The Tourist Gaze: Leisure and Travel in Contemporary Societies (Theory, Culture and Society Series) [Paperback]

Professor John Urry (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 080398183X | ISBN-13: 978-0803981836 | Publication Date: October 1, 1990 | Edition: 1st

Tourism is both an important component of modern life and a highly lucrative industry for many countries, yet its importance has been generally unrecognized in the academic arena. In The Tourist Gaze John Urry examines the concept of tourism from a sociological perspective, demonstrating that tourism is a unique and central element in contemporary society. With his primary focus on the changing nature of tourism, Urry reveals its connection to the broader cultural changes of postmodernism. The Tourist Gaze is essential reading not only for scholars and researchers in sociology, but to all those interested in the social, cultural, and geographical analysis of contemporary society. "It is a readable and stimulating account of many aspects of the sociology of contemporary tourism. . . .shows very wide reading and a good deal of critical reflection on personal experience. . . .covers a wide diversity of topics, with fascinating anecdotes and examples. . . .For anybody interested academically or professionally in tourism (and indeed in contemporary society), this book is well worth reading. It should give you lots of ideas, challenge several of your preconceptions and help keep you up to date with intellectual fashions." --Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design "Provocative . . . . Comprehensive . . . . Trendy . . . . In reading through the author's analysis of these tourisms and the industry that has emerged to serve them, one has the feeling of being brought up to date on all the latest developments. . . . Readers should find something of value in this forward-looking book." --Tourism Management "... a very sensible and down-to-earth analysis of social restructuring. . . .Most obviously it is a useful overview for students of tourism and recreation whether sociologists, geographers or on specialist courses." --Area "This broad-ranging and accessible book will be essential reading not only to scholars and researchers in the sociology of leisure and consumption but to all those interested in the social, cultural and geographical analysis of contemporary society." --Espaces & Societes "Applause is due to John Urry. He has taken tourism seriously. And he has written a book that will help guide a new generation of enquiry on the topic. The author presents what, for geographers unfamiliar with recent sociological writings, is an illuminating and stimulating amalgam of concepts drawn from the traditions of semiotics, political economy and analysis of deviance. . . .useful. . . .interesting commentaries. . . .important. . . .provocative. . . .exciting. . . .insightful." --Progress in Human Geography

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: SAGE Publications; 1st edition (October 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080398183X
• ISBN-13: 978-0803981836
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,040,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars the tourist gaze:leisure and travel in contemporary societie, May 30, 2000

By 

pushyam "pushyam" (Mumbai,India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tourist Gaze: Leisure and Travel in Contemporary Societies (Theory, Culture and Society Series) (Hardcover)

This book is about pleasure,about holidays,tourism and travel,abouthow and why for short periods people leave their normal place of workand residence. Book is about how in different societies and especially whithin different social groups in diverce historical periods the tourist gaze has changed ahd developed. Gaze presupposes a system of social activities. In 13th -14th centuries pilgrimages had become a wide spread phenomenon.At the end of 17th century the Grand Tour had firmly established for sons of aristrocracy and by late 18th century for the sons of professional middle class.Between 1600 and 1800,treties on travel shifted from a scholastic emphasis on touring as an opportunity for discourse,to travel as eyewitness observation. Character of the tour itself shifted , from the earlier 'Classical Grand Tour'based on emotionally neutral observation and recording galleries,museums and high cultural artifacts,to the 19th century'Romantic Grand Tour'which saw the emergence of scenic tourism and much more private and passionate experience and beauty. the growth of mass tourism represents a democretisation of travel. Tourist sites can be classified in terms of three dichotomies:romantic /collective, historical /modern, authentic/ inauthentic. There is a universalisation and socialisation of the tourist gaze in the postmodern cultures.