Tourism and decolonisation: Locating research and self

Abstract

This paper critically explores decolonial theory and its relevance for tourism studies. We suggest that while postcolonial and related critical theoretical perspectives furthered understandings of the consequences of colonisation, such critical theorising has not provided an epistemological perspective of tourism which legitimises the cosmologies of, and actively empowers, traditionally marginalised groupings. We review published tourism research which adopts critical and postcolonial perspectives, and argue that while these have been valuable in terms of exposing the existence and effects of dominant discourses and practices in tourism, their emancipatory objectives are limited because tourism knowledge is still predominantly colonial. Epistemological decolonisation is thus presented as a more radical project which can provide an 'other' way of thinking, being and knowing about tourism.

The tourism knowledge system

“…The final lacuna addressed in circle 3 is indigenous knowledges. This refers to knowledge originating from specific cultural, geographical and traditional circumstances that are ontologically tied-not only to-but within the self (Picard & Di Giovine, 2014) a specific community (Schellhorn, 2010) and postcolonial perspectives (Chambers & Buzinde, 2015). Often embedded in oral traditions, indigenous knowledges are passed on from generations through cosmologies, diaspora, storytelling, arts, crafts, spirituality, language and classification systems.…”

“…Chambers and Buzinde (2015) argue that tourism knowledge is still predominantly colonial through its production and dissemination by former colonial powers and that superiority is attributed to disciplinary knowledge especially that obtained via the scientific method. 'Other' forms of knowledge acquisition that do not use the scientific method are viewed as inferior and untrustworthy.…”

Tourism and Leisure Mobilities

“…Tourism researchers increasingly acknowledge that the Eurocentric nature of knowledge and its production tends to obscure, if not ignore, the knowledges of other cultures and historically marginalised groups (Cater 2006;Chambers and Buzinde 2015). Prompted by the 'critical turn' in tourism studies (Ateljevic et al 2007), the field has done well to embrace postcolonial, post-structural, critical realist, and other theoretical perspectives to challenge conventional ways of knowing tourism, doing tourism research and relating to indigenous tourism stakeholders (Peters and Higgins-Desbiolles 2012).…”

“…For example, as Nielsen and Wilson (2012) observed, despite being a topic of academic interest for over three decades, there is a dearth of Indigenous tourism literature that discusses the role of Indigenous people themselves within the research process. Chambers and Buzinde (2015) provide important conceptual and reflexive footing for 'de-linking' research from such ethnocentrism and hegemony. In effect, Indigenous tourism research remains predominantly driven by the needs and priorities of non-Indigenous people (Nielsen and Wilson 2012).…”

“…These authors focus on decolonial theory, which they indicate 'urges scholars to think of the possibility of another way of knowing about and being in tourism that does not privilege Western epistemologies' (Chambers and Buzinde 2015: 5). All aspects of decolonial research processes thus aim to foreground, value, and reclaim Indigenous voices and knowledges, and to forge cross-cultural partnerships with, between and among Indigenous researchers and allied others (Chambers and Buzinde 2015). It falls within the broader project of decolonisation that aims 'to create space in everyday life, research, academia, and society for an indigenous perspective without it being neglected, shunted aside, mocked, or dismissed' (Kovach 2009: 85).…”