The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self is the first edited collection focused on the significance of the theme space. The first section of the text discusses the ways in which theming acts as a form of authenticity. Included are articles on the theme park Dollywood, the historic Coney Island, the uses of theming in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the Las Vegas Strip. Section two considers theming as a reflection of nation, and its authors focus on Chinese theme parks and shopping malls, the Lost City theme park in South Africa, and the Ain Diab resort district in Casablanca. The third section of the book illustrates how theming often targets the person—whether famous or everyday. The authors look at spaces ranging from the Liverpool John Lennon Airport, love hotels in Japan, and the Houston, Texas theme park AstroWorld. The final section emphasizes theming as a projection of the mind and psychology. The authors focus on behind-the-scenes tourism at Universal Studios and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, the use of theming in unexpected spaces like Florida themed clinics, theming in virtual reality spaces of video games, and the social controversies related to theming in various parts of the world. The book includes a comprehensive bibliography on theming and a list of key terms. The Themed Space is of great interest to students of all levels and scholars of anthropology, urban studies and sociology.
Scott A. Lukas received his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Rice University. He has taught anthropology and sociology at Lake Tahoe Community College and at Valparaiso University. In 2005 he was the recipient of the McGraw-Hill Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology by the American Anthropological Association. In 2003 he was honored with the Hayward Award for Excellence in Education in the state of California. He frequently teaches on the subject of theme parks and themed spaces. He is the author of the volume The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self (Lexington Books, 2007), as well as Theme Park (Reaktion Books, 2008), Fear, Cultural Anxiety, and Transformation: Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Films Remade (coedited with John Marmysz, Lexington Books, 2008), Recent Developments in Criminological Theory (coedited with Stuart Henry, Ashgate, 2009), Strategies in Teaching Anthropology (coedited with Pat Rice and David McCurdy, Prentice-Hall, 2010). He has also published chapters and articles in numerous other volumes and journals, including Joystick Soldiers: The Military/War Video Games Reader; The Hummer: Myths and Consumer Culture; Handbook for Achieving Gender Equity through Education; Routledge International Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinities; SAGE Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste; Late Editions 6, Paranoia within Reason: A Casebook on Conspiracy as Explanation; CCHA Journal; International Journal of Baudrillard Studies; InterCulture; M/C Journal; The Senses & Society; and The Joys of Teaching Anthropology. He received an Honorable Mention for the 2008 Nevada Arts Council fellowship for writing focused on Las Vegas buffets, theming, and architecture, as well as a Nevada Jackpot Grant supporting his research on Las Vegas and a Professional Development Grant from the Nevada Arts Council in 2010. In 2009, he was awarded a Sierra Arts Artist Grant for his creative non-fiction writing which focused on the interplay and natural and cultural forms. In 2008 he was the keynote speaker for the Storytelling, Architecture, Technology, and Experience conference sponsored by the Theming Entertainment Association at Walt Disney World.
Scott is a former theme park trainer at Six Flags AstroWorld. His work in the theme park industry was the subject of his doctoral dissertation at Rice University, entitled Signal 3, named after a theme park radio code. He has organized major sessions on theme parks and theming at the American Anthropological Association Annual Meetings, including "The Themed Space: Reflections on Culture and Materiality" (2007) and "Experiential, Branded, and Lifestyle Spaces: Dialogues between Architecture and Anthropology." He has been a participant in three National Endowment for the Humanities seminars, including "American Cities and Public Spaces" held at the Library of Congress. In 2006 his name was forwarded to Governor Schwarzenegger's Office for nomination to the California Community College's Board of Governors. He is a frequent speaker and contributor to newspaper and television and appears in the documentary, The Nature of Existence (dir. Roger Nygard).
