Travel as a social phenomenon: anthropologists, reporters and tourists

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During the course we will focus on the nature of experience of three categories of “travelers”: anthropologists, reporters and tourists. We will attempt to address the question regarding boundaries between the various travel experiences and texts produced as their outcomes. Discussing the history of fieldwork research in social science, and relying on the works of classic of social anthropology (Malinowski, Levi-Strauss) and contemporary authors as James Clifford, Paul Rabinow and Clifford Geertz) we will be considering the following issue: what defines the anthropological experience - and what constitutes the difference between academic, anthropological text and travel report or reportage?

During the course we will focus on the nature of experience of three categories of “travelers”: anthropologists, reporters and tourists. In case of anthropologists - who traditionally have focused in their research practice on studying remote, non-Western societies, participation in fieldwork has long be considered to be a “rite of passage”, necessary to become a legitimate researcher. Travel plays a crucial role in the process of writing reportages describing far-away places, serving as a professional tool in journalist career. However, tourists, who are defined as “leisure travellers”, also commonly produce various texts - such as travel reports, blog entries - describing their experiences. During our course, we will attempt to address the question regarding boundaries between the various travel experiences and texts produced as their outcomes. Discussing the history of fieldwork research in social science, and relying on the works of classics of social anthropology (Malinowski, Levi-Strauss) and contemporary authors as James Clifford and Clifford Geertz) we will be considering the following issues: what defines the anthropological experience - and what constitutes the difference between academic text, travel report and reportage?

The object of our particular interest during the course will be the aspect relationship between different categories of mobile people and the objects of their experience. As in the recent years, tourism has established its position as one of the pillars of economy, for the people from “the global North” tourist experience became an indispensable part of their lives, as well as one of the most important indicators of social status. The diversity of tourist experience will be discussed, as various forms of tourist practices (mass tourism, alternative/niche tourism, backpacking) will be taken into account. In case of anthropologists, the classic concept of field (terrain) as well as its transformations under the influence of globalization and deterritorialization will be subjected to analysis. Regarding reporters, changes taking place in journalist practice resulting from development of instant communication and Internet will be also discussed.

During the course we will analyze the existing texts and audiovisual materials documenting the travel experience, such as blogs and travel reports, portals tourist folders and websites as tourist attractions.

Adler Judith, „Origins of sightseeing”, Annals of Tourism Research, 16: 7-2

Bird S. E. 2005. The journalist as ethnographer?: How anthropology can enrich journalistic practice, in: Media Anthropology, ed. E.Rothenbuhler and M.Coman.

Clifford J., 1997. Spatial Practices: Fieldwork, Travel, and the Disciplining of Anthropology.

Crick M. 1995. The Anthropologist as Tourist: An Identity in Question, in: Lafant M. N (ed), International Tourism: Identity and Change.

Galani-Moutafi, V. (2000). Traveler, Ethnographer, Tourist. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(1), 22.

Geertz C. 1988. Works and lives: the anthropologist as author, Stanford University Press.

Gupta A., Ferguson J. 1997. Discipline and Practice:

"The Field" as Site, Method, and Location in Anthropology.

Hanusch F., Fursich E. 2014. Travel Journalism: Exploring Production, Impact and Culture. Palgrave Macmillan.

Horvath-Neithmeyer P. 1989. Journalism and Anthropology: Creation of Cultural Curriculum, in: Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, Volume: 44 issue: 4.

Levi-Strauss C., 1961. Tristes Tropiques (Sad Tropics), Hutchinson & Co. (excerpt).

Malinowski B. 1922. Argonauts of the Western Pacific (excerpt).

K_W01 Knows and understands basic concepts of various sub-domains of sociology (e.g. sociology of family, health, work, religion, economy, education, etc)

K_W03 Is aware of ongoing theoretical and methodological disputes conducted in modern sociology; is reflective and critical of various positions

K_U17 Can relate an academic text to the problems of social life and its empirical studies

K_U18 Can identify the kinds of research in which the scientific texts read can be applicable

K_U19 Can prepare a presentation of a selected problem or study in Polish and in a foreign language

K_K07 Can justify the choice of sources

K_K14 Takes responsibility for planned and performed tasks

-Weekly assignments, including: participation in discussion on online platform; writing commentaries; solving quizzes

-Final essay