures have become more available and more attractive to consumers. A consequence is that the instrumental consumption of ethnic culture becomes much more common. This study’s first objective is to clarify it by analyzing the instrumental consumption of the cheongsam, a Chinese traditional dress. This study’s second objective is to illustrate that the normative implications of instrumental consumption of ethnic culture are more complex and open-ended than currently understood. I substantiate this argument by contrasting two economically driven ways of consuming the cheongsam: non-wealthy women wearing cheongsams for their affordability and fashion businesses using the cheongsam style to generate profits. I show that the former case is relatively benign while the latter is not. They show that even when instrumental consumption is driven by purposes irrelevant to ethnicity, some instances of it can yield ethnicity-relevant outcomes. Among these ethnicity-relevant outcomes, some of them empower ethnic cultures. This study’s data include formal and informal interviews, participant observation in several Chinese cities, and a variety of documentary sources.
This chapter begins the book’s comparative historical analysis of travel to World War I Gallipoli battlefield by Australians and Turks by outlining how recruitment and combat zone experience were informed by romantic comprehensions of adventure and modernity. The chapter then examines how Australia in the 1920s extensively memorialised Gallipoli on the assumption of pilgrimage activity and future availability of global travel. In contrast, secular modern Turkey would suppress remembrance of Gallipoli due to its potential to revive cultural and religious ties to the Ottoman past, with no significant remembrance infrastructure built until the Çanakkale Martyrs Memorial opened in 1960. Despite some notable exceptions, this would also limit visits by Australians up until the 1960s with the battlefield officially designated as a military zone.
This article focuses on how political actors appropriate the past by utilizing collective traumas for their populist cause. We demonstrate how the Ulucanlar Prison Museum in Turkey and the oppression of military interventions, for which it served as a backyard, became a tool for the AKP’s (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi-Justice and Development Party) populist agenda. Through a particular narration of history embedded in the museum, the AKP aimed to forge an internal frontier within the society between an envisioned homogenous body of people on the one hand and the elite on the other. Situating itself as the people’s authentic voice against this elite, the AKP tried to further its popular appeal and legitimize its extension of power. What appeared as coming to terms with the past was instead the instrumentalization of the past for a singular political agenda, eager to remove the complexities and pluralism of the past for the sake of telling a politically useful story.
This paper presents a critical review of prior research on theme parks. By critically reviewing 195 academic publications in major hospitality and tourism journals as well as other journals covering theme park-related disciplines, a total of 138 studies were included in the final analysis. The results propose a conceptual framework that delineates the concepts, theoretical foundations, and multi-relations among critical stakeholders within the theme park arena. The proposed framework indicates the links between the theoretical concept and industry practices and provides a holistic view for industry practitioners to understand the fundamental concepts and visitors’ demands. Accordingly, this study provides a benchmark to help industry practitioners design their theme park products. Furthermore, the framework identifies vital mediators (social factor, technical factor, economic factor, environmental factor, and political factor) in theme park destinations, guiding macro policies to promote the local theme park industry. Given the fragmented understanding of theme park research’s conceptualization and its emerging popularity in hospitality and tourism research, this paper provides valuable contributions to the knowledge base of theme park research.
Celebrity advocacy is a curious phenomenon. It occupies a significant proportion of the public domain, but does so without engaging particularly well with much of the public. Yet this may not matter very much. Many people at the core of advocacy, and in political and business elites, simply do not notice any lack of engagement. In these circles celebrity advocacy can be remarkably effective. Celebrity Advocacy and International Development examines the work of celebrity advocacy and lobbying in international development. Its purpose is to understand the alliances resulting, their history, consequences, wider contexts and implications. It argues that celebrity advocacy signals a new aspect of elite rule. For populist celebrity advocacy can mark, ironically, a disengagement between the public and politics, and particularly the public and civil society. Recognising this poses new challenges, but also presents new opportunities, for the development movement. This book gives students and researchers in development studies and media studies a wealth of original empirical data, including interviews across the NGO sector, media and celebrity industries, newspaper analysis, large surveys of public opinion, and focus group research.
While a growing body of literature working at the intersection of security and visual studies recognizes the value of studying images, how these visualities are produced is less theorized, especially with respect to materialities and their capacity to compel meanings. Analyzing the tours of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, which have been arranged by the US military for VIP visitors since the site opened, this article argues that the selective organization and presentation of specific matter was image-making and therefore meaning-making. Through efforts to produce a spectacle of detention, Guantánamo was deliberately constructed as “safe, humane, legal, transparent”—in the process shifting the meaning of these very concepts. Guantánamo's tours as visual and material practices were therefore used to produce meaning in the debate over the future of the site and how best to secure the US state post-9/11. They were part of the constitution of the war's legitimacy, leading, ultimately, to certain understandings of security. Guantánamo, with its “object lessons” and “concrete messages,” is therefore a useful case study for understanding security meaning-making as produced by the interaction of linguistic, visual, and material domains and their elements.
Critics of the concept fail to note that staged authenticity is not authenticity but its opposite or negation. This error is illustrated referencing Ed Bruner’s reading of The Tourist in his recent book Culture on Tour.
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